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This One Pot Spicy Alla Vodka Pizza Pasta is for nights when you’re craving a really great pizza from your favorite pizzeria, but can’t decide if you’d rather just make pasta at home. Enter this pizza pasta. Pasta baked in a spicy tomato pesto vodka sauce that’s creamy, herby, and so delicious! The key to this pasta is a house style “pizza seasoning” with pepperonis on top. This is a great easy pasta dish to serve any night of the week. It’s delicious and looks pretty on any table…not to mention everyone LOVES a GOOD pizza and baked pasta. It’s is the best of both worlds!
Happy Christmas week everyone! I’m hearing one of two things from you guys right now. Either a totally chill week with less work and fun holiday prep, or complete craziness with kids home, last-minute gift buying, present wrapping, and holiday dinner prep too.
Can you guys guess what we’ve got over here?
Complete craziness? Yes, 100%. But It’s OK! It just wouldn’t be the holidays without a little craziness. Craziness is a Gerard Family Christmas.
Which brings me right to this pizza pasta. It’s a mix of so many delicious flavors, and yet, it’s so easy to make.
(I do half with sausage and half without!)
All weekend long I was scratching my head on just what to share today. I knew many of you might be looking for a delicious dinner to serve this week and I knew that time might be tight.
It’s the same for me here and with my brothers and cousins home for Christmas, that means family-style dinners.
Originally, I was going to share something else, but after a quick phone call with my mom, she inspired me to switch gears after her mention of pepperoni. We love pepperonis and while we love them on pizza, I think we love them even more on pasta. Pepperoni on a pasta bake is my dad’s signature. If you’ve never done it, I am excited to introduce you!
This is everything we love about a pepperoni pizza, but minus the pizza dough and plus an alla vodka style red sauce and pasta.
Start off by making the sauce. It’s very important with this recipe to use a large pot, bigger than you’d think you might need. Because we’re making the sauce and cooking the pasta together, you’ll need extra room. So be sure to use your largest pot available.
Next, the sauce. It’s made with lots of garlic and herbs, aka my “pizza seasoning” blend, marinara sauce, vodka (for best flavor), and pesto. The herbs and vodka are key here, but I do want to say, if vodka’s not your thing, I totally understand. In this case, just swap the vodka for chicken broth or even just water. Either one will work totally fine and your sauce will still be great.
But, if you’re ok with using alcohol for cooking, you must add vodka to your sauce. The vodka adds a sharp bite that helps to balance out the sweetness of the tomatoes. When used in small amounts, the vodka will boost and intensify the aroma of the sauce. The key is to slow simmer the sauce, which will release the flavors and cook out the alcohol. So yes, this is safe to serve to kids!
Since I wanted to keep it quick and simple, I set out to make this a one-pot pasta. What does this mean? Well, it’s simple, everything from making the sauce, to boiling the pasta is all done in just one pot, on the stove-top, before being transferred to the oven to finish baking. If you have oven-safe pots, you don’t even need to transfer the pasta to a baking dish.
Love this!
Once the base red sauce has been made, simply add the water and dry pasta right into the red sauce. May seem odd, but trust me, it works.
Just top with cheese, lots of pepperoni, and fresh basil, then bake! It’s the simplest.
As this bakes away you’ll smell all those herbs, the sauce will be bubbling, and the cheese will melt into golden deliciousness.
Pull it out of the oven and the top looks like an extra cheesy pizza, but underneath you have saucy pasta.
DELICIOUS.
I have no idea what I’m cooking up this week, still trying to finish up Christmas shopping and gift wrapping, but they’ll be lots of cooking…and I’m sure cocktail making involved. Since my brothers have yet to try this pizza pasta dish, I’m making it again tonight.
With everyone here, pasta bakes are essential. Fingers crossed they’ll love this one as much as I do…but I have a very good feeling about it!
That’s all from me today! Enjoy some pizza pasta this week!
Looking for other easy family dinners? Here are my favorites:
One Pot Lemon Rosemary Dijon Chicken and Butter Toasted Rice Pilaf
Instant Pot Spicy Pineapple Chicken Tacos
Creamy Bacon Tortellini with Charred Broccoli
Lastly, if you make this One Pot Spicy Alla Vodka Pizza Pasta, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
This was delicious! I split the recipe into two 4 serving casseroles and shared with my daughter’s family. I refrigerated them overnight after I did the prep up to the baking point and we both baked them today (had to extend the baking time by about 15 minutes because of chilling them first, even after setting it out for about 90 minutes). We love your Alla Vodka sauce already so these were flavorful as well as very filling. Loved the fennel and the spicy sausage—I used a spicy marinara as well and it was outstanding!
