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!
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.
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
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.
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.
Add the seafood and cook until just opaque, about 3 minutes.
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.
In a vodka sauce, the vodka helps maintain a cohesive texture, allowing the creaminess to meld with the tomato base.
The recipe originated from spicy vodka pasta. Gigi made this recipe on TikTok and it went viral as the Gigi Hadid spicy vodka recipe.
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.
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
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
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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Shrimp with Vodka Sauce
Equipment
- Stove Top
Ingredients
- 1 pound Linguine
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- ½ cup Vodka
- 14 ounces Crushed Tomatoes
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley minced
- 2 tablespoons Basil chiffonade
- salt and pepper
- ½ pound Bay Scallops
- ½ pound Shrimp peeled and deviened
Instructions
- 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 minutes). Add the vodka and turn the heat up to medium-high; cook until the liquid has reduced by half.
- 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.
- Add the seafood and cook until just opaque, about 3 minutes.
- 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.
Notes
- 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.
Vanessa
I got this garlic vodka at a beer and wine feast recently and searched for a good recipe to use it with. This turned out amazing, my house smelled like a 5 star restaurant! I add mushrooms with the garlic in step 2, just to add a little extra flavor and a veggie. I also added a little extra vodka and did a little less cream, and skipped the basil – we aren’t fans of it. But It was delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Katie
Vanessa, glad you enjoyed this recipe. Your version sounds just as delicious!
Lee Tabenken
Hi, could you please provide instructions for printing? Thanks!
Katie
Hi Lee, this is a very old recipe that I have plans to update and add the printable recipe card too! I’ll move it up on the priority list for you! 😉
Barb
Can you please tell me the calorie amount for a serving (1/4 recipe). Thank you
Katie
Hi Barb, thanks for reaching out. I am not a certified dietician so I do not feel comfortable giving nutrition facts. I can tell you that there are many free websites out there that you can plug in the ingredients and it can calculate the calories for you.
Emily
I have been searching for the perfect Valentine’s dinner to cook for my husband, and I think this is it! Our favorite Italian restaurant in Boston features a similar dish and was often the center of our early-relationship dates. Thank you for sharing this delicious sounding recipe!
Katie
Emily I hope you guys enjoy this recipe! It is so easy to make and tastes delicious!
Dawn
My husband and I made this last night… Was excellent… Even our almost 3 year old loved it… It will be on our menu rotation for sure:))
Katie
Dawn–that’s wonderful! This reminds me that I need to make this tasty dish again sometime soon! So easy yet “fancy”!
Sarah @ Just The Bee's Knees
We tried this last night and it was DELICIOUS!! Thanks so much for sharing!
Culinary Adventures
YUM!!! This will be on the menu for next week for sure! :0)
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com
This recipe looks so drool-worthy Katie. I must try it, now! 😀
Hope you are having fun, vacationing 🙂
Chic & Gorgeous Treats
This sounds absolutely delish.. Thanks for sharing Katie. Cheers, Jo
Jessica
This sounds amazing Katie!! YUM!
ButterYum
Me likey the spicy! Poor Paula – she's was unfairly criticized recently by Mr. Uppity Pants. Won't be watching him any more!