Gigi Hadid's Vodka Pasta Sauce Recipe Veganized (2024)

posted bycarleigh onOctober 20, 2020 — last updated April 16, 2021 3 comments »

Supermodel Gigi Hadid has blessed the world with her insanely delicious spicy vodka pasta sauce recipe. With heavy cream, parmesan cheese and butter, the recipe is far from vegan, so let’s make a healthy plant-based version!

In case you needed another reason to curl up with a big bowl of pasta, Gigi Hadid has gone on her instagram stories and showed us her family favorite Spicy Vodka Pasta recipe. The simple and delicious pasta recipe has been seen all over TikTok and Instagram since, and I thought I’d try my hand at making a vegan version!

Table of Contents

What’s In Gigi’s Spicy Vodka Pasta Sauce?

The original recipe is as follows:

Makes 2

Ingredients:

¼ cup olive oil
1 small clove of garlic, diced
¼ onion, diced
¼ cup tomato paste
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon vodka
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
225 grams of shells pasta
1 tablespoon butter
¼ cup parmesan cheese
Basil, chopped, to serve
Salt and pepper to taste

As a plant-based food blogger who avoids oil in my recipes, I saw this as quite the fun challenge. In this case, we need to replace the heavy cream, butter and parmesan cheese but still create a reach velvety vodka sauce.

How To Make This Recipe Vegan

To make Gigi’s Spicy Vodka Pasta recipe vegan, we made a few simple swaps while still maintaining the integrity of the original recipe. I wanted to make sure that the recipe was both vegan, and a lot healthier for you to serve my whole-food, plant-based, oil-free readers.

Instead of olive oil, I simply sauted the garlic and onion in water. You can learn more about our oil free cooking approach here.

In place of cream, I used a mix of unsweetened almond milk (you could use cashew or soy milk as well), and refrigerated coconut milk for extra creaminess.

Finally, instead of parmesan cheese, I topped my pasta with nutritional yeast at the end which gave it the perfect cheesy flavor.

How To Thicken The Pasta Sauce

If the sauce isn’t as thick as you would like, you can thicken the sauce by adding a couple of teaspoons of cornstarch, arrowroot flour, or tapioca starch.

To make the thickener, mix the thickening agent with a little bit of water or broth and then stir it into the pasta!

Can I Make This Recipe Without Vodka?

I had some vodka on hand, and the recipe only calls for a teaspoon, so I did use vodka in my rendition of this recipe.

With that said, you can totally make this spicy sauce with no vodka by using a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar instead. It all depends on your preference and whether you have access to the ingredient or not!

Why You’ll Love This Veganized Version

Simple: This recipe takes less than 25 minutes start to finish and uses just a few whole-foods, plant-based ingredients to get the job done!
Healthy: We’ve cleaned up the original recipe which uses heavy cream and cheese to make a healthified plant-based version.
Customizable: You can make this recipe your own by adding any of your favorite vegetables like red peppers, basil or even peas.
Meal Prep Friendly:This vodka pasta would make an amazing meal prep dish to look forward to all work week long!

If you like this simple pasta recipes, we have lots more vegan renditions that you’ll adore. Try out our:

Pasta With Vegetables Recipe (Vegan, Oil Free)
Vegan Mac and Cheese Without Cashews (WFPB, Oil Free)

How To Make This Recipe Gluten-Free

You can easily make this recipe gluten-free by substituting whole wheat pasta for gluten-free pasta! I still recommend using penne.

Also, if you’re using vodka, make sure your vodka is gluten-free too!

How To Store This Vodka Pasta Sauce

For storing this vegan vodka sauce, I love to use mason jars! You can keep this sauce for up to a week in the fridge. You can also freeze this sauce for up to two months.

For storage longer than a few days, I recommend storing the sauce separately from the pasta and making fresh pasta when you are ready to munch.

If mason jars aren’t your style, check out my other favorite eco-friendly meal prep containers!

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The Recipe:Gigi Hadid's Spicy Vodka Pasta Sauce Recipe, Veganized

A vegan and healthier version of Gigi Hadid's spicy vodka pasta recipe.

4.80 from 169 ratings

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Servings: 2

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat penne, dry
¼ white onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
¼ cup tomato paste
1 tsp vodka
½ cup unsweetened almond milk
3 tbsp coconut milk, full fat
1 tsp red pepper flakes, or more for preference
¼ cup reserved pasta water
½ tsp salt, to taste
1 handful spinach , or basil
3 tbsp nutritional yeast

Instructions

Cook your pasta according to package directions, reserving 1/4 a cup of pasta water before draining.
In a pan over medium heat, saute the diced onion and garlic until translucent, approximately 3 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and stir, followed by the vodka, almond milk and coconut cream. Mix until a sauce is formed, then add the red chili flakes, salt and pepper.
Pour in the reserved pasta water and cooked penne to the pan. Stir until the pasta is coated, adding a handful of spinach or fresh basil in at the end. Serve with nutritional yeast and more salt and pepper as desired.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CGkxsBhH5iD/

Calories: 432kcal, Carbohydrates: 74g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 10g

Cuisine: Italian

Course: dinner

Author: carleigh

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Gigi Hadid's Vodka Pasta Sauce Recipe Veganized (2024)

FAQs

How to make Gigi Hadid pasta vegan? ›

To make Gigi Hadid's pasta vegan, it's a simple swap. We are using cashews to make our own vegan heavy cream. It's as simple as blending together softened cashews with water and a little salt.