Hey Lucy,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it and sharing your review:)
I have made this numerous times now and it’s been a hit when I’ve made it for company as well! Had to come leave a comment :-). Definitely a keeper in my recipe box!
Hey Megan,
Awesome!!🤩 I truly appreciate you making this recipe so often and sharing your review and love to hear that it is always a hit! xTieghan
This is one of my most favorite meals ever!! We make ours with just Italian sausage and no red pepper flakes because we have low spice tolerance. But it is so flavorful and makes for great leftovers. Thank you for the recipe!
Hey Sarah,
Happy Friday🍁 I appreciate you making this recipe and love to hear that it turned out well for you! xT
Absolutely delicious!! One of my new HBH favorites! Did not take much time at all, simple ingredients. So flavorful! Made this for 2 people and we had leftovers for days! Tasted just as delicious as leftovers too!
Hey Mackenzie,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it and sharing your review! xT
Currently eating this right now! Sooo tasty!
Hi Patricia,
Thanks so much for making this dish and sharing your review, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xx
Hi could i ask what sort of pan is in the photos? Is it cast iron, what brand etc? Thanks!!
Hi Leah,
So sorry, I don’t have a link for this pan, it’s vintage, but I typically cook with cast iron. Let me know if you give the recipe a try! xx
DELICIOUS and EASY!! Lives up to the rave reviews. We used regular hot Italian sausage rather than chicken (just what we had on hand). I’d make this over and over again. Leftovers were just as good as the night we made it!
Hi Allison,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for your comment and making this recipe. So glad it hear it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This is one of my favorite things to make because it’s ridiculously easy and my boyfriend acts like I’ve painted the Mona Lisa every time I make it for him.
Highly, HIGHLY recommend using ground spicy pork sausage instead of the chicken sausage, and chopping up an onion to cook in with the garlic. When we feel like having it extra spicy some of the cheese I include on top is Carolina reaper cheese.
One thing, I ALWAYS end up with stuff crusted to the bottom of the pot I use (a big, ceramic coated Dutch oven made by the Lodge) and I can’t figure out how to stop this from happening! Any ideas? Help!
Hi Hillary,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it!! Thanks for sharing your feedback. Is it possible your heat is too high?☀️ xTieghan
So delicious and makes great leftovers! Will definitely make again.
Hi Sarah,
Happy Friday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! xxT
Made this tonight and the hubs LOVED it. Wonderfully rich and flavorful. It’s just the two of us, so it obviously made more than we need… but excited it left us with plenty for us to enjoy leftover tomorrow (and then some)! Just sent the recipe over to my sister for her to make for her fam!
Hi Kristie,
Happy Friday!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xx
Really good and easy. Would use less Fontina cheese or less mozzarella, was just too much for us. I used Italian sausage which gave it a nice flavor. So nice to be able to make it in one pot from start to finish. Makes a LOT so perfect for a big family dinner.
Hey Claire,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
Great recipe – very adaptable to a variety of tastes/preferences & easy to add extra veggies. Next time I will add more water or sauce as the rigatoni soaked it all up before it was fully cooked.
Hi there! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! xTieghan
Hi There,
can you recommend something else then chicken sausage? I am having trouble finding it in canada!
Hi there! Yes, you can definitely use ground chicken, turkey, or beef! 🙂 xTieghan
Delicious! Absolutely perfect. I have all my family making it now and checking out your site. Thank you.
Hi Amy,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am glad to hear that it was enjoyed. Have the best weekend!! xTieghan
Seriously the best pasta recipe we have ever made!
Hi Judy,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thank you so much for making it! xTieghan
A delicious blend of herbs and pasta with the sausage meat makes for a very yummy dinner!
Made this for 2nd time tonight. Had to use spaghetti and no pepperoni because we’re in Covid lockdown again. But it was just as delicious as last time.
Hey Marilla,
Awesome! I am delighted to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it. Have the best week! xTieghan