Shrimp with Vodka Sauce

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If you love seafood and you love pasta I promise you are going to love my Shrimp and scallop pasta with vodka sauce recipe. This decadent restaurant style seafood dish is simple to make and made in just under an hour. The meal is perfect dinner party food!

White plate with noodles with red sauce and shrimp and scallops.

When I’m feeling fancy and want to bring a restaurant quality dish into my home I will make this Shrimp with Vodka Sauce recipe. Whether you add the seafood or not, the vodka sauce is to die for. I had never made vodka sauce until I first made this recipe. At the time, I didn’t realize how easy it was until after I made it. Which I feel like is the case with so many recipes.

I love to make an easy shrimp pasta at home whether it’s the classic shrimp scampi, lemon garlic shrimp pasta, or even baked shrimp parmesan with pasta. If you love seafood and pasta I promise you are going to love this super simple shrimp and scallop pasta recipe.

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Ingredients
Directions
FAQs
Tips & Tricks
Delicious Pasta Recipes
Shrimp with Vodka Sauce

Ingredients

Noodles: I prefer to use linguine noodles, but any pasta could work.
Oil: I use olive oil for this recipe to add flavor to the dish.
Vegetables: Garlic, Tomatoes (can), Fresh Parsley (minced), Basil chiffonade.
Vodka: Tito’s or Amsterdam vodka are good choices, but you do not need to go buy the most expensive bottle of vodka for this recipe any non-flavored vodka of choice would do.
Dairy: Heavy Cream, this is to add creaminess to the sauce.
Seasonings: Red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, sugar,
Seafood: Bay Scallops, and medium to large shrimp peeled and deveined.

Directions

white skillet with golden olive oil and white onions.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted, boiling water over medium heat, according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add the vodka and turn the heat up to medium-high; cook until the liquid has reduced by half.

left photos of red, green, white seasoning right photo of red sauce with lime green spoon.

Add the tomatoes, cream, pepper flakes, sugar, fresh basil, fresh parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes.

left, with red sauce with shrimps and scallops, right photos of red sauce with shrimp and scallops mixed in sauce with lime green spoon.

Add the seafood and cook until just opaque, about 3 minutes.

white pot with teal handles on stove filled with yellow pasta noodles, red sauce and shrimp and scallops.

Drain and transfer the pasta to the pot where the seafood vodka sauce is cooking. Mix in the sauce and toss to combine. Serve immediately; top with more fresh parsley and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

FAQs

Here are all the frequently asked questions readers have asked when making vodka sauce.

What does putting vodka in shrimp and scallop pasta recipe sauce do?

In a vodka sauce, the vodka helps maintain a cohesive texture, allowing the creaminess to meld with the tomato base.

What is Gigi Hadid spicy vodka pasta?

The recipe originated from spicy vodka pasta. Gigi made this recipe on TikTok and it went viral as the Gigi Hadid spicy vodka recipe.

Does vodka taste good in pasta?

You cannot taste the vodka in the sauce. It burns off adding an additional flavor to tomato sauce. It enhances the delicious herbal flavors that are in the sauce.

What is the difference between marinara sauce and vodka sauce?

Marinara sauce is a red sauce that contains very little to no dairy and vodka sauce contains heavy cream and vodka and typically red pepper flakes for a touch of spice.

Tips & Tricks

Pot with a teal green handle with noodles and red sauce, with shrimp and scallops inside of pot.

Here are a few of my favorite tips and tricks I’ve learned when making shrimp and scallop linguine alla vodka.

Dairy – If you prefer this recipe to be dairy-free, you can remove the heavy cream. The heavy cream is to add thickness to the dish, so removing it will give the recipe a more saucy texture.
Cheese – For my cheese lovers you can add cheese to this meal. It is pasta you can never go wrong with it. Add your favorite cheeses like Parmesan and mozzarella to give your plate a cheesy finish.
Spicy – I love how a little bit of red pepper flakes can transform the sauce. I love a little heat to my vodka sauce. Remember, you can always make it spicier, but you can’t take it away. Because of that I always tend to add less and then once it’s done everyone can add more if they desire to.

Delicious Pasta Recipes

white glass plate with pasta noodles mixed in light red sauce with shrimps and scallop pieces and green parsley on top.

Looking for more delicious pasta recipes? Check out a few more of my favorite recipes.

If you make this Shrimp with Vodka Sauce recipe, I would be honored and love for you to take the time to leave a star rating and comment! I spend hours developing and testing these recipes, and always love to hear feedback and user experience!

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