Guys, I have been dying to share this recipe with you. Dying.
If it were up to me, I would have spent this past weekend cozy in bed, gleefully typing away about this thick and creamy vodka sauce. How it’s jazzed up with traditional Italian spices and an (optional) zing of red pepper flakes. How it’s wonderful for doubling the quantities and freezing the leftovers so you can prepare future dinners in a flash. How the heavy cream is cut with fat-free half-and-half to seriously squash the calorie count and fat content. How incorporating fat-free dairy (along with full-fat dairy) in an acidic sauce actually works (!!!) – no curdling, no separating, nada.
Instead, as life often does, I was thrown a curve ball. I’ll save you all the details, except to say that instead of the scenario above, I was hooked up to an IV, getting a CT scan, and cursing whichever restaurant we ordered from at work last week that decided to inflict such ungodly pain, taking down myself (and two coworkers).
Needless to say, waxing poetic about food was the farthest thing from my mind. But I’m back! It’s always situations like these that make you appreciate the sometimes hum drum nature of everyday life. Going back to work was incredibly exciting, simply because it meant I was pain-free and feeling okay. I even had a food craving – the saltiness of a Wheat Thin. I savored it like it was a gourmet snack!
Enough about Wheat Thins though – back to the vodka sauce at hand.
We’ve made it a few times now, and after our initial meal, I’m always left racking my brain thinking of more ways I can incorporate it into my life. Over pasta =a delicious no-brainer. A jazzed up pasta bake (recipe coming next week!). I even poured it over my salad in place of salad dressing. B looked at me funny, but really it just meant more of this fab sauce for me. Mwahahaha.
I know you’re supposed to get agita thinking about using fat-free dairy in sauces, especially ones that feature acidic ingredients such as tomatoes. I know. I’ve thrown caution to the wind and experimented with low or no fat dairy in cooking before and have ended up eating a reheated frozen veggie burger for dinner because of the whomp status of my Plan A meal. But this recipe has turned out exactly as I’ve hoped for each and every time I’ve made it, so I suppose I’m a bit superstitious.
Each time, I stirred together the heavy cream and fat-free half and half before adding it at once to the sauce. In a silly way it seems like I’m trying to pull a fast one on the sauce. Silly sauce, nooope, there’s no fat-free dairy here. Logically though, I figured mixing full fat + no fat = some fat, and some fat dairy > no fat dairy as far as sauces go.
I watched the sauce simmer with a critical eye; ready to pounce on the first sign of grainy separation or curdling, but my fears went unrealized. Instead, the veggie burgers stayed put in the freezer and we inhaled this creamy, slightly spicy, can’t-believe-it’s-lightened up, can-I-please-eat-it-with-a-ladle vodka sauce (with a side of pasta).
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
- 4 oz heavy cream
- 4 oz fat-free half and half
- Add olive oil and diced onion to a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally and let onion cook for about 5 minutes, or until onion pieces have begun to soften.
- Slowly pour in vodka. Cook for 7-9 minutes, or until onion pieces have browned slightly.
- Add crushed tomatoes, garlic, basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes, if using. Stir everything together and cook for 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together heavy cream and fat-free half and half. Once tomato and onion mixture has cooked for 15-20 minutes in the above step, pour in cream mixture, stirring constantly while pouring. Cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat while stirring frequently, then reduce heat to low to cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Pour over pasta to serve or use in place of tomato sauce.
I’ve never had a vodka sauce, and this looks just amazing! I might toss it into salad, too. haha This must take pasta to a whole new delicious level!
Thank you Marcie! Vodka sauce is definitely a treat…whether it’s on pasta or salad! 🙂
Alyssa! You poor thing! I am so sorry that you ended up with food poisoning! That is not cool! So glad you’re feeling better and getting back to normal! The sauce looks amazing! Thank you for another great recipe!
