So this recipe basically broke the internet thanks to Gigi Hadid’s Instagram. I don’t know if she got the idea from this restaurant here in Manhattan called Carbone but I am going to guess that she did because that’s where I got it. Thankfully, my future brother in law did some magic and got us a table there so I can confirm that this dish is in fact amazing. I actually got to meet Gigi once about 3 years ago at a movie premiere and I would like to brag about it by inserting a picture.
I would also like to mention that I did try her recipe, and it did turn out really great. But – I also tried a different recipe that I think is even better and closer to Carbone’s original dish.
Gigi’s recipe includes frying a small amount of onions / shallots in a pan and then adding tomato paste, cream, chili flakes and pasta water. My recipe uses actual canned tomatoes and a little bit of tomato paste. No pasta water needed.
For cream I used my favorite vegan alternative which are my beloved cashews. All you have to do is soak raw cashews in water and then blend them with some water and it creates the creamiest “heavy cream”.
I posted a video of the final result on Instagram and I got so many replies from people wanting the recipe. Well, here it is. I know you guys will love this one!
Vegan Spicy Rigatoni In Vodka Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 bag Rigatoni Pasta (macaroni / penne / any other shell pasta also work well with this sauce)
- 2 tbsp vegan butter (I used earth balance)
- 1/2 small-medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup water
- 3-4 small garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 – 1 tsp chili flakes (or more if you can handle spice)
- 1 can whole peeled tomatoes (28- ounces / about 800 grams, I like using Cento)
- 1-2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup vegan parmesan (I used good plant)
- 1/4 cup vodka (optional)
- 1/2 – 3/4 cups cashew cream (made from raw cashews soaked in water, see below*)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (optional)
- 1-2 tbsp tomato paste (optional)
- fresh basil to garnish
Directions
- Start by soaking the cashews, you can soak them in room temperature water for 2 hours or simply quick soak them in boiling hot water for 15 minutes or more, you can either boil water and pour over the cashews or you can boil them on the stove in a pot. If you have a Vitamix you can skip this step but I have never tried it.
- Once the cashews are soaked, add them to a blender with some water and blend. For 1 cup of cashews add 1/2 cup of water. You might need more water, keep blending, and check for a “heavy cream” consistency.
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil for the pasta. Cook according to the package instructions and if it’s ready before the sauce drain it and set it aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large deep skillet, over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp of butter, add the onions and sauté for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and add the 1/4 cup of water. Sauté until onions are soft and then add the garlic. Mix and sauté for a few more minutes.
- Open up the canned tomatoes, with an immersion blender, blend the tomatoes in a large bowl or in the can (this can get messy, but I do it anyway) then add them to the skillet (I like to keep the onions unblended but if you want to blend the feel free to do so).*
- Add the cashew cream, vodka (optional)*, garlic powder (optional), chili flakes, sugar, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and mix.
- Taste and adjust flavors, adding more sugar for sweetness, more chili flakes for a kick, or more salt if needed. At this point, I also like to add the tomato paste to create that deep red color. This is optional as the sauce will probably be thick enough from the cashew cream.
- Pour the sauce over the Pasta, carefully mix, plate, garnish with fresh basil and enjoy!
- If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can blend the tomatoes in a normal blender or you can even use a fork or squeeze them with your hands although they won’t be as smooth.
- The longer you soak the cashews the easier it will be to blend them, especially if you don’t own a powerful blender.
- I didn’t use any vodka because I didn’t have it (my fiancé and I are known for disliking alcohol), and it still came out amazing, but I hear it ties the tomatoes and the cream together so if you have it – definitely add it! If you don’t – it’s still going to turn out amazing!
Tips & Tricks:
