This baked vodka pasta is ultimate comfort food: tender bucatini in a silky vodka sauce, layered with seasoned ground beef and fresh mozzarella, then baked until bubbly and golden. Simple, satisfying, and perfect any night of the week.
Comfort food for the weekend — or a cozy weeknight.
This baked vodka pasta is warm, comforting and surprisingly easy to pull together. Bucatini holds onto the smooth vodka sauce, fresh mozzarella melts into pockets of creamy goodness, and plenty of parmesan and basil finish the dish. Serve it with a big green salad for a full, satisfying meal.
Baked pasta is a longtime favorite in our house — a meal I make often because everyone loves it. The basic idea is familiar: pasta, browned meat, sauce and cheese. But baking transforms those components into something with a different texture and extra comfort: crispy edges, gooey cheese and a richer feel than plain pasta tossed with sauce.
The best parts are the melty cheese and the crunchy noodle edges you can’t help but steal from the pan. For this version I swapped the usual marinara for a smooth vodka sauce and used bucatini instead of spaghetti. Bucatini’s hollow center captures sauce so every bite is saucy and satisfying.
I usually brown ground beef (or turkey) first and set it aside. Then I make a double batch of vodka sauce in the same pan so it soaks up all the savory browned bits. While the sauce simmers I cook the bucatini and reserve some starchy pasta water — that liquid helps the sauce come together and cling to the noodles.
How it comes together
After the sauce is finished, spread a little vodka sauce in the bottom of a baking dish, arrange the drained bucatini into nests or piles, sprinkle the browned meat across the pasta, then pour the remaining sauce over everything so the noodles are well coated. I always want lots of sauce — no dry spots.
Pull fresh mozzarella into pieces and scatter them over the top. Bake until the cheese is melted and slightly browned and the sauce bubbles at the edges. Finish with grated parmesan, torn fresh basil and a pinch of crushed red pepper for a touch of heat.
Baked Vodka Pasta
Baked Bucatini with Vodka Sauce
4
to 6
35 mins
25 mins
1 hr
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 pound bucatini pasta
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 shallots, diced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup tomato paste
- 1/4 cup vodka
- 1 3/4 cups reserved pasta water
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 2/3 cup finely grated parmesan, plus more for topping
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella
- Crushed red pepper, for topping
- Fresh basil, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a large pot over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned and cooked through. Break it into small pieces and transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
- In the same pot, add the butter. When melted, add the diced shallots and minced garlic with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the shallots are soft.
- Meanwhile, bring a separate pot of generously salted water to a boil and cook the bucatini until al dente. Reserve 1 3/4 cups of the pasta water before draining.
- Add the tomato paste to the onions and cook, stirring, for 3–5 minutes to deepen the flavor.
- Deglaze the pot with the vodka, stirring and scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Stir in 1 cup of reserved pasta water, then whisk in the remaining pasta water, heavy cream and grated parmesan until the cheese melts and the sauce is silky. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Spread about 1/4 cup of the vodka sauce in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Add the cooked bucatini in nests or piles, then scatter the cooked ground beef over the pasta.
- Spoon the remaining sauce over the bucatini, making sure the noodles are well coated. Tear the fresh mozzarella into pieces and distribute over the top.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the edges are bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and top with extra parmesan, torn fresh basil and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper. Serve hot.
Fork twirl of my dreams.