One Pot Spicy Alla Vodka Pizza Pasta.
This One Pot Spicy Alla Vodka Pizza Pasta is for nights when you’re craving a really great pizza from your favorite pizzeria, but can’t decide if you’d rather just make pasta at home. Enter this pizza pasta. Pasta baked in a spicy tomato pesto vodka sauce that’s creamy, herby, and so delicious! The key to this pasta is a house style “pizza seasoning” with pepperonis on top. This is a great easy pasta dish to serve any night of the week. It’s delicious and looks pretty on any table…not to mention everyone LOVES a GOOD pizza and baked pasta. It’s is the best of both worlds!
Happy Christmas week everyone! I’m hearing one of two things from you guys right now. Either a totally chill week with less work and fun holiday prep, or complete craziness with kids home, last-minute gift buying, present wrapping, and holiday dinner prep too.
Can you guys guess what we’ve got over here?
Complete craziness? Yes, 100%. But It’s OK! It just wouldn’t be the holidays without a little craziness. Craziness is a Gerard Family Christmas.
Which brings me right to this pizza pasta. It’s a mix of so many delicious flavors, and yet, it’s so easy to make.
(I do half with sausage and half without!)
The idea.
All weekend long I was scratching my head on just what to share today. I knew many of you might be looking for a delicious dinner to serve this week and I knew that time might be tight.
It’s the same for me here and with my brothers and cousins home for Christmas, that means family-style dinners.
Originally, I was going to share something else, but after a quick phone call with my mom, she inspired me to switch gears after her mention of pepperoni. We love pepperonis and while we love them on pizza, I think we love them even more on pasta. Pepperoni on a pasta bake is my dad’s signature. If you’ve never done it, I am excited to introduce you!
This is everything we love about a pepperoni pizza, but minus the pizza dough and plus an alla vodka style red sauce and pasta.
The details…hint, they’re quick.
Start off by making the sauce. It’s very important with this recipe to use a large pot, bigger than you’d think you might need. Because we’re making the sauce and cooking the pasta together, you’ll need extra room. So be sure to use your largest pot available.
Next, the sauce. It’s made with lots of garlic and herbs, aka my “pizza seasoning” blend, marinara sauce, vodka (for best flavor), and pesto. The herbs and vodka are key here, but I do want to say, if vodka’s not your thing, I totally understand. In this case, just swap the vodka for chicken broth or even just water. Either one will work totally fine and your sauce will still be great.
But, if you’re ok with using alcohol for cooking, you must add vodka to your sauce. The vodka adds a sharp bite that helps to balance out the sweetness of the tomatoes. When used in small amounts, the vodka will boost and intensify the aroma of the sauce. The key is to slow simmer the sauce, which will release the flavors and cook out the alcohol. So yes, this is safe to serve to kids!
Moving along…
Since I wanted to keep it quick and simple, I set out to make this a one-pot pasta. What does this mean? Well, it’s simple, everything from making the sauce, to boiling the pasta is all done in just one pot, on the stove-top, before being transferred to the oven to finish baking. If you have oven-safe pots, you don’t even need to transfer the pasta to a baking dish.
Love this!
Once the base red sauce has been made, simply add the water and dry pasta right into the red sauce. May seem odd, but trust me, it works.
Just top with cheese, lots of pepperoni, and fresh basil, then bake! It’s the simplest.
As this bakes away you’ll smell all those herbs, the sauce will be bubbling, and the cheese will melt into golden deliciousness.
Pull it out of the oven and the top looks like an extra cheesy pizza, but underneath you have saucy pasta.
DELICIOUS.
I have no idea what I’m cooking up this week, still trying to finish up Christmas shopping and gift wrapping, but they’ll be lots of cooking…and I’m sure cocktail making involved. Since my brothers have yet to try this pizza pasta dish, I’m making it again tonight.
With everyone here, pasta bakes are essential. Fingers crossed they’ll love this one as much as I do…but I have a very good feeling about it!
