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This colorful and extra creamy Cherry Tomato Pasta Alla Vodka is the perfect summer twist on a classic Italian pasta. Fresh pasta tossed in a spicy cherry tomato vodka sauce that’s creamy and so delicious! The secret to this one pot pasta…sweet summer cherry tomatoes, plenty of basil, and lots of cheese on top. The fresh tomatoes add a vibrant layer of flavor and richness to this simple pasta. Serve this family style dinner up any night of the week. It’s delicious and looks pretty on any table…not to mention that everyone LOVES a GOOD creamy vodka pasta.

Cherry Tomato Pasta Alla Vodka | halfbakedharvest.com

Hey there, hoping everyone’s weekend was amazing and filled with fun, late summer activities, and some very delicious food. We had a pretty laid back weekend with family in town. I cooked a lot, did some online shopping damage, wrote a crazy long Nine Favorite Things post, and thought about how excited I am to be able to tell you about this pasta today.

This is the summer pasta alla vodka recipe we all really need. Its inspiration came from a very unexpected source – Asher. She asked me if I could make pasta alla vodka for dinner one night soon. And while at first I said no, alla vodka is such a fall/winter recipe, I started to think, “what if we made it summery?”.

And that’s just what I did, and here we are. Cherry tomato pasta alla vodka…inspired by Asher but loved and happily consumed by all.

Cherry Tomato Pasta Alla Vodka | halfbakedharvest.com

The details are simple – first the tomatoes

For this alla vodka you’ll need lots of cherry tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes are my favorite, but especially in the summertime. They’re juicy, sweet, and always so full of flavor. It’s rare when you get a bad one.

Since I love their sweet flavor so much, I knew they’d be great to use in this pasta.

I’d recommend using mostly red cherry tomatoes for a nicely colored sauce, but colored tomatoes work well too.

Cherry Tomato Pasta Alla Vodka | halfbakedharvest.com

To make the sauce

Just like a traditional vodka sauce, this sauce is really, really easy, and essentially just a one skillet recipe.

Start by cooking the shallots until soft, then toss in the tomatoes, lots of garlic, fresh oregano, and plenty of chili flakes to give it some kick. You’ll want to cook the tomatoes over a high heat until they burst. Once the tomatoes burst, let them cook until they almost start to stick to the bottom of the pan. This will intensive the flavors of the tomatoes.

Cherry Tomato Pasta Alla Vodka | halfbakedharvest.com

Now that the tomatoes are saucy, I like to puree about half them in a blender to create a smooth sauce. You can skip this if you prefer, but I love the creaminess of a mostly pureed sauce.

At this point, it’s time to add the vodka and finish things up.

Cherry Tomato Pasta Alla Vodka | halfbakedharvest.com

The final touches

While the sauce is cooking boil off the pasta. When the sauce is ready, toss the pasta with the sauce along with a few pats of butter, parmesan cheese, and basil.

Stir until creamy. Immediately serve the pasta hot off the stove with plenty of extra parmesan and basil on top.

A little lemon would be delicious too!

Asher was lucky enough to eat this hot off the stove and her honest verdict? “Delicious, really, really good, can I have another bowl?”.

Cherry Tomato Pasta Alla Vodka | halfbakedharvest.com

If you follow along on Instagram, you know that Asher does not sugarcoat a thing. If she loves something, she LOVES it. And if she doesn’t love something, well, she’s going to tell you the cold hard truth.

Fortunately for all of us, this turned out so very good. Like roll your eyes back, go for that second bowl, and finish the pasta all in one sitting, GOOD. Dramatic, but true.

Every bowl of this pasta is creamy, just oh so slightly spicy, with a subtle touch of basil, and just the right amount of butter and cheese.

This would make a great dinner party meal with a side salad and some bread. I usually keep it simple with something like my 5 Ingredient Beer Bread or Salted Butter Parker House Rolls.

Cherry Tomato Pasta Alla Vodka | halfbakedharvest.com

Looking for other cherry tomato recipes, try these:

Spinach Ricotta Gnocchi with Sage Butter and Cherry Tomatoes

Caprese Pesto Pasta Bake

Marinated Cherry Tomatoes with Burrata + Toast

Lastly, if you make this Cherry Tomato Pasta Alla Vodka, 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!

Cherry Tomato Pasta Alla Vodka

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 532 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients

Instructions

  • 1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet with sides over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook until the shallots begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, tomatoes, and chili flakes. Cook 8-10 minutes, until the tomatoes burst and begin to stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat. Blend about half the tomatoes in a blender until smooth, stir the tomato sauce back into the skillet.
    2. Place the skillet over medium heat. Stir in the vodka, cook 2 minutes, then stir in the cream. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm over low heat.
    3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta according to package directions, until al dente. Drain.
    4. Add the pasta, butter, parmesan, and basil to the sauce, tossing until the butter has melted.
    5. Divide the pasta among plates and top with basil and cheese. Enjoy!
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Cherry Tomato Pasta Alla Vodka | halfbakedharvest.com

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Comments

  1. This was my first time trying this kind of sauce and it was so delicious! I had just pick a bunch of cherry tomatoes from my garden. It’s definitely a keeper!

  2. 5 stars
    Hi this is my favorite vodka sauce recipe !! Never fails. Can you please provide me with the freezing instructions ?

    1. Hey Gabrielle,
      Happy Sunday!!🍍🥥 Thank you so much for trying this recipe and your feedback, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! I would freeze after step 2:) xT

  3. 5 stars
    This turned out amazing! I didn’t use the basil because I wanted it more rich and tomato based. I used fresh garganelli pasta. I have zero complaints! I just puréed all the tomatoes because I wanted it all super creamy!

    1. Hey Chelsea,
      Happy Wednesday!! 🌞 Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! xT

    2. Can I substitute chicken broth or something in place of the vodka? Also I love all your recipes. They are staples in our house!!

  4. 5 stars
    This was so delicious with the burst cherry tomatoes! Comes together pretty quick and the sauce coats the pasta with just that perfect kick of heat—yum. I added some sliced turkey pepperoni as well as some fresh spinach to the final steps and we enjoyed it very much. Can’t wait until summer when my garden is loaded with cherry tomatoes!

    1. Hey Lucy,
      Fantastic!!🐣 Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT

  5. 3 stars
    Decided to try this out as I had a bunch of cherry tomatoes to use. Unfortunately it just didn’t compete with a traditional vodka sauce recipe. The suggestion of subbing coconut cream for the half and half is not a mistake I will be making again. Turning leftovers into a chickpea curry as the coconut flavor was completely overwhelming.

    1. Hi Jessica,
      Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. Please let me know if there is anything that I can help with! xT

      1. 4 stars
        Yum! Loved this recipe.
        The cherry tomatoes added another layer of summer freshness and the basil was a perfect finishing touch.
        My husband ate his bowl so fast🤭
        Can’t wait for the leftovers tomorrow!

        1. Hi Mallory,
          Fantastic!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, love to hear that it was tasty! xT

  6. So excited to try this recipe tomorrow!! Is it possible to make it in the crockpot? If so, can you please tell me how? I just get so tired after work! If not, I’m thinking that I’ll mark the sauce tonight. 😊

    1. Hey Alyssa,
      So sorry, I’ve never tested this recipe in the slow cooker just because it’s so quick to make on the stove top. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx