Gigi Hadid Spicy Rigatoni (Print Version)

A creamy, spicy rigatoni featuring tomato-vodka sauce, chili, and fresh parsley in an easy Italian-American style.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz rigatoni

→ Sauce Base

02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tsp red chili flakes, adjust to taste
06 - 1/4 cup tomato paste
07 - 1/4 cup vodka
08 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

11 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
12 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
13 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

# How To Make:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and cook 2–3 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and red chili flakes; cook 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring, 2–3 minutes until it darkens and slightly caramelizes.
04 - Pour in vodka, stir, and allow to simmer 2–3 minutes to cook off alcohol.
05 - Reduce heat and stir in heavy cream. Simmer gently 2–3 minutes until sauce is smooth and creamy.
06 - Add grated Parmesan, stirring until fully melted. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
07 - Add drained rigatoni to sauce and toss to coat evenly. Adjust consistency with reserved pasta water as needed.
08 - Stir in unsalted butter for richness and fold in chopped parsley.
09 - Plate immediately, topping with additional grated Parmesan and extra chili flakes if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like restaurant food but comes together faster than ordering delivery.
  • The spice hits just right—not overwhelming, but enough to wake up your taste buds.
  • One pot of creamy sauce coats every tube of pasta so nothing goes uncoated.
02 -
  • Don't skip caramelizing the tomato paste—it's what takes this from tasting like simple cream sauce to tasting like something with actual depth and character.
  • Reserve pasta water before you drain everything, or you'll be stuck with a sauce that's too thick to coat properly.
  • Add the cream slowly and keep the heat low once it's in—rushing or turning up the heat can make the sauce break and look grainy instead of silky.
03 -
  • Taste the sauce before the pasta goes in and adjust your salt and spice then, not after everything's mixed together.
  • Cold butter stirred in at the end makes the sauce look silkier and taste richer than you'd expect from just two tablespoons.
  • This pasta is not a leftovers dish—it's best within an hour of cooking, while the sauce is still creamy and the pasta is still warm and tender.
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