That’s all from me today! Enjoy some pizza pasta this week!
Looking for other easy family dinners? Here are my favorites:
One Pot Lemon Rosemary Dijon Chicken and Butter Toasted Rice Pilaf
Instant Pot Spicy Pineapple Chicken Tacos
Creamy Bacon Tortellini with Charred Broccoli
Lastly, if you make this One Pot Spicy Alla Vodka Pizza Pasta, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
One Pot Spicy Alla Vodka Pizza Pasta.
Trying to decide between your favorite pizzeria or making pasta at home...this is the best of both!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 pound ground spicy Italian chicken sausage (optional)
- 4 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1-2 teaspoons fennel seeds use to your taste
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 1/2 cup vodka (chicken broth or water also work)
- 1/2 cup basil pesto, homemade or store-bought
- 1 pound dry short cut pasta
- 2 cups shredded fontina cheese
- 8 ounces mozzarella, torn
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan or asiago cheese
- 3 ounces pepperoni sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
-
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken sausage (if using) and brown all over, about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano, thyme, fennel, and chili flakes, cook another 3-5 minutes, until very fragrant. Add the marinara sauce, vodka, pesto, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Then add 2 1/2 cups water and the pasta. Increase the heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a boil. Stir frequently until the pasta is al dente, about 8-10 minutes.
3. If needed, transfer the pasta to a baking dish. Top with the cheeses, then pepperoni. Sprinkle the basil over top.
4. Transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake 20-25 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is lightly browned on top. Cool 5 minutes before serving. Serve with fresh rosemary. Enjoy!
Our Favorite Recipes
Cheesy Potato Casserole with Buttery Ritz Crackers.
Never heard or even seen pepperoni on pasta, but it looks and sounds so great! I can almost taste it. Will make it soon! Xx
I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
This is another great pasta! I’m sure we’ll enjoy it like so many of your recipes.
Hey Joyce,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
It was awsome
Thanks so much Kim! xTieghan
It was just what I needed for dinner tonight. Filling, delicious and enough leftover to feed us for a couple more days. I used pork Italian sausage so I cut back on the olive oil a bit. The whole family loved it! Thanks for the great recipes!
Hey Jen,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Did you use fresh mozzarella? This looks so good
Hey Kristi,
Yes, I used fresh, cubed mozzarella. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This was soooo yummy and easy to make. I didn’t have fontina but I did put a load of mozzarella cheese on it. Can’t wait to try it with the fontina next time!!!
Hey Amy,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
can this be made a day ahead?
Thanks for the delicious recipes and inventive cocktails. Your site enriches my cooking experience!!!
Hey Patty,
Yes, I would make everything up until baking, cover and store in the fridge until you are ready to bake. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
It’s in the oven and smells AMAZING!
Hey Laura,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This was easy & delicious! Everyone loved it! Thank you!
Hey Christa,
I am so glad the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Just just made this! Super delicious! But how do you get the cheese to be so gooey? Mine dried up in the oven
Hey Sophia,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed! I really like to shred my cheese, it melts the best this way. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This was AMAZING…we absolutely loved this! It tasted like a delicious slice of pizza! I followed everything except used pork sausage (mild Italian and about a 1/2 lb) because they didn’t have the chicken at the store. I’ve got the m&m Christmas cookie bars in the oven now for our Santa Cookie Tray tomorrow. Your recipes have always been on point and your food styling is absolutely gorgeous to look at!
Hey Marie,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
It’s a chilly rainy night in Chicagoland and this was perfect!
Hey Jen,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe, I am so glad you enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This was SO good! It’s a unique recipe with that pepperoni on top, but it was very fun to make and was so tasty. Thank you!
Hey Debbie,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hey Tieghan! Is it okay to use shredded mozzarella?
Hey there,
Yes, shredded mozzarella will work nicely. I hope you love the recipe! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Made this last night! Amazing. Had to add a little more liquid for my pasta to soften to al dente but so easy and so yummy!!!!
