What can I use instead of heavy cream in vodka sauce?

Well since this is a recipe for vegan vodka sauce, I'd certainly hope we'd be substituting the heavy cream for something vegan. As you might have guess, regular carton non-dairy milk is too thin to make a rich and creamy sauce. My favorite option is the sunflower seed cream I included in the recipe below. Cashew cream also works quite well. If neither of those options are suitable, you can try full fat canned coconut milk or unsweetened unflavored non-dairy creamer (like an oat milk creamer). You can also make your own homemade oat milk or nut milk, and use less water to make a thicker substance perfect for our sauce.

What's the point of putting vodka in pasta sauce?

So a vodka sauce has a very high amount of acid from the tomatoes, and then a fat (i.e. the vegan cream sauce options outlined above) is introduced. Vodka helps make the sauce cohesive and velvety. Wine would also do this but it does impart some of its own flavor. The vodka imparts little to no flavor.

Can vodka sauce get you drunk?

No, the alcohol cooks off. The longer you simmer the sauce, the lower the alcohol becomes. But I couldn't taste it even after only 8 minutes of simmering at medium low heat.

Do I HAVE to use vodka?

No, you can omit it. Your sauce may loose a little cohesion, but it will still be a delicious sauce.

How long does this dairy-free vodka sauce keep?

This sauce will keep for 5-6 days in the fridge in an airtight container like a mason jar with a properly fitting lid. You may also freeze the cooled sauce in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.

Vegan Vodka Sauce

Name: Vegan Vodka Sauce
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 28 oz can peeled tomatoes (see note 1); 6 oz can tomato paste; 2 medium shallots, finely chopped (can sub onion); 3-4 cloves garlic, minced; ½ cup vodka, to taste (see note 2); ⅔ cup sunflower seeds + 1 - 1 ½ cup water (see note 3); The juice of a small lemon; Salt to taste; Up to ¼ cup reserved pasta water; 1 pound pasta, cooked (use GF if needed); Fresh basil

Description

Creamy, bright, and delicious, this Vegan Vodka Sauce comes together in 20 minutes with simple ingredients.

Ingredients

Units Scale

28 oz can peeled tomatoes (see note 1)
6 oz can tomato paste
2 medium shallots, finely chopped (can sub onion)
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup vodka, to taste (see note 2)
2/3 cup sunflower seeds + 1 - 1 1/2 cup water (see note 3)
The juice of a small lemon
Salt to taste
Up to 1/4 cup reserved pasta water

Serve with

1 pound pasta, cooked (use GF if needed)
Fresh basil

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Instructions

Make your sunflower seed cream (or cashew cream) by blending together the seeds and the water until completely smooth (I usually blend for 1-2 minutes) and set it aside. (For more dairy-free vodka sauce options, check the notes section in the bottom portion of the recipe card.
Start your pasta water in a large pot. You can salt your pasta water if you prefer. To do this properly (I just learned), bring your water to a boil, add the salt and stir, then let it dissolve and return it to a boil before adding the pasta.
Cook shallots: Add very finely chopped shallots to a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Cook for about 3 minutes or until translucent, adding a tablespoon of water at a time to keep them from sticking OR you can cook with oil. I usually cook without oil unless I'm using my hot plate for filming.
Blend the canned tomatoes: While the shallots cook, blend up your canned tomatoes.
Cook the garlic: Add the garlic to the pan and cook for a minute more.
Now add the tomato paste and cook for one minute, stirring constantly.
Slowly add in the vodka while stirring, then you can add in the blended tomatoes and stir once again, letting everything come to a boil. Cover and let your vegan vodka sauce cook down for 10 minutes over low heat.
Drain cooked pasta: Once the pasta is cooked through, drain it but reserve some of the pasta water, around ¼ to ⅓ cup. Set aside.
Finish the sauce: After the sauce has cooked down (reduced to about half its volume), add the sunflower seed cream and stir well. Add salt and a bit of fresh lemon to taste, then stir in the cooked pasta. If it’s a bit thick, you can add in the reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time till it’s the consistency you like.
Stir in the cooked pasta. Fold it in gently so as not to break any noodles.
Serve with fresh chopped basil--I prefer to chiffonade mine, which is where you roll up a few leaves stacked on top of each other and slice thinly. You can also add some vegan Parmesan topping if you like--my recipe takes less than 5 minutes to throw together. Or use store-bought vegan Parmesan cheese
Serve your vegan penne alla vodka (or whatever pasta you used) with vegan garlic bread, a fresh salad like this vegan avocado salad, and a glass of wine or whatever else you like.
Store leftover vegan vodka sauce in a jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Sauce that has thickened too much can be loosened with a splash of water and a reheat in a sauce pan. You can also freeze cooled sauce in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.

Notes

Note 1: While I highly recommend the Cento San Marzano canned tomatoes, you can absolutely use any kind you like. Fresh, stewed, diced, crushed, or pureed. Any should work. If you want a chunky vegan vodka sauce, I recommend getting crushed or petite diced tomatoes.

Note 2: It’s kind of the point of a vodka sauce to have vodka in it, but you can omit it if you prefer. The sunflower cream sauce with the tomatoes, shallots, and garlic will still be delicious. BTW if you’ve never cooked with alcohol, don’t worry as the alcohol cooks off.

Note 3: You can use raw cashews or cashew butter instead of sunflower seeds for this sauce if you’d like. If you want to make your vegan vodka sauce lower in fat, I recommend either blending up half a pack of silken tofu (with nothing, just blend it smooth).

Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Entree
Method: Stove top
Cuisine: American, Italian

Keywords: Vegan, Oil-Free, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Sugar-Free, Vegan Vodka Sauce