Gigi Hadid Pasta Recipe (with and without vodka)

Name: Gigi Hadid Pasta Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 lb shell pasta + 1 cup starchy cooking liquid; 1/2 cup olive oil; 1 small red onion, diced (about 1 cup) (1 shallot, white or yellow onion work, too!); 2 cloves garlic, minced (the best garlic chopper!); 1/2 cup tomato paste; 2 tbsp vodka (See Note 1 for substitutions); 1 cup heavy cream; 2 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste); 2 tbsp butter; 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese + more to taste; sea salt and pepper, to taste; chopped basil, to taste

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In 2020, this Gigi Hadid Pasta Recipe went viral, and blew up Instagram and TikTok! Does it live up to the hype?! Absolutely! This creamy, spicy vodka sauce is restaurant-quality and such a cinch to make! I’ll give you Gigi’s exact recipe from Instagram and show you how to make this spicy pasta with and without vodka!

A large pan with Gigi Hadid Spicy Vodka pasta with a wooden spoon.

This is the exact recipe Gigi Hadid used in her spicy vodka pasta recipe that went viral on her Instagram story back in 2020! I just doubled it so I could use a a whole box of pasta 🙂

I believe Gigi was pregnant at the time she made this viral video, so she left the vodka out of hers, but noted where to add it in her instructions.

When this recipe went viral, my teenage daughter hopped right aboard the bandwagon and she STILL makes this dish at least once a month for us! In fact, she is the one who taught me how to make it!

In this recipe, I will show you how to make Gigi’s spicy vodka pasta recipe with and without vodka! Both are DELISH!

Not all viral recipes live up to the hype, but Gigi’s pasta sure does, along with Emily Mariko’s Salmon and Rice Bowl and Hailey Bieber’s Pizza Toast! If you haven’t tried those yet, whatcha waiting for?!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

Restaurant-quality vodka pasta that’s super easy to make!
Creamy, rich, spicy bowl of amazingness!
A viral recipe trend that actually lives up to the hype!
Uses simple ingredients to create a dish that is truly special!

WHAT IS GIGI HADID PASTA?

Gigi Hadid is a supermodel who happened to share a video from her kitchen that went viral in early 2020 (see her original Instagram Story here). Since then, it’s been on repeat in homes across the country and inspiring all sorts of non-cooking types to get in the kitchen!

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this amazing spicy vodka pasta recipe:

Ingredients needed to make Gigi Hadid pasta recipe.

INGREDIENT NOTES

Pasta: I personally think Gigi’s choice of shells for this pasta was spot on! They capture the sauce sooo nicely! But you can easily make this into “penne alla vodka” and use penne pasta. ANY pasta works, to be perfectly honest–the sauce is SO GOOD!

Vodka: Any brand of vodka will work just fine. If you don’t have vodka on hand, you can use one of the substitutes I list below or omit it all together. The sauce is wonderful without it, too.

In fact, Gigi’s original pasta on her Instagram story did not contain vodka (she left it out because she was secretly preggo!).

Onion: Gigi used red onion in her pasta, but mentions you can also use a shallot. White or yellow onion is just fine, too!

HOW TO MAKE GIGI HADID SPICY PASTA: STEP BY STEP

Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with exact ingredients will be in the recipe card below!

Step 1: Cook your pasta according to package instructions. ((Reserve about one cup of the pasta water before draining)). While pasta is cooking, sauté your onions and garlic in olive oil over medium heat.

Onions and garlic cooking in olive oil in a large pan.

Step 2: Add tomato paste and cook a few minutes until tomato paste darkens a bit in color.

Onions, garlic and tomato paste cooking in a pan with a wooden spoon.

Step 3: Add vodka and cook for a minute or so until alcohol has a chance to burn off. Then, add in heavy cream and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper.

Spicy vodka pasta sauce sprinkled with red pepper flakes.

Step 4: Add pasta, reserved pasta water and butter. Stir until all the pasta is nicely coated.

Vodka pasta with butter and sauce in a large pan.

Step 5: Add Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Sprinkle with basil and serve immediately.

The last step in making Gigi Hadid Spicy Vodka Pasta. The pasta is sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS

Be sure to reserve about a cup of your pasta cooking liquid for this dish. It’s easy to forget! (been there, done that)
If the sauce seems too thick after you add the pasta, add a bit more pasta water. This is why I always like to have at least one cup on hand, even if the recipe only calls for 1/2 cup.

STORAGE & REHEATING

Storage: Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat leftovers in a pan over medium-low heat with a splash of cream or milk, just to loosen up the sauce a bit. Stir until heated through.

A pan of Gigi Hadid Vodka Pasta with a wooden spoon.

SUBSTITUTIONS FOR VODKA IN VODKA PASTA

There are two easy options to substitute vodka in “vodka” pasta:

Omit the vodka completely. Vodka gives the dish a slight acidic note that is delish, but to be honest, if you leave it out, the dish is just as amazing!
Equal Parts lime or lemon juice + apple or grape juice: Vodka just adds a bit of acid to this dish that is subtle but delish! You can recreate that “acid” with equal parts of lemon or lime juice mixed with apple or grape juice.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is Gigi Hadid’s vodka pasta worth the hype?

100%!! This pasta is restaurant-quality and can be made so easily! It’s creamy, rich and uses easy to find, basic ingredients.

Can you make this vodka sauce with milk?

The heavy cream really works to thicken the sauce and make it rich and delicious. Milk dilutes the sauce a little too much. Half and half is a better option if you don’t want to use heavy cream.

What type of pasta does Gigi Hadid use in her recipe?

Gigi’s recipe on her Instagram uses regular shell pasta….which I think it PERFECT because the sauce fills up those shells and makes such an amazing bite! (I can literally taste it RIGHT NOW)

Penne alla Vodka is pretty much the exact same method and recipe, just using penne pasta. But ANY pasta works –orecchiette, spaghetti, bow ties, rotini…they all work great!

To be honest, you could put this sauce over a piece of wood and I’d eat it.

How can you make Gigi Hadid’s pasta recipe a little more healthy?

No sugarcoating it, here. This pasta dish isn’t the healthiest meal on the planet. However, there are a few easy ways you can make it a bit healthier:

1) Reduce the olive oil to 1-2 tablespoons.
2) Omit the butter.
3) Replace the heavy cream with half and half.
4) Use whole wheat pasta (not my choice, but do as you wish!)

What can I add to Gigi Hadid’s pasta recipe?

Adding grilled chicken or shrimp would be excellent to add some protein to this dish!

What do you serve with this spicy vodka pasta?

Since this pasta dish is on the heavier side, I love serving this light, crisp arugula salad on the side. This classic tossed salad is great, too! And don’t forget the garlic bread! 🙂

Close up of the pasta shells from Gigi Hadid Pasta recipe.

OTHER VIRAL RECIPES THAT YOU’LL LOVE

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4.56 from 43 votes