Hey Ray,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Delicious! Gone so fast I couldn’t get a picture!! Everyone went back for seconds! Putting this in my “go-to” pile of recipes!! Woo!
Hey Susan,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Probably the best pasta dish I’ve ever made! My husband balked when I used 1/2 c of his Tito’s but got over it when he tasted the finished product 😆 I used spicy pork sausage and ended up needing about 2 additional cups of water to get the pasta cooked. I sautéed veggies separately and served them in the individual bowls with the pasta. Yum! Thank you!!
Hey Heather,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Made this for our family Christmas Eve dinner – it was amazing!! Thank you, may be our new tradition! Easy and so delicious and festive!! Thank you!
Hey Ana,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Soooo delicious!! I used beef Chorizo and it was amazing!!!
Hey Rana,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This was delicious! I had to use sweet Italian sausage, but with all the spicy seasonings to balance it out, I think it actually worked. I used radiatori pasta which was perfect, Rao’s marinara, Porzio’s roasted garlic basil pesto, and Firefly Classic Vodka. It turned out absolutely amazing, although I need to hit the gym today. 😉 The only note I want to make is that the directions say to top with the cheeses, but from watching your video, I stirred in the torn mozzarella pieces, then put the shredded fontina and grated parm on top. Either way, can’t go wrong with cheese. Thanks for the delicious recipe! Leftovers were just as amazing reheated!
Hey Emma,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Making this tomorrow night. I would love to know what salad you recommend to go with it?
Hey Alicia,
This one would be great: https://dev.halfbakedharvest.com/winter-salad-maple-candied-walnuts-balsamic-fig-dressing-big-giveaway/
I hope you love the recipes! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Very good!!! I don’t love fennel and didn’t have Italian sausage on hand so I omitted the two and it still turned out great with a ton of flavor! Love that it’s a true one pot recipe.
Hey Emily,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a go, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Thank you for this delicious, easy recipe! It was a HUGE hit in my house! We will be making this again!
Hey Dawn,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a go, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
This was a big hit at dinner last night! Would never have thought to put all those flavors together! Thank you for the great recipe!
Hey Staci,
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for giving it a try! Happy New Year! xTieghan
This recipe is so delicious! Perfect for a winter dinner!! I ended up placing it under the broiler to get the cheese browned.
Hey Barb,
Thank you so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Made this last week and we really like it! We live in a small town so I could not find Fontina cheese or the chicken sausage. I used pork breakfast sausage and Asiago cheese in place of the Fontina. I realized afterwards that the Asiago sun was supposed to be for the Parmesan, but it still turned out! My husband told me not to change anything next time we make it. But I would like to try it with fontina cheese and chicken sausage! Again, we made too much and I didn’t think it reheated well, though my husband had no problem with the leftovers! Will probably half the recipe next time!
Hey Haley,
I am so glad you have enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Happy New Year! xTieghan
This was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It took me about 1.25 hours, not 45 minutes, but I didn’t care. SO YUMMY!!!!!!!! Made it for dinner last night, and I’m looking forward to eating it for lunch all week. Thanks so much for all your fantastic recipes!
Hey Patty,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
I made this tonight using brown rice pasta. It turned out to be a pot of mush – and I did not overcook the pasta in the beginning. So a heads up to anyone wondering if a GF pasta will work in this recipe! Also, we found this recipe to be overwhelmingly cheesy (and we love cheese!) to the point where it was too rich. The flavor of this dish was amazing though, so I would simply cut down on the amount of cheese used. And for whatever reason, the pepperoni on top of my dish did not brown like in the photos shown. They sunk down into the cheese and just cooked in there.
Hey Melanie,
Thanks for trying the recipe, so sorry the brown rice pasta did not work out for you. Let me know if I can help in any way! Happy New Year! xTieghan
I made this last night. I didn’t have any Fontina or Parmesan so I used pepper jack and mozzarella and it was great!! My husbands favorite so far.
