• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Work with Me
  • Press/PR
  • Contact
Display Search Bar

The Kitchen Whisperer

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Shop
  • Weekly Menu
  • Tuesday’s Tips

Nov82011

Gnocchi in a Vodka Cream Sauce

Posts may contain affiliate links that help enable me to continue to provide you with free recipes. Please see my Privacy Policy for further details.

Print Recipe

Find the recipe card at the end of the post. Make sure to read the content as it contains chef tips, substitution options, answers to FAQs to help you succeed the first time around!

Gnocchi in Vodka Cream Sauce

 

Print

Gnocchi in a Vodka Cream Sauce

  • Author: The Kitchen Whisperer

Find more fantabulous recipes, tips and tricks at www.thekitchenwhisperer.net. Also, join our TKW Family on Facebook

Print Recipe
Pin Recipe
★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review

Ingredients

  • Ingredients
  • 1 pound of gnocchi (I prefer homemade but you can use store bought fresh gnocchi)
  • 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • Small yellow onion, diced
  • 3 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup vodka – you can use the cheaper stuff but if you’re making vodka sauce, then indulge and break out the Grey Goose!
  • 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes – or 1 (28 oz tomato puree if you’re not into chunks like me!)
  • 1 cup heavy cream (you can substitute half and half – regular milk will make it too thin and you won’t get that ‘creaminess’ texture)
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh basil chopped up (you can sliver it for presentation) but a tad more for serving
  • 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese *Only use 1/4 cup if you’re using Asiago too
  • If you want an extra kick you could add a 1/4 cup of Asiago as well (shredded)

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the onion and cook until softened ~about 6-8 minutes.
  3. Add the garlic until you can ‘smell’ it release it’s aroma (about another minute).
  4. Add the tomato paste and stir. This is probably the most important step to pasta sauce making. You *almost* want to just burn the tomato paste. Mix it with the onions and garlic and once you smell the tomato paste cooking (trust me, you will smell it). If you burn it, start all over. Honestly, at a medium-high heat this will take about 3-5 minutes at most.
  5. Add the can of tomatoes, juice and all.
  6. Now I’m finicky and have an issue with *chunks* in my food. The immersion blender is my best friend. You can skip this step but if you have an aversion to chunks, use your immersion blender until the sauce is chunk-free.
  7. Add in the vodka and reduce to medium heat.
  8. Let it cook for about 5-8 minutes or until the vodka has evaporated.
  9. While this is cooking, start your pasta water. Boil about 5 quarts of water.
  10. Add your gnocchi and add about 1 teaspoon of salt.
  11. Gnocchi take roughly 5-7 minutes to boil. They, just like ravioli, float when they are done.
  12. As soon as you drop the gnocchi, add the cream, red pepper flakes and salt to the vodka sauce.
  13. Stir and as soon as the sauce starts to simmer, reduce the heat to medium low.
  14. Cook the sauce until thickened (about 5 minutes).
  15. Remove the gnocchi and drain reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
  16. Taste your sauce and adjust the seasonings (salt/pepper)
  17. Stir in the basil and cheeses.
  18. Add the gnocchi to the sauce and toss to coat. If the sauce it too thick, add the reserved pasta water to thin to liking.
  19. To serve top with some basil leaves and shredded Asiago

Made this Recipe?

Tag @thekitchenwhisperer on Instagram and hashtag it #thekitchenwhisperer
Recipe Card powered byTasty Recipes

Sharing is caring!

Previous Post
Next Post

Reader Interactions

View Comments

Recipe Reviews & Comments

  1. Chaz says

    February 17, 2022 at 6:28 pm

    I had to laugh when I read “I have an issue with chunks”…It made me remember when I was a little boy, my next-door neighbor and surrogate grandmother figure made stewed tomatoes and I was anxious to try them because they smelled so good. Everything was fine until I got one of those chunks of tomato that had a harder gelatinous clump and tried to bite through….The uniquely embryonic/seedy/alienesque texture that I encountered caused an immediate gag reaction, which of course I was then thoroughly punished and humiliated over…

    Reply
  2. Michele WEbb says

    June 10, 2020 at 7:52 pm

    Just made this vodka sauce recipe again tonight. It was even better than the last time I made it!! My dear daughter has moved home from living in Vegas for the past 4 years and said this is way better than some fancy Italian restaurant (Trevi) that is her favorite at Caesar’s Palace!! She was literally eating the sauce with a spoon!! She said she will be requesting this regularly and that its a 10 out of 5 stars!!! 🙂 YUMMY!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  3. Michele Webb says

    March 23, 2020 at 3:50 pm

    Howdy!! I’m making your recipe for dinner tonight, but just noticed in your instructions you say to add Basil and Cheeses, but in the list of ingredients, you have no basil listed!! I can just add accordingly, but thought it might be worth updating!! THANKS!!

    Reply
    • TKWAdmin says

      March 23, 2020 at 3:58 pm

      It’s listed in the ingredients but it looks like it’s on the same line as the black pepper. That must have happened when I switched recipe cards.

      You want 1 1/2 Tbl of fresh basil

      Best Kitchen Wishes!

      Reply
      • Michele Webb says

        March 24, 2020 at 8:05 am

        I did end up seeing the Basil as I was cooking – and did notice that it was on the same line as the pepper! I ended up using dried because that’s what we had on hand. This recipe was fantastic!! Hubby loved it and said to make it a keeper!! Its super easy and quick to make!! It paired very well with the homemade bread that I made! I haven’t ever made bread, and decided to step out of my comfort zone! Super easy and super delicious!! Thank you for your quick response!!! Please stay safe!!

        ★★★★★

        Reply

Leave a Comment & Review Cancel reply

Made it?
Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Primary Sidebar

let’s be friends

Subscribe for delicious new recipes, kitchen tips & weekly menus

Yeah!!! I'm so happy you are joining the TKW Family! You will get an immediate email asking you to confirm your subscription. If it's not in your inbox check your SPAM or JUNK folders. If you do not confirm it, you won't receive my newsletters.

What's Trending on TKW

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Authentic Chicken Tortilla Soup
Instant Pot Homemade Cheesy Hamburger Helper
Chips & Dips Chipcuterie Grazing Board
Instant Pot Mexican Pulled Chicken
Baked Sheet Pan Lemon Dijon Salmon and Veggies
Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Pizza – Keto Friendly & Gluten Free
Chunky Portabella Mushroom Veggie Burgers
The Best Super Soft and Chewy Hoagie Bread Rolls
Back to Top
  • Recipe Index
  • instagram
  • Contact
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Site CreditsDesigned by Melissa Rose Design.Developed by Once Coupled.
31 shares