Gigi Hadid Pasta is creamy, cheesy, spicy, mouth-watering, and has taken the internet by storm. Model Gigi Hadid might be known for her talents on the runway, but she certainly rocks the kitchen too. Her simple pasta recipe went viral after she posted it on Tiktok and Instagram, and I promise you it’s worth the hype. Keep reading to find out how to make Gigi Hadid’s Spicy Vodka Sauce (spice and vodka optional).
Gigi Hadid shared the recipe during the thick of the spring 2020 lockdown, when everyone was looking to up their cooking game. But after the dish became a standing staple in many of her fans’ diets, it’s safe to say this viral dish is more than just a fad. I’ll show you how to make the original recipe, as well as alter it in ways that might better suit the tastes and diets of your dinner table!
Table of Contents
What is Gigi Hadid Pasta?
Model Gigi Hadid has said plenty of times that she loves to cook, so fans were ecstatic when she shared her simple recipe for what she called “Yummy + Easy Spicy Vodka Sauce”. It’s a pasta dish in a flavorful sauce that makes a fast and delicious meal with fairly simple ingredients.
Ingredients & Substitutes
- Shells Pasta: Gigi used Orecchiette, a type of shell pasta in her original recipe. They’re a great option because they’ll cup the sauce nicely.
- Olive Oil: We’ve tailored this recipe to use less olive oil than the original, but feel free to add more.
- Garlic: Gigi adds one clove of garlic to the sauce. You can mince it yourself, or use the kind from a jar.
- Shallot: You’ll need to mince one shallot. Here’s a great way to test out another viral trend! Place a damp paper towel on your cutting board to avoid crying while you cut your shallot.
- Red Pepper Flakes: While Gigi likes her sauce spicy, this ingredient is totally optional.
- Tomato Paste: No canned sauce in this recipe! Gigi uses tomato paste, then adds other components to thin it into a sauce. It’s very easy to find and any brand will do.
- Heavy Cream: It will make your sauce nice and thick, but still creamy. You can swap it out for milk if you prefer.
- Salt & Pepper: for seasoning.
- Vodka: While this is a Vodka Sauce, the vodka is totally optional…it evaporates out during cooking anyway. In her viral post, Gigi didn’t use any vodka because she was out of it, so don’t feel too bad for skipping out on this ingredient.
- Butter: It helps to cut down the acidity of the tomatoes, for a beautifully silky, creamy sauce. For a vegan sauce, use margarine, or vegan butter instead.
- Parmesan Cheese: Grating fresh parmesan will always give the strongest flavor, but pre-grated cheese works well too.
- Basil: Chopped fresh basil makes the perfect garnish for your final plate of pasta, adding a bit of green to the plate.
How to Make Gigi Hadid Pasta
Step 1: Cook the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a pinch of salt.
- Add pasta and cook until al dente. (Once cooked, strain the pasta while reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.)
Step 2: Make Gigi Hadid Sauce
- Add oil, garlic, and shallot to a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until fragrant.
- Add red pepper flakes and tomato paste. Cook for about 2 minutes.
- Add heavy cream, vodka sauce, salt, and pepper. Lower the heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
- Add butter to the sauce and let it melt. Combine the butter with the sauce.
Step 3: Mix Everything
- Add the pasta and the reserved pasta water to the skillet.
- Add Parmesan cheese, and cook on medium heat until the sauce has thickened.
- Remove from heat. Sprinkle with chopped basil, more parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes. Serve and enjoy!
Tips & Tricks for the Tiktok Gigi Hadid Vodka Pasta
- Cook your pasta al dente. Even more so than usual, because it will cook more once added to the sauce.
- You can skip the vodka. It’s a great ingredient if you have an open bottle, and aren’t intimidated by adding alcohol to a hot pan. But it isn’t a necessary one to get a great sauce, so don’t stress out about it too much.
- Adjust the heat. Add more Red Pepper Flakes if you like spicy foods, or take them out entirely if you have little heat tolerance.
What Kind of Pasta Does Gigi Hadid Use?
Gigi Hadid uses pasta shells, also known as Orecchiette. They’re a great option for pasta dishes where the sauce is the central feature. But feel free to use your favorite pasta as this sauce goes well with all pasta noodles.
Why Do You Add Vodka to Pasta?
It may seem odd to add Vodka to your pasta…especially if it just boils out. But the alcohol does serve a purpose in the sauce, even if the recipe still works well without it. It’s really there to just boost your sauce even further.
First, it actually works as a binder, preventing the cream in the sauce from separating. But second, alcohol in general is a great solvent, and it will extract the aromas of the different ingredients and bring an added depth to your sauce.
How to Make Gigi Hadid Pasta Without Vodka?
If you don’t have vodka at home… like Gigi when she released the recipe… or you just don’t want to use any, skipping it is simple. There’s no need to substitute anything in its place, just leave the vodka out of your recipe.
Can You Make Gigi Hadid Pasta Without Heavy Cream?
Heavy Cream gives this sauce a really velvety texture, but it can easily be swapped if you have milk at home you would rather use. Dairy milk like 2% will still bring in a creaminess to this sauce, albeit a much lighter one. Dairy-free milk alternatives will make this recipe easier for some diets, just avoid using anything with a flavor you don’t want in your sauce (unless you’re hoping for Spicy Coconut Vodka Sauce).
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If you tried this recipe, let me know how your Gigi Hadid Pasta turns out in the comments below!
Gigi Hadid Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 8 oz shells pasta
- water
- salt
Gigi Hadid Pasta Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (original recipe calls for 1/4 cup, so you can use more if preferred)
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 shallot minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (plus more for serving)
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon vodka (you can omit this ingredient)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
For Serving
- chopped basil
Instructions
Cook the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt.
- Add pasta and cook until al dente. (Don’t throw away the water once the pasta is cooked.)
- Strain the pasta while reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
Make Gigi Hadid Sauce
- While your pasta is cooking, you can make the sauce. In a large skillet over medium heat, add oil, garlic, and shallot. Cook until fragrant.
- Add red pepper flakes and tomato paste. Cook for about 2 minutes.
- Add heavy cream, vodka sauce, salt, and pepper. Lower the heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
- Add butter to the sauce and let it melt. Combine the butter with the sauce.
Make Gigi Hadid Pasta
- Add the pasta and the reserved pasta water to the skillet.
- Add Parmesan cheese, and cook on medium heat until the sauce has thickened.
- Remove from heat. Sprinkle with chopped basil, more parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- To Make Gigi Hadid Pasta without Vodka: simply omit the vodka and follow the rest of the instructions.
- If you don’t want to use heavy cream, you can use regular milk. Note that your pasta won’t be as creamy.
- Make sure to cook your pasta until al dente, as you’ll cook it more with the sauce.
- Skip the red pepper flakes for a non-spicy Gigi Hadid pasta.
- Gigi Hadid used shell pasta in the original recipe, but you can use any type you like such as penne or macaroni.
- If you’d like to make it vegan, use soy milk instead of heavy cream. You’ll also need to use vegan butter.
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