Gigi Hadid Pasta (vegan version)

Early 2020 the Gigi Hadid pasta recipe went viral. This recipe (with or without vodka), with modifications to make it vegan, is Gigi’s original recipe she shared on Instagram as spicy vodka pasta. This pasta recipe is spicy, creamy, satiating, and ready in 20 minutes.

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The vegan version of this viral recipe is still very much worth sharing. This vegan version is the spicy vodka pasta recipe shared by Gigi Hadid in her Instagram stories made vegan.

This pasta recipe is ultra-creamy and restaurant quality. If this recipe is a bit too creamy for you, a few modifications are listed below. The exact recipe is with vodka, but I will also give you some options if you would like to skip the vodka in this recipe. 

This recipe is for a family/gathering of four, but in the recipe card, you can modify it for smaller portions. Gigi shared her recipe for two pasta bowls.

WHAT IS GIGI HADID SPICY VODKA PASTA RECIPE?

Gigi Hadid is a model, and in 2020, she shared a recipe that went viral. Ever since her pasta recipe was created and shared countless times across the world.

This viral pasta recipe with cream, tomato paste, basil, Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, and a bit of vodka lives up to the hype. This recipe was a big hype when Gigi shared it, a bit like Chrissy Teigen’s Tomato Basil Soup that I shared in 2014. 

You will have to bookmark this recipe because:

  • All ingredients are simple.
  • The recipe is restaurant-quality.
  • This vodka pasta is easy to make.
  • Super creamy and spicy.
  • Modified to make it vegan.
  • Substitutions are easy to make.
  • It’s a satiating bowl of pasta.

Closeup of orange colored shell pasta sprinkled with chopped basil on the right side.

HOW TO MAKE GIGI HADID PASTA RECIPE VEGAN?

Luckily these days, almost all recipes are easy to veganize, and this recipe is no exception. The only trickier substitution is heavy cream. Usually, for extra full-fat creamy recipes, the most common substitution would be full-fat coconut cream. However, for this recipe, coconut cream was a bit too sweet, it’s a good option, but a better option is a neutral soy-based cream.

All the other ingredients are easy to substitute, such as vegan Parmesan cheese and vegan butter. 

Vodka (contrary to other alcoholic beverages, such as wine) is vegan. Nevertheless, it might be worth double-checking. Some drinks are not vegan because of the filtering process before bottling. Some companies may use isinglass, gelatine, egg whites, or other animal products.

INGREDIENTS

For this bowl, you need a few simple ingredients. The main ingredients are the ones that add creaminess, richness, heat, and flavor to the recipe.

To make the best spicy vodka pasta recipe try to look for the best brand you can find for the vegan Parmesan cheese and vegan butter. Using fresh basil and good quality olive oil is also a good idea. 

Gigi used pasta shells (conchiglie) for this paste recipe, and I think it’s a perfect option for this recipe. Every shell holds a bit of the creamy sauce.

For the vodka, I wouldn’t worry too much about the quality as this recipe only calls for a little bit of it to add acidity. 

All the ingredients for Gigi Hadid pasta on a white backdrop in several small and medium sized bowls with the name of the ingredients in bold next to the bowls.

HOW TO MAKE GIGI HADID PASTA RECIPE- STEP BY STEP WITH PHOTOS

If you have all ingredients ready and one pot, this recipe is ready to be served in 20 minutes. The step-by-step photos and video below will give you instructions on how to make this pasta, but the full recipe and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

Step 1.
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions and reserve ½ to 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.

A large white pot with water and shell pasta on a little stove and a hand with a cooking measuring cup scooping out pasta water.


Step 2.
While the pasta is cooking, chop the onion and mince the garlic. Heat up the olive oil in a pot over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Gently sauté and stir occasionally, so the garlic doesn’t burn.

A large white pot with bright yellow olive oil and chopped red onion simmering on a little stove with a napkin next to it.

Step 3.
Add the tomato paste and let it heat for a few minutes while stirring to combine with the olive oil. The color will become dark red.

A large white pot with dark red tomato puree in it with olive oil and chopped red onion simmering on a little stove with a napkin next to it.


Step 4.
If you use vodka in this recipe, add it to the pot. Let heat up for a few minutes.

Step 5.
Add the cream and red pepper flakes and stir to combine.

Step 6.
When the pasta is done, add cooked paste, pasta water, and butter to the pot and stir to combine so all paste shells are coated in the sauce.

Step 7.
Add Parmesan cheese to the pot and stir to combine, allowing all the cheese to melt.

A large white pot with orange colored shell pasta in it topped with shredded Parmesan cheese on a little stove with a napkin next to it.

Step 8.
Finally, add salt and pepper to taste with freshly chopped basil.

Step 9.
Stir again so all the pasta is coated, and serve warm.

SUBSTITUTIONS AND MODIFICATIONS

This recipe is the same as Gigi Hadid shared on her Instagram. Only some ingredients are substituted for the vegan version. However, the original recipe leaves some room for modifications and substitutions.

Cream
I substituted the heavy cream for a vegan soy-based cream. If you don’t mind a bit of extra sweetness and a richer cream (just like the original recipe), use full-fat coconut cream or – coconut milk instead.

Olive oil
You can substitute the olive oil for coconut oil, but in