This spicy tomato Bloody Mary pasta is a creative twist on the classic cocktail. A smooth, spicy, quick-to-make tomatoey sauce, perfectly al dente pasta and a dollop of clever, ‘cheat’s’ burrata makes this a very special bowl of comfort, great for weeknights (or after a late night!)
Could this be the ultimate recipe to make after a late night..?
It has all the classic ingredients you’ll see in a Bloody Mary – but in a delicious new form. I’m actually not a fan of a Bloody Mary (I can’t get my head around a savoury cocktail). But take those same ingredients and make them into pasta? I’m a big fan.
It’s basically a spicy tomato pasta sauce, jam-packed with flavour thanks to the Worcestershire sauce and the Tabasco. The vodka gives the sauce an extra spicy kick and enhances the flavour of the tomato. It uses basic cupboard staples, so you shouldn’t have to run out to the store to pick anything up. And to make it a little indulgent and special, I’m pairing it with a quick cheat’s burrata to dollop on top. Serving some fresh no-knead focaccia, garlic butter dinner rolls or soft garlic flatbreads on the side wouldn’t go amiss either!
Ingredients
All the classic ingredients for a Bloody Mary make an appearance here.
- Tomato passata. Also called tomato puree in the US, these super finely sieved tomatoes are perfect for the sauce. Smooth and silky, and it doesn’t need to be cooked down to thicken up.
- Pasta. I’m using spaghetti here, but you can really use any dried pasta you like.
- Vodka. You could use gin if you like – or leave it out for an alcohol-free version.
- Worcestershire sauce. This savoury powerhouse is PACKED with flavour but it is made from anchovies, so if you’re vegetarian or vegan, look for an alternative, or you could use tamari for a similar flavour profile.
- Tabasco. This is a fiery hot sauce – if you don’t have it, you could use any other hot sauce.
I also love to dollop on little bits of creamy burrata on top of this pasta – it melts into the sauce as you eat it and provides a gorgeous, rich creaminess to the pasta. But, it can be hard to find in the store. So below, I’ll show you my favourite trick below to make cheat’s burrata, using just a ball of mozzarella, cream and a little salt!
How to make cheat’s burrata
This technique is a dangerous revelation. Burrata can be tricky to find, but you can make a very delicious, ‘cheat’s’ version using just three ingredients that are much easier to find. We’re basically making the inside of burrata here – stracciatella cheese. That’s just a mix of cream and mozzarella:
- Chop your mozzarella ball into rough chunks.
- Pop it into a bowl, then pour over about 3/4 cup of cream (or enough to just cover your mozzarella) and scatter with 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
- Mix the cream through the mozzarella, then let it sit for about 30 minutes to soak.
- Then it’s ready to use! You can keep any leftovers in the fridge for 5 days.
How to make the pasta
Finely dice your celery, onion and garlic, then heat your olive oil in a high-sided pan and cook for a couple of minutes, until softened.
Add your passata, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, vodka and black pepper, stir, and bring the sauce to a simmer for about 5 minutes until thickened.
PRO TIP: To get super finely diced garlic, onion and celery, use a food processor or chopper. It’s so much faster!
While the sauce is simmering, cook your pasta until al dente (check your packet – normally about 8 minutes). Transfer the pasta straight from the pot into the pan with your sauce, along with about 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water. The pasta water will help the sauce thicken up and become lovely and glossy, so make sure you add it!
Scatter parmesan all over, toss to mix it through the sauce and then divide between plates, dollop with the cheat’s burrata and the basil, then devour.
Got a question?
Most pasta is best eaten right away because the pasta will continue to absorb the sauce as it sits and it can change the texture. But you can reheat it if you like – I find the best way is to add a splash of water when you do, to make up for any sauce that’s been absorbed by the pasta. Reheat it in the microwave, or gently on the stove top. You can also make the sauce ahead of time (it will keep well for 5 days in the fridge), then cook the pasta and combine the two when you’re ready.
In keeping with the ingredients of a Bloody Mary, vodka is what I recommend here, but, you can use another clear spirit like gin if you like. You can also leave it out completely (or use an alcohol-free vodka) if you like.
You can really use whatever you have to hand. Long shapes like spaghetti, fettuccine or linguine work well with this sauce, but a short shape like rigatoni or penne would be great too.
Watch how to make it
Like this recipe? Here are more quick pasta ideas you might enjoy
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! You can leave me a comment below.
Print
Bloody Mary Pasta with Cheat’s Burrata
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This spicy tomato Bloody Mary pasta is a creative twist on the classic cocktail. A smooth, spicy, quick-to-make tomatoey sauce, perfectly al dente pasta and a dollop of clever, ‘cheat’s’ burrata makes this a very special bowl of comfort, great for weeknights (or after a late night!)
Ingredients
For the Bloody Mary pasta –
- 1 onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 celery stalks
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 500g/1lb tomato passata (puree in the US)
- ¼ cup vodka
- 350g/12oz spaghetti
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
For the cheat’s burrata (optional) –
- 1 ball of mozzarella (approximately 125g/4.5oz)
- 3/4 cup cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Make the cheat’s burrata (optional). Chop your mozzarella ball finely, then place it in a small bowl and pour over the cream and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Mix well, then set aside to soak.
- Prepare your veggies. Finely dice the onion, garlic and celery stalks – I love to use a food chopper for this, it makes it super speedy to get a very fine dice.
- Cook your pasta. Get a large pot of water over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of salt and bring it to a boil. Add your pasta and cook until al dente (cooked, with a little bite to it). Your packet will tell you how long to cook it for – usually about 8 – 10 minutes.
- Make the sauce. Add your olive oil to a large, high-sided skillet and set it over medium heat. Add the diced onion, garlic and celery and ½ teaspoon of salt, then stir as it cooks and softens for a few minutes. Pour in the tomato passata, 1 teaspoon of Tabasco sauce, 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 cup of vodka and stir well. Bring the sauce to a simmer as the pasta cooks.
- Combine the sauce with the pasta. When your pasta is cooked, transfer it straight from the pot into the pan with the sauce, along with about 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water (this will make the sauce super glossy). Give everything a good toss with tongs or a spatula, then scatter over half the grated parmesan. Toss again until all the pasta is well coated and the sauce is looking glossy. Divide the between plates and top with the fresh basil, more grated parmesan and a few dollops of the cheat’s burrata, then dig in.
Notes
INGREDIENT NOTES: Use any pasta shape you like here! Remember that Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies, so use soy sauce or Tamari for a vegetarian version.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Swap the vodka for gin, or use an alcohol-free vodka (or leave it out entirely). If you don’t have Tabasco, you could use any other hot sauce (sriracha would work well). You could use tinned crushed or plum tomatoes in place of the passata, but you’ll need to simmer the sauce for a bit longer so that the tomatoes can break down in the pan.
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: Like most pasta, this one is best eaten right away, but you can reheat it if you like – I find the best way is to add a splash of water when you do, to make up for any sauce that’s been absorbed by the pasta. Reheat it in the microwave, or gently on the stovetop. You can also make the sauce ahead of time (it will keep well for 5 days in the fridge), then cook the pasta and combine the two when you’re ready.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: pasta
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
Keywords: tomato pasta
0 Comments