Cherry Tomato Pasta Alla Vodka with Crispy Prosciutto
A Perfect Plate of Pasta
This cherry tomato pasta alla vodka with crisp prosciutto is an absolute crowd pleaser - everyone will be wanting seconds or looking forward to leftovers the next day! It’s a fresh, creamy, jammy pasta sauce topped with salty, crispy prosciutto, and herby pesto. I mean, what else could you want?
This pasta is inspired by my sister Claire (check out her blog over at catchingupwithclaire.com). I made a version of this pasta once when I was staying with her for a few days and loved the simplicity of pulling a dish like this together, yet it feels like a special occasion to eat. After coming home, I developed the recipe a bit more, adding some more herbs, a better balance of cream, and topped it with some delicious crispy prosciutto, because why not? Who doesn’t love some salty crispy bits on top of their pasta?
Tips For Making This Cherry Tomato Vodka Sauce Recipe
If you plan on making this cherry tomato pasta alla vodka with crispy prosciutto recipe, here are a few tips to make sure it’s extra delicious:
- If you can’t find cherry tomatoes, you can definitely substitute any other small variety of tomato, such as grape tomatoes. Any of them will cook similarly and still give that fresh tomato flavor!
- When cooking with alcohol, be incredibly careful to not get the alcohol too close to the flame from your stove. It’s recommended to pour out only the amount you need from a measuring cup, not directly from the bottle, and to turn the stove off while you’re pouring the liquid into the pan. Turn the heat back on only once the alcohol has been poured and any bottles are safely stored away from the pan.
- In this recipe, it’s best to buy the tomatoes in peak tomato season - July and August in the United States. The tomatoes will be their freshest, and should be the most cost effective!
- If you’re going to splurge on one component of this dish, have it be the pasta. Higher quality pasta will grip onto the pasta sauce best and have a better taste.
Recipe Details
This super impressive pasta is even easier to make than it seems! The in season produce, plus the combination of flavors will do all the work for you. As the cook, you’re just the conductor adding all the flavors together.
To make the sauce, you’ll first build a base of olive oil and garlic. The fragrant garlic will carry through to the end of the dish, making it smell delicious from the start. To the garlic and olive oil, you’ll add the bulk of the sauce with fresh tomatoes, and classic herbs for tomato sauce: parsley and oregano. A bit of salt will help cook the tomatoes even faster, as it will draw the moisture out of the fruits even faster. After some cooking, the tomatoes will break down and become jammy.
To make a thicker, and more tomatoey sauce, you’ll deglaze with a bit of vodka - hence the name “pasta alla vodka”. The sauce doesn’t actually taste of vodka at all, the alcohol all cooks out and and the result is a thickened tomato sauce.
Wrapping up the sauce, you’ll add a bit more fat in the form of heavy cream and butter. Once the pasta is cooked, you’ll add it to the sauce and let it soak in all of the goodness. After stirring in some grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil, you’ll be ready to serve!
To plate the pasta, you’ll divide it equally among plates, top it with some crispy prosciutto that bakes up in 10 minutes in the oven, a drizzle of pesto, and some extra parmesan and red pepper flakes if desired. Serve right away and enjoy!
If you like the sound of this recipe, you should also check out my spicy sausage and tortellini soup. It has very similar flavors and the perfect substitute if you’re craving this meal in the colder months.
Be sure to tag @laura.loves.to.cook on Instagram, Tik Tok, or Facebook to let me know how your recipes turn out. I hope you love it as much as I do!
A celebration of fresh cherry tomatoes, this rich vodka sauce is a treat for peak tomato season. Topped with crispy prosciutto and pesto, this pasta dish has something for everyone, making it perfect for a weeknight family dinner or weekend party with friends.
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 lb cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 1/2 cup vodka
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 lb dried short pasta, like penne or fusilli
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, sliced into thin strips
- 2 tbsp pesto, store bought or homemade
Preheat your oven to 450°F.
Line 6 strips of prosciutto onto a baking tray. Once your oven is heated, bake the tray of prosciutto for 10-12 minutes, until the pieces have crisped up all the way through. Check after 8 minutes, if you have really thin slices of prosciutto.
Set aside to cool while you make the sauce.
Preheat a large frying pan or saute pan over medium heat and then heat the ¼ cup olive oil.
Sautee the thinly sliced cloves of garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the halved cherry tomatoes, dried oregano, dried parsley, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper to the pan. Stir to coat the tomatoes in the olive oil and dried herbs.
Let the tomatoes cook until the soften and begin to dissolve into a sauce, smashing them with the back of the wooden spoon once they’ve softened to encourage them turning into a saucy consistency. Cook for 5-10 minutes until most of the tomatoes have turned saucy.
Deglaze the pan with ½ cup of vodka and stir to combine. Let the sauce simmer for 5 more minutes, letting the sauce thicken and the alcohol to cook out.
In the meantime, cook your pasta according to package directions in salted water. Drain and set aside.
Once the sauce has simmered, turn the heat to low and add the heavy cream and butter. Stir until the butter has melted and the cream is stirred in. Add the cooked pasta to the pan and stir to coat the pasta in the sauce. Let sit for 2 minutes to let the sauce absorb.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese and sliced fresh basil.
Divide the pasta among 4 large bowls or plates for an entree or 6 plates for a starter.
Use your hands to crumble the crispy prosciutto into small pieces. Top each bowl with about 1 slice of prosciutto each.
Drizzle pesto around the edge of the pasta. Top with extra parmesan, fresh basil, and crushed red pepper flakes if desired and serve immediately.