Get More Info ›

Why does Gigi Hadid put vodka in her pasta? ›

I just think it adds a really nice depth of flavor. Much of the alcohol burns off when cooking (though not all of it). Then add heavy cream, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Gigi added 1 tsp of red hot pepper flakes, but using 2 tsp in my sauce, seemed like A LOT.

Read On ›

Can you make Gigi Hadid pasta without cream? ›

In place of cream, I used a mix of unsweetened almond milk (you could use cashew or soy milk as well), and refrigerated coconut milk for extra creaminess. Finally, instead of parmesan cheese, I topped my pasta with nutritional yeast at the end which gave it the perfect cheesy flavor.

View Details ›

What is the Gigi Hadid pasta called? ›

The Gigi Hadid Pasta is nothing new, in fact it originated in Italy and is more commonly known as Spicy Vodka Pasta. It's a creamy tomato-based sauce that starts off with cooking down some onions and garlic.

Discover More ›

Can you use milk instead of cream in vodka sauce? ›

Normally it includes real cream for richness but I'm using reduced-fat milk. Great news though, it still retains the decadent flavor of a regular recipe but with a fraction of the fat and calories. In addition, I've placed it over fiber rich whole wheat penne instead of white pasta.

Can you use milk instead of cream in Gigi Hadid pasta? ›

Can I use milk instead of cream for Gigi Hadid pasta? I think that heavy cream is a very important ingredient in this recipe. However, if absolutely necessary, you can swap for whole milk OR coconut cream. If using milk instead of cream, let the sauce simmer for a bit longer to thicken.

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

Wine works, too, but a clean-tasting vodka has mostly water and ethanol (a solvent), which is excellent at carrying aromatic compounds — like those in tomatoes. In other words, the vodka in this dish can help you smell, and in turn taste, the sauce's flavors in a heightened way.

Learn More Now ›

Can kids eat pasta with vodka sauce? ›

We reached out to a few experts to find out if we'd be better off fixing a simple tomato sauce on the side for the kids, or if vodka sauce is OK for the littles when consumed in moderation. The general consensus was that a vodka pasta sauce should be safe for children, if cooked thoroughly.

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What can you use instead of cream in vodka pasta? ›

Swap the butter out for oil and swap the heavy cream out for coconut cream or cashew cream. If using cashew cream, you may need more reserved pasta water. Omit the parmesan or sub it for a vegan parmesan cheese.

Keep Reading ›

What can I use instead of heavy cream in a pasta sauce? ›

The 10 Best Substitutes for Heavy Cream

Milk and butter.
Soy milk and olive oil.
Milk and cornstarch.
Half-and-half.
Tofu and soy.
Yogurt and milk.
Evaporated milk.
Cottage cheese and milk.

More items...

Learn More ›

Do you need vodka for Gigi Hadid pasta? ›

Here is the recipe for the viral Gigi Hadid Pasta with spicy vodka sauce. An incredibly creamy, indulgent dish that is essentially penne alla vodka but with shells. It's fast, easy, and can be made with or without vodka!

Discover More Details ›

Can I use wine instead of vodka for vodka sauce? ›

Vodka: The vodka is what sets this apart from a regular rose sauce, but you can sub for gin, or boxed wine instead. If you want no alcohol at all, you can use lemon water, chicken broth, or stock.

Is the Gigi Hadid pasta healthy? ›

This Healthy Gigi Hadid Pasta recipe features whole wheat pasta and a lighter vodka sauce. By making the pasta sauce at home, and not using oil, you save a lot of fat and calories. A normal vodka pasta sauce can have 20+ grams of fat in one serving.

Show Me More ›

Can I use gin instead of vodka in vodka sauce? ›

Having gin on hand led to experimenting. Sure enough, I found gin is a perfect ingredient to use to cook the classic “vodka” pasta sauce. Like vodka, gin has a clear color. The difference is that basic vodka doesn't have much taste, but gin has herbal and botanical notes that add complexity.

Get More Info ›

What does the vodka in penne alla vodka do? ›

In a vodka sauce, the vodka helps maintain a cohesive texture, allowing the creaminess to meld with the tomato base. And sure, you could use wine to the same effect, but in a sauce as rich as vodka sauce, it's better to use a small amount of alcohol that will impart as little of its own flavor as possible.

Can i make Gigi Hadid pasta with tomato sauce? ›

This Gigi Hadid Pasta is tender pasta in a rich and creamy tomato sauce with garlic, diced shallot, tomato paste and red pepper flakes. This recipe is so simple and delicious that it has quickly become one of my go-to dishes when I'm craving pasta!

Get More Info Here ›

Is Gigi Hadid a vegetarian? ›

However, she avoids dairy due to her diagnosis of Hashimoto's disease which leads to hypothyroidism. Gigi always focuses on having a healthy diet which includes a lot of veggies, fruits, lean meat, eggs, and other nutritious items.

Find Out More ›