Hey Ingrid,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe, I am thrilled that you enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan!
What size pot would you recommend? I’m making this for NYE and want to make sure I’m prepared with the right baking dish! I have a staub pan and also a staub dutch oven.. so I’m debating on doing everything in the dutch oven and then transferring into the baking pan like you suggested..
Thanks!
Hey Kelsey,
I would recommend using at least a 7 quart pot. I hope you love the recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy New Year! xTieghan
I made it! It’s my first recipe of yours. My husband loved it! I’ll have to freeze the rest for later.
Hey Erika,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Made this tonight–delicious!! I didn’t have fontina, so I just added extra mozzarella. It will be added to the rotation!! Happy New Year!
Hey Rachel,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
I just made this and it is so incredibly good! (As always!) Only positive feedback here 🙂
Hey Katelyn,
Thank you so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
This was so good! Tieghan, where do you get your Italian chicken sausage? I checked at both of the stores I regularly shop at, and neither carried it. I substituted Italian pork sausage, but of course it was a lot more greasy (but still very good)!
Hey Mary,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy New Year! xTieghan
I’m often intimidated by recipes because I’m not the greatest in the kitchen. I have been following you on IG for some time now so I finally decided to try a recipe. No regrets!! Made this meal for NYE!! It was so yummy and comforting plus super easy!!
Hey Arlina,
Thank you so very much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it worked out for you! Happy New Year! xTieghan
This looks delicious! Do you think this would be able to prepped ahead of time and frozen? If so, what are your recommendations? Thanks!
Hey Ana,
Sure, I would just make the sauce and freeze that. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Made this tonight and already excited to eat leftovers for lunch tomorrow. This was perfectly spicy and cheesy – fontina is underrated! Not at all difficult to do and turned out perfectly. Thanks for another amazing recipe Tieghan!
Hey Erika,
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Oh my goodness! I made this tonight for my family and it was a huge hit! I didn’t use the sausage but did everything else and it was fantastic! And very easy. I had some marinara that I had made last week and loved how the seasoning and pesto really transformed it! So so good!
Hey Stephanie,
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Soooo good and my husband devoured it! The mozzarella bombs are everything!
Hey Jackie,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for making it! Happy New Year! xTieghan
I really want to make this! Do you have any recommendations for a substitute for the basil pesto? My son is allergic to pesto…
Hey Jessica,
You can skip the pesto:) I hope you love the recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Chalk up another winner! Delicious. Subbed in my own parsley pesto made with homemade spiced bar nuts (😏) and a variety of cheddar cheeses with the parm instead of mozzarella and fontina. Mild Italian pork sausage too. My husband says “Wow!” Thanks Tieghan ❤
Hey Cindy,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe. That is so great the recipe was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Another amazing recipe! Easy to make and a definite crowd pleaser! Everyone had seconds! Love the pepperoni on top…tastes like pizza! Thanks Tieghan!!
Hey JoAnn,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe, I am so thrilled that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Wow, this was delicious! I made it according to the directions except for adding a teaspoon of Turkish red pepper flakes (and probably could have added more). Definitely something I’ll be making again.
Hey Helen,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe, I am so thrilled that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
I made this for my sisters birthday and boy was it a HIT! Everyone was shocked I made it myself (lol) just found out about HBH and I’ve made so many of her recipes already. I appreciate SO much how easy they are to follow and for this one I was even able to go to her IG story highlights and follow along with her video. She’s the best. Make this right now. Everything I’ve made is so delish!
