Radiatore Pasta in Creamy Sauce

June 29, 2023

May 20, 2023 by Tania Sheff · This post may contain affiliate links

You are going to love this delicious and rich Radiatore Pasta in Creamy Sauce. It’s full of amazing flavors that you’ll love!

This Radiatore Pasta in Creamy Sauce is a filling and satisfying meal that is sure to please everyone you serve it to. The ridged pasta does a great job of grabbing hold of the scrumptious cream sauce. Made with pungent garlic, rich heavy cream, nutty Parmesan cheese, and some vodka, this sauce adds amazing flavor to this dish.

This recipe is nice and simple so it can easily be added to your weeknight rotation. The flavors are versatile enough that you can serve it with other sides or add some meatballs on top. Serve it with crusty bread that can sop up all that delicious sauce. However you serve it, you’re sure to get rave reviews. Let’s take a look at what you’ll need to put this pasta dish together.

Video Tutorial

Main Ingredients

Radiatore Pasta.
Olive Oil.
Onion.
Garlic.
Tomato Paste.
Heavy Cream.
Parmesan Cheese.
Vodka.
Spices. Salt, dried basil, and red pepper flakes.

How to Make Radiatore Pasta in Creamy Sauce

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and generously season with salt. Add the pasta and cook, according to the package instructions. (Radiatore usually cooks in 10-11 minutes).

2. To a large skillet, add the olive oil and onions and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat until the onions soften nicely.

3. At this point, add tomato paste, garlic, salt, dried basil, and red pepper flakes. Stir well and cook on low for a minute or two.

4. After that add the vodka and cook for another minute, allowing it to evaporate.

5. Now, pour in the heavy cream and bring it to a gentle simmer. Stir the Parmesan into it.

6. Lastly, add the cooked radiatore pasta to the sauce and mix it together nicely. Use some pasta water if you want to thin the sauce a bit. Serve.

Helpful Tips & Tricks

Salt the pasta water. Salting the water that the radiotore pasta is cooked in will infuse the flavor into the pasta much better than if it were added after the fact.
Cook the pasta al dente. You don’t want the pasta getting mushy once it’s added to the hot sauce where it will continue to cook a little. Al dente leaves it with enough structure to avoid mushiness.
Stir the onions and garlic to avoid burning. These can burn easily so give them a stir as they cook and soften.
Reserve some pasta water. This starchy water is very helpful if you want to thin the sauce out. Hold some aside when you drain the pasta to be used if necessary.

Variations to this Recipe

Use a different type of pasta. You can make this with any pasta you like, but I think it’s best with smaller types like fusilli, ditalini, cavatappi, or farfalle.
Make it a vegan recipe. You can make this into a vegan dish by substituting unsweetened coconut milk or cream for the heavy cream and using plant-based Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast.
Skip the vodka. The alcohol does cook out of the sauce, but if you prefer not to add vodka to the dish, just skip this ingredient.
Add meat. Add in some chopped crispy bacon bits, ground beef, or meatballs for a heartier dish.

How to Store and Reheat it

Store any leftovers of this Radiatore Pasta in Creamy Sauce once it has cooled in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last for up to 4 days. You can reheat it on the stove or in the microwave.

What to Serve this Radiatore Pasta in Creamy Sauce with

Bread. Serve this pasta dish with some crusty bread and butter for dipping in the sauce. Try it with this Air Fryer Garlic Bread or Potato Flatbread.
Salad. Start the meal with a fresh salad, like this Spring Mix Salad, Iceberg Lettuce Salad, Refreshing Cucumber Salad, or Simple Kale Salad.
Meat. Try this Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast, Easy Chicken Kebabs, or these Air Fryer Pork Chops on the side. YUM!
Soup. Serve it with a bowl of Hearty Mushroom Soup, Red Lentil Soup, Turkey Cabbage Soup, Creamy Vegetable Soup, or Lentil and Kale Soup.

I hope you enjoy this tasty Radiatore Pasta in Creamy Sauce. It’s flavorful, simple, and utterly addictive!

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