A Meal for A Vampire
Dracula’s drunken pasta is a dinner meant for the spookiest of nights. Despite there being lots and lots of garlic in this dish, the deep red wine flavor and rich butter makes for a luscious plate of pasta that fits perfectly on a vampire-themed dinner line-up. The reddish-purple color gives this dish a spooky look, but is undeniably delicious!
The Supplies
Ingredients
To make this recipe for Dracula’s drunken pasta, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Cold unsalted butter
- Olive oil
- Shallot
- Garlic cloves
- Red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt
- Dry red wine, such as cabernet sauvignon or zinfandel
- Bucatini or spaghetti
- Freshly grated parmesan
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the exact ingredient amounts, check out the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
Equipment
In order to make Dracula’s drunken pasta, you’ll need the following pieces of equipment:
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Large saute pan
- Large pot
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Colander
- Wine bottle opener
Frequent Recipe Questions
Can I make this pasta dish in advance?
- A: No, this recipe is best enjoyed right after it’s made.
What kind of red wine is best for this recipe?
- A: A full-bodied red, like a california cabernet sauvignon or zinfandel will be perfect.
Is this recipe kid-friendly?
- A: It is not. While most of the alcohol will be cooked out, there’s no guarantee that it will be fully cooked out. I would not recommend serving this dish to anyone who doesn’t drink alcohol.
Recipe Tips
When you make Dracula’s drunken pasta recipe, here are a few tips to make sure it turns out perfectly:
- I strongly recommend grating your own cheese instead of using pre-grated. Trust me, I love pre-grated parmesan cheese for a lot of things, but this recipe requires freshly grated. The freshly grated cheese will melt easier, whereas the pre-grated cheese will easily clump when it’s stirred in.
- Be sure to use cold butter to finish the sauce. The cold butter will create an emulsification, leading to a silky looking sauce.
Recipe Details
Start the Red Wine Sauce
To get this recipe started, place a large saute pan over medium heat. Drizzle in the olive oil and add a couple tablespoons of unsalted butter. After the unsalted butter has melted, add in the minced shallot. Saute the shallot for a few minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon or spatula, until it begins to soften. Then, add the minced garlic, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and some kosher salt. Saute these aromatics until the garlic begins to turn golden in color and everything is very fragrant.
Once the base of the pasta sauce is made, turn the heat off from under the saute pan. Carefully pour the bottle of red wine into the saute pan and turn the heat back on to medium. Bring the sauce to a simmer and let it cook until it reduces.
Boil the Pasta
While the red wine pasta sauce is simmering, boil the pasta in some salty water according to the package directions, minus one minute. Before draining the pasta, reserve a cup of the water and set it aside.
Finish the Sauce and Serve
Once the pasta sauce has reduced in quantity, cube the cold butter and add it into the saute pan. Stir the sauce to melt the butter. Pour the cooked noodles, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and a splash of the reserved pasta water into the saute pan with the sauce. Toss to coat the noodles and to stir in the cheese. Cook the pasta in the red wine sauce for a couple minutes until the sauce has absorbed into the noodles and the cheese has melted.
Stir in a bit of freshly cracked black pepper into the noodles. Serve these drunken noodles with extra grated parmesan cheese on top. This dish works perfectly for a sophisticated Halloween dinner party with your friends! Enjoy with some crusty bread to sop up any extra sauce.
If you make this recipe for Dracula’s drunken pasta, be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a rating – I can’t wait to hear how it goes. As always, tag me on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook in your photos. It makes me feel like we’re getting to cook together!
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Dracula’s Drunken Pasta
Description
Dracula’s drunken pasta recipe with a red wine, garlic, butter sauce and lots of parmesan cheese. An eerie addition to a grown-up Halloween dinner.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Place a large saute pan over medium heat. Drizzle in the olive oil and add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter.
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Once the butter has melted, add the minced shallot. Saute the shallot for 3 minutes, stirring often, until it begins to soften. Add the minced garlic, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Saute for about 2 minutes until the garlic begins to turn golden in color.
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Turn the heat off from under the saute pan and carefully pour the bottle of red wine into the pan. Turn the heat back on to medium and bring the sauce to a simmer. Let the sauce simmer and reduce for 15-20 minutes.
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While the sauce simmers, boil the pasta in salty water according to the package directions, minus 1 minute. Before draining the pasta, reserve 1 cup of the water.
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Once the red wine sauce has reduced, cube the cold butter and add it into the saute pan. Stir the sauce to melt the butter into it. Add the boiled noodles, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss to coat the noodles in the sauce and to stir in the cheese. Cook the noodles in the sauce for 1-2 minutes until the sauce has absorbed into the noodles and the cheese has melted.
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Stir a few turns of freshly cracked black pepper into the noodles. Serve these drunken noodles with extra grated parmesan cheese on top and enjoy!
