Penne pasta with vegan vodka sauce in bowls garnished with fresh basil leaves.

What I love about vegan vodka sauce

Vodka sauce has always been one of my favorite pasta sauce options, but it’s often loaded with heavy cream and sometimes even chicken broth. To make it dairy free and vegan-friendly, I’ve substituted the heavy cream for some simple vegan ingredients.

Since coconut milk isn’t as thick as a heavy cream, I added a little of vegan cream cheese to my recipe which adds a richness that the coconut milk alone can’t provide. It’s a simple addition that makes a world of difference.

And, while I normally use crushed tomatoes for my marinara sauce, I prefer tomato puree for this recipe because it’s super smooth which creates a silky, luxurious texture for this vodka sauce.

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Penne pasta with vegan vodka sauce in bowls garnished with fresh basil leaves.
Ideas

Ingredients:

Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.

  • Dairy free butter – We normally use Earth Balance buttery sticks as our replacement for butter, but you can use any brand you prefer.
  • Vodka – Use a decent vodka, but nothing super expensive or fancy. We normally have Tito’s, so that’s what we used.
  • Coconut milk – This is our replacement for cream, and while it doesn’t have the thickening power, it is just as rich and creamy. You are going to want full-fat canned coconut milk for this recipe – no exceptions.
  • Dairy free cream cheese – This adds a creamy, cheesy flavor to the recipe that helps it taste more like real cream. You could potentially leave it out, but I wouldn’t. My favorite brand right now is Violife.
  • Tomato puree – I like purée for this recipe to keep the sauce nice and smooth, but you could use crushed tomatoes or blend your own.

Melissa’s tips for recipe success:

  • This recipe makes enough sauce for about 2 pounds of pasta. That’s two meals for us, so we normally save the remaining sauce for another meal. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week. You can also freeze the sauce if you don’t plan on using it within that time frame.
  • All about the pasta: I recommend choosing a pasta with ridges to hold the sauce and cooking your pasta to al dente. And, don’t forget to salt your pasta water. It’s the only way you can actually season the pasta itself, and it will make a huge difference in your final dish.
Penne pasta with vegan vodka sauce in bowls garnished with fresh basil leaves.

Frequently asked questions

  • Can kids have vodka sauce? Yes. While there is actual vodka in the recipe, it is safe for kids to have vodka sauce as long as the sauce is cooked thoroughly and there is no lingering alcohol content.
  • What’s vodka sauce made of? Vodka sauce is a tomato based pasta sauce that’s infused with vodka and cream. The combination of the three main ingredients creates a silky, indulgent sauce that is well-integrated and balanced. In addition to those ingredients, various recipes often include a combination of onion, garlic, crushed red pepper and olive oil or butter.
  • Why does my vodka sauce taste bitter? There are several reasons your vodka sauce might taste bitter. Most likely, you’ve added too much vodka to your recipe, so make sure you’re measuring correctly with a liquid measuring cup.
    Another possibility is that you may have not cooked your sauce long enough for the alcohol to cook out. Make sure you’re simmering it for at least 15 minutes.
    Alternatively, if you leave out the cream (or in this case the coconut milk/vegan cream cheese) you will throw off the balance of flavors in the dish. The fats in the creams are necessary to blend with the acid/bitter flavors of the vodka.
Penne pasta in sauce in a bowl with a fork.

More vegan recipe favorites: vegan cauliflower soup / vegan peach cobbler / vegan spinach artichoke dip / vegan banana pudding

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Vegan Vodka Sauce

By: Melissa Belanger
Looking for a date night recipe that'll wow your special someone? This indulgent vegan vodka sauce is pure magic – it's creamy, slightly spicy, and clings perfectly to al dente pasta. Add fresh basil, pour some vegan wine, and let the sparks fly this Valentine's Day.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
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Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons vegan butter
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup vodka*
  • 1 28- ounce can tomato puree
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1/2 package vegan cream cheese**
  • Salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions 

  • Sauté the garlic. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil to medium-high. Add vegan butter and allow it to melt completely. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Simmer the vodka. Add the vodka along with the tomatoes and bring the pot to a simmer. Let the sauce simmer for about 15 minutes, and it will start to reduce and thicken.
  • Cook your pasta. While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water, and cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
  • Add the cream. Stir in the coconut milk and vegan cream cheese and allow it to melt. Continue cooking the sauce until it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Then, adjust the seasoning with salt & pepper, to taste and toss with cooked pasta.

Notes

*Not all vodka is vegan. You can find a vegan friendly vodka through websites such as barnivore.com
**Vegan cream cheese ingredients vary by product and may contain nuts or other allergens, so be sure to check labels to ensure the ingredients meet allergy restrictions.

Nutrition

Calories: 176kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 1g, Sodium: 200mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin C: 11mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Hi! I'm Melissa.

I create easy, dairy free recipes because I know how hard living without milk can be. I believe you can live a completely satisfying life without dairy, and I want to teach you how.

Read more about me

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6 Comments

  1. Dianne Rioux says:

    I would like to replace the vegan cream cheese with heavy cream. How much heavy cream would I need?

    Reply
    1. Melissa Belanger says:

      If you replace with heavy cream the recipe will no longer be vegan. I don’t believe substituting heavy cream for cream cheese will be a successful swap. Let me know if you give it a try though!

      Reply
  2. Shaun says:

    You say coconut cream in your description but it says coconut milk in the recipe. Which is it?

    Reply
    1. Melissa Belanger says:

      It is coconut milk, sorry for the confusion!

      Reply
  3. Michelle says:

    Any suggestions for a nut free/coconut free swap for coconut milk? I’m allergic to all of it. 😞

    Reply
    1. Melissa says:

      I haven’t tried it myself, but I would think you could use an unsweetened oat milk creamer!

      Reply