Thank you Tracey! Rough, rough week but glad to have my appetite back, that’s for sure! 🙂
So glad you are feeling better. HANG IN THERE. You deserve at least 7 bowls of this goodness to recover. Love lightened up comfort food!
7 bowls of this sauce sounds like the perfect Rx – I’m SO in! And thanks! Lightened up comfort food is the best.
I love using FF h&h in my vodka sauce, it’s the perfect fix without losing that yummy velvety texture! this looks so good Alyssa, and I am obsessed with that bowl!
Yesss, I so agree! FF half & half for the win. And thanks! Pasta is a staple around here for sure.
Oh no! Sorry to hear you had a scare and rough couple of days there! So glad you are feeling better and back to the normal routine. And I have to say, this sounds delicious! I love vodka sauce, and lightening it up is such a great idea. I don’t make it as often as I want to because I know how fattening it normally is. Now I can make it 2x as much 🙂
Enjoying vodka sauce 2x as much…I like the way you think Chris! Vodka sauce is one of our favorites too. And thank you – I’m definitely that much more appreciative of feeling pain-free on a daily basis when something like that happens. 🙂
So glad you are feeling better, Alyssa. What a nightmare! (this happened to me in Bali last year – horrible!) On the plus side, this sauce sounds fantastic. I’ve had a similar sauce here in Greece made with ouzo and it’s absolutely delicious, so I can understand why you like this so much!
Thank you Helen! Absolutely horrible, though at least it happened while I was home (vs. traveling – I can’t imagine!). This sauce was definitely a welcome dish once I was back to normal!
Oh no, that sounds terrible. Food sickness can be scary. There are certain places I just avoid in fear of possibly getting sick. I hope you are feeling better. This sauce looks amazing! I love Italian food and vodka sauce is one of my favorite. I can’t wait to try your lightened up version 😀
I’m feeling much better indeed, Cindy. Whew! What an ordeal though. Glad for that to be over with and behind me! Vodka sauce is one of my Italian food guilty pleasures, but I don’t eat it often given the nutritional breakdown. So glad to have figured out a lightened version – hope you enjoy!
Sweet jeepers…. That’s really scary. I hope you are okay. Do you recommend using a particular type vodka? Looks a yummy dish, defo adding to the dinner list.
Wishing you a great week ahead. Cheers, Anna
Thank you Anna – I’m back to normal, thankfully! It was a rough week though, that’s for sure. As for the vodka, I purchased a bottle on the lower-end of the spectrum. It cooks off as the onions are cooking, so I’m not sure it would be worth it to use a pricey type. I’d much rather save that kind for a nice cocktail!
Lightened up vodka sauce sounds incredible! Sorry you had food poisoning – I’ve been there! But glad you are feeling better and ready to eat pasta again 🙂
I knew I was back on track when I started craving pasta + this sauce! Haha thanks Bianca!
I’ve been looking for a lighter version of vodka sauce! Thanks so much for ending my search. 🙂 This looks deeeeelicious!
Thanks Tina! Vodka sauce is definitely an indulgence, but I’m very glad to have concocted a healthier version that’s still just as satisfying!
Oh wow, glad to hear you are feeling much better! And what a comeback! The Lightened Up Vodka Sauce is scrumptious!
Thank you Deb! And I definitely agree – this sauce was just what I needed to get back in the swing of things. 🙂
Oh my goodness Alyssa, you poor thing! You must have gotten really sick. Darn that restaurant! Ick, that is my worst nightmare. Glad you’re feeling better. And cannot WAIT to try this vodka sauce. It looks drool worthy!
Thanks Natalie! It was a rough week to say the least, but I’m SO glad to be feeling back to normal. Food and I were frenemies for awhile, but one of my first cravings after everything was for this sauce! Drool worthy indeed. 🙂
Oh my I hope you are feeling better. Food poisoning is so nasty. Lightened up vodka sauce? Perfect. Can’t wait to try it.
As good as new, thank goodness! This sauce is wonderful – I bet you’ll love it!