Gigi Hadid 2.0
Move over Gigi Hadid, there’s a new girl in town! Today we have Gigi Hadid’s Spicy Vodka Pasta but better. This Spicy Vodka Pasta Bake is layered with vodka pasta, spicy Italian sausage, burrata, and pesto then baked in the oven until it reaches ooey gooey perfection. It’s the perfect creamy, cheesy, and spicy dish to keep you warm this holiday season!
The Spice is Right
To start the dish, we’re cooking our pasta. I chose to use large shell pasta because the cups and crevices hold the sauce and sausage perfectly. You want to make sure to cook the pasta 2-3 minutes under what the package directions say because the pasta is going to continue cooking in the oven. There’s nothing I hate more than mushy pasta, so undercooking it ensures that it’ll have the perfect texture when it’s done baking! Also REMINDER: reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. We’re going to add the cooking water to the sauce. The water absorbs the the starch from the pasta and that’s what’s going to help the sauce thicken. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve drained my pasta and forgot to reserve some of the pasta water, so this is your reminder!
I always love having a little protein in my pasta dishes and this Spicy Vodka Pasta Bake is no exception! Because this is a spicy pasta, I decided to use spicy Italian sausage. It adds the perfect amount of spice, flavor, and saltiness from all the seasonings incorporated into sausage. It’s browned in a pan then reserved for later.
Next, we sauté onion and garlic in the same pan that has all that sausage flavor. It’s mixed with tomato paste and, of course, vodka. We’re not trying to get crazy here so we want to cook it until the vodka evaporates. Then we mix in the heavy cream and red pepper flakes. The combination of the red pepper flakes and spicy Italian sausage makes for the perfect level of spiciness. You definitely get a kick, but you won’t be fighting for your life while eating. Then we add in the sausage, pasta, fresh basil, pasta water and butter. The pasta water and butter help the sauce thicken to a creamy velvety consistency. Finally, we add in some of the mozzarella and parmesan cheese to make sure we have cheese throughout!
Creamy and Cheesy
And now for my special flair, we’re going to spread half of the pasta into a baking dish then dollop spoonfuls of burrata and pesto on top! Add in the last half of the pasta and top with the remaining burrata and pesto. If you weren’t convinced how delicious this Spicy Vodka Pasta Bake was before, you better be now. The burrata adds that extra creamy and cheesy element. Then the pesto lends that delicious savory basil flavor. Top the pasta with the remaining cheese then into the oven it goes!
I’m telling you, this is the perfect pasta dish for the holidays. You can even make it ahead of time then pop it in the oven when you’re ready! I promise you, even the people who can’t handle spice will be reaching for seconds. Who can deny this cheesy, creamy, savory bite? Let me know if you make this Spicy Vodka Pasta Bake and what you thought of it in the comments below!
Spicy Vodka Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 16 oz. Large Shell Pasta
- 1 cup Reserved Pasta Water
- 16 oz. Spicy Italian Sausage (casings removed)
- 1-2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 Red Onion (finely chopped)
- 4 Garlic Cloves (minced)
- 3/4 cup Tomato Paste
- 1/2 cup Vodka
- 1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
- 2 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 cup Chopped Basil Leaves
- 2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
- 1 cup Grated Mozzarella
- 1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 8 oz. Burrata
- 1/3 cup Pesto
- Additional Chopped Basil for Garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta 2-3 minutes less than the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water. Set aside.
- Heat a pan over medium high heat. Add in the spicy Italian sausage. Cook and crumble until browned and cooked through. Remove the sausage from the pan.
- Pour the olive oil into the same pan. Add in the red onion and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onion turns translucent. Stir in the tomato paste until well combined and cook for 1 minute. Then pour in the vodka. Cook and mix until the vodka is absorbed and evaporates from the pan.
- Add in the heavy cream, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Mix until combined. Add the cooked sausage, pasta, and basil back into the pan and mix. Then add in the reserved pasta water and unsalted butter. Cook until the butter has melted and the sauce comes to a simmer. Add in 1/2 a cup of the mozzarella cheese and a 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese. Mix until the cheeses are incorporated.
- Pour half of the pasta into the prepared baking dish. Dollop half of the burrata and pesto, in small spoonfuls, on top of the pasta. Spread the remaining half of the pasta on top. Dollop the remaining burrata and pesto over top. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan over the pasta.
- Bake the pasta in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the cheese has melted. Change the oven setting to broil and cook for 2-4 minutes until the cheese has started to slightly brown and bubble. Remove the pasta from the oven. Garnish with additional chopped basil and enjoy!