Hey Marlo,
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for making it! Happy Friday! xTieghan
This recipe is EVERYTHING you need for a cold winter night! I couldn’t find ground Italian chicken sausage so used ground hot Italian pork sausage. I also prefer whole wheat pasta, so used whole wheat penne and 3 cups of water instead of 2.5 and that was perfect. Since it made so much, I put half of it in the freezer for another day, but would say that if you’re doing something like that (dividing it in half, dishing it into two different pans), don’t stir the mozzarella into the pasta like the video shows, but just slice it and lay it on top before baking, along with the Asiago and the fontina. I found that after stirring in the mozzarella, when trying to spoon it out into two different dishes (one for baking and eating, one for freezing), the mozzarella got so stringy and made a bit of a mess. I will absolutely make this again and it is definitely a new delicious favorite!
Hey Abby,
I am so glad the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for trying it out! Happy Sunday! xTieghan
Modified a bit just because of what I had / did not have on hand. This is DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!
Hey Stephanie,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Hi – this looks delicious and I can’t wait to make it! Do you think I could reduce the water by 1/2 cup and stir in 1/2 cup cream to mimic more of a classic vodka sauce?
Hey Colleen,
Sure that would work. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Just made this and it is SO good! I used ground chicken instead of an Italian sausage chicken and just seasoned it to my liking. Really hit the spot 🙂
Hey Shelley,
I am so glad you liked the recipe, thanks for giving it a go! Happy Sunday! xTieghan
This turned out great with gluten free corn pasta. I substituted sautéed mushrooms and green pepper for sausage and halved the recipe (makes a lot for two people). Even though I halved the recipe I ended up needing all of the water. Will make again!
Hey May,
I am thrilled that you liked the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Have an awesome week:) xTieghan
This is delicious!! Looking forward to leftovers. I meant to add sautéed mushrooms but I forgot, but that’s okay because I’ll definitely be making it again.
Hey Bethany,
I am so glad that the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Omg this meal was so good. I used grilled chicken because I don’t like sausage and just removed the chicken from the pot before adding the sauce. It was so delicious. Definitely making again!
Hey Danielle,
I am so glad that the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have a great week:) xTieghan
This was so decadent and amazing, the ultimate in comfort food! I want to comment that I made this with gluten free pasta and it came out perfect! I did add a little more water to cook the past but it came out perfect. I use Jovial GF pasta which does not get soggy even as leftovers like some other GF pastas do. Don’t be scared to make this if you are celiac.
Hey Victoria,
I am thrilled you liked the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Happy Sunday:) xTieghan
Hi there,
I’m loving many of your recipies but my son can’t have pesto – he has a nut allergy to certain nuts. Is there anything that I could substitute?
Thanks!
Hey Renee,
You can skip the pesto, or make a homemade pesto without the nuts. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
My husband couldn’t stop saying how good this was as we ate! Plus the whole meal was so easy!! I cooked it at 40 weeks pregnant and hope to have it as leftovers for the next few days, so it’s also super easy to make!
Hey Olivia,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
This was excellent! I did change is ever so slightly. Used banza pasta so needed a little extra sauce & water. I omitted the garlic because the sausage, marinara & pesto all have a ton if garlic. And we like spicy so added several sliced pepperoncinis… And it was a hit. The blend of spices, pesto and mix of cheeses made this a very tasty dish. Thank you!
Hey Denise,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
This is like heaven in a dish! Absolutely LOVE!!!!
Hey Julianna,
Thanks a lot for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that the recipe was enjoyed! Have a fantastic weekend! xTieghan
I would love to make this for friends that just had a baby. Think I can do steps 1-3 and then give it to them
Ready to bake when they’re ready?
Hey Amy,
Absolutely! That will work well for you. I hope your friend loves the recipe! xTieghan
Made this for dinner tonight instead of making a pizza. We loved it!!! Froze half because there was so much..Diana
Hey Diana,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
HI! Looking to make this ahead and freeze it for a vacation. I was wondering if it would work to follow the recipe up until step 3 and freeze it until we’re ready to bake. I would save the basil and sprinkle on when it’s thawed and right before baking, so that the basil is fresh. If you could let me know if you think that would work okay I would SO appreciate it! .
Hey Lea,
Yes, that would work just fine! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan