Yeah, you heard me.

Sometimes even when you need comfort food, some vegetables are in order, and that’s what I made for myself one fine evening. The base vodka cream sauce recipe (butter, yellow onions, heavy cream, vodka) can be used in multiple iterations, so try your hand at it and impress all your friends.

Sausage and Vegetable Pasta with Creamy Tomato Vodka Sauce

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1/4 package country or Italian sausage
• 1/4 stick of butter
• 1/2 finely chopped yellow onions
• 2-3 chopped garlic cloves
• 1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
• 1 head chopped broccoli flowerets
• 1 can of stewed tomatoes
• 1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1 oz. vodka
• 1/4-1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Fresh pasta (I prefer fettuccine)
• 4-6 fresh basil leaves, chopped

Directions

While this recipe does take quite a bit of prep, I promise it’s incredibly worth it! Do yourself a favor and chop everything before you start to cook.

• Over medium heat, fry up the sausage rounds until almost cooked through. I like the meatball illusion, so I roll them into little balls, but you can just as easily cut up a hunk of it using the spatula.
• Set the sausage aside, and add in butter, rotating to coat the pan. Then add in onions and garlic until translucent, stirring frequently.
• Add mushrooms and broccoli and cook for about 5 minutes, then add stewed tomatoes until the broth begins to bubble.
• As the tomato sauce cooks, boil water with sea salt for the fettucine. I strongly recommend fresh pasta for this dish rather than dried – it tastes so much better and cooks faster.
• Stir in heavy cream, and let heat until it starts to bubble. Once the creamy tomato sauce is heated through, add a shot of vodka, which will cut the cream.
• Return the sausage to the mixture, then add in the al dente pasta to finish.
• Dress each serving with freshly grated parmesan and basil leaves.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made this dish, and it’s always a big winner. Once you get the hang of the process, you’ll be able to serve up this meal in under 30 min.

Ready to be a dinner hero?