A rich and creamy keto vodka sauce is an easy recipe that is made with a few ingredients and is ready in 20 minutes. Low carb, gluten free and tasty! This sauce is great with vegetable noodles, low carb pasta or keto gnocchi.
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What is vodka sauce?
Vodka sauce is a creamy tomato sauce with Parmesan cheese.
You cannot taste the vodka as the alcohol evaporates during cooking. The vodka acts as a binder in this sauce and stops the cream separating. It also brings out the flavours of the tomato and cream.
You will find many versions of vodka sauce so have a play around with it and add your own spin to it. The sauce base is tomatoes, cream and vodka.
Can I make this without vodka?
Strictly speaking this would not be a vodka sauce without the vodka but if you wanted to make this without alcohol, the vodka can be omitted. Replace it with lemon juice and water.
The vodka does help with the consistency of the sauce and works with the cream and the tomatoes, acting as binder so that the cream does not seperate.
How many carbs in vodka sauce?
Vodka sauce is a great low carb sauce as it's cream based. The tomatoes can raise the carbs a bit but the beauty of a homemade sauce is that there are no hidden sugars which you may find with store bought.
A serving of this sauce is 6g net carbs.
How to make keto vodka sauce
Making this sauce is simple with a few ingredients you may already have in your pantry. Feel free to play around with the ingredients and make it your own.
You start with gently cooking shallots and garlic in butter. Add a tomato paste and then the vodka for a minute. The tomatoes are added and simmered for 10 minutes. Stir in the cream and Parmesan for a gloriously pink sauce with a creamy texture.
What to serve with vodka sauce
Traditionally, vodka sauce is served with pasta, so to keep it low carb serve the sauce with low carb alternatives like zucchini noodles, celeriac noodles or Palmini pasta.
This keto sauce goes great with our cauliflower gnocchi and our pumpkin gnocchi.
Can you make this vegan?
For a keto vegan version of vodka sauce, swap the cream with coconut cream or a vegan cream. Nutritional yeast can be used in place of the Parmesan cheese. Use coconut oil or avocado oil in place of the butter.
If you are not too strict with your carbs a creamy cashew butter would be another swap for the cream.
Storing vodka sauce
Due to the cream content this sauce must be stored in the fridge. Once the sauce is cool, keep in either an air tight glass jar or container. It will last for 5 days in the fridge.
Can you freeze vodka sauce?
Yes, this sauce can be frozen so if you have any leftovers, you can enjoy them at a later date. To freeze, pour the sauce into a ziplock bag or air tight container. It should last up to 3 months in the freezer.
To defrost the sauce, remove from the freezer and place in the fridge. The cream content means that you should not defrost this at room temperature.
Recipe Tips
As with every recipe using Parmesan cheese, ensure that you are using a vegetarian brand. Not all cheeses are vegetarian due to the use of animal rennet.
Check the ingredients in the tomato paste and canned tomatoes for added sugar. Brands will vary.
The tinned tomatoes could be replaced with freshly chopped tomatoes. Ensure that they are ripe for a great flavour.
Add fresh basil for a great flavour.
More low carb sauce recipes
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Keto Vodka Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 shallots finely chopped
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- ¼ cup vodka
- 13 oz tinned tomatoes (1 tin)
- ½ cup cream heavy/whipping
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated Vegetarian brands
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium sized saucepan, melt the butter on a medium heat.
- Add the chopped shallots and minced garlic and gently saute for 4 minutes until soft.
- Stir in the tomato paste and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add the vodka and stir into a paste.
- Add the tinned tomatoes, cover and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes for the sauce to thicken.
- Stir in the cream and grated Parmesan. Season with the salt and pepper.
- You are ready to serve!
Notes
YOUR OWN NOTES
