Grown-Up SpaghettiOs with Vodka Sauce and Turkey Meatballs
These SpaghettiO’s are made in a creamy vodka sauce and served with turkey meatballs – all things I would have balked at as a child.
Ingredients
- 16 oz annelli pasta round pasta
- 12 precooked turkey meatballs
- ¼ cup green bell peppers diced
- ¼ cup onion diced
- 2 tablespoons garlic minced
- 1 ½ cup tomatoes diced (fresh or canned)
- 1 cup vodka
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 8 oz heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
- fresh basil for topping
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- While the pasta boils, cook the turkey meatballs according to the instructions on the package or make homemade turkey meatballs the day before.
- Using the Bialetti pasta pot or similar stovetop pot, cook the Annelli pasta according to the package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water when straining. Set cooked pasta aside.
- Melt the butter over medium high heat until it is browned and frothy. Add the onions and saute for 2-3 minutes until tender. Then add the peppers and saute for another 2-3 minutes, until the onions are caramelizing and the peppers are softened.
- Add in the minced garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Then add in the diced tomatoes. Simmer until most of the moisture from the tomatoes has evaporated, about 3-5 minutes.
- Pour in the vodka. Let simmer for another 2-3 minutes, until the alcohol has cooked off. Then pour in the tomato sauce and reserved pasta water and stir until it is well combined. Bring to a rolling simmer and cover with the lid.
- Simmer with the lid on for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. For a smoother pasta sauce, use a handheld immersion blender to blend the sauce until it is smooth. For a chunky sauce, do not blend the sauce.
- Pour in the heavy cream and turn the heat to medium low. Stir in the cooked noodles until covered then stir in the cooked turkey meatballs. Cook until the meatballs are warmed through. Serve with a chunk of garlic bread and enjoy!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!