This vodka sauce puff pastry pizza is ideal for an easy weeknight meal. A rich, silky vodka sauce and provolone cheese top a flaky, buttery puff pastry crust — no rising dough required. Simple, fast, and delicious.
My love for puff pastry pizza is endless.
I make a ridiculous number of puff pastry pizzas. They’re in so many posts and in my book because they’re easy and always hit the spot.
- Super easy to assemble
- Perfect for weeknights — no dough to make
- Highly customizable
- Incredibly tasty
So what’s better than puff pastry pizza? Slathering it with a rich, creamy vodka sauce. It’s my favorite sauce — slightly sweet, savory, and luxuriously smooth. It clings to pasta perfectly, and it makes an amazing base for pizza as well.
As a kid I wasn’t a big fan of tomato-based sauces on pasta, but vodka sauce would have changed everything — I’d have requested it every Thursday. These days I can eat it weekly.
The sauce is easy to make from a base of tomato paste and a little starchy water. I often make a quick “faux” pasta water by combining water and a bit of cornstarch, which works great if you’re not cooking pasta. The result is deeply flavored and creamy.
I have a recipe for traditional vodka sauce pizza with homemade dough, which is amazing — but making dough isn’t always convenient. That’s where this puff pastry version shines: embarrassingly easy, topped with plenty of cheese and basil, and baked until puffed, golden, and bubbly.
It’s perfect for busy weeknights or a lazy weekend when you want something comforting without much effort. Using puff pastry as a crust is one of my favorite shortcuts — flaky, buttery, and crisp.
I don’t roll my puff pastry; I prefer sheets without perforations. Brands I use include Wewalka and Jus-Rol, which I usually find at the grocery store.
Pizza forever!
Vodka Sauce Puff Pastry Pizza
Vodka Sauce Puff Pastry Pizza
2
to 4 people
35 mins
25 mins
1 hr
Ingredients
vodka sauce
- ½ cup reserved pasta water, or the substitution listed below
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 shallot, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1½ tablespoons vodka
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for topping
pizza
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed if frozen
- 1 cup freshly grated provolone
- Parmesan, for topping
- Fresh basil, for topping
Instructions
vodka sauce
- Make the vodka sauce first. To create starchy pasta water without cooking pasta, combine 1 cup water with ½ teaspoon cornstarch and ¼ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil in a saucepan, then turn off the heat.
- Heat the butter over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper; cook until softened. Stir in the tomato paste and cook about 5 minutes until the paste darkens — this intensifies the flavor.
- Pour in the vodka and scrape the pan to release browned bits. Stir in ½ cup of the reserved (or makeshift) pasta water, then add the heavy cream and Parmesan. Stir until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. The sauce makes slightly more than needed; refrigerate leftovers for another use.
pizza
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the puff pastry on parchment on a baking sheet and poke all over with a fork to prevent large bubbles.
- Spread an even layer of vodka sauce on the pastry, leaving a 1-inch border. Avoid adding too much sauce to prevent sogginess.
- Sprinkle the provolone evenly over the sauce and add a little Parmesan on top.
- Optional: brush the pastry edges with an egg wash for a shiny, golden crust.
- Bake 20–25 minutes, until the pastry is puffed, golden, and crisp.
- Top with fresh basil and another sprinkle of Parmesan. Slice and serve.
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It’s a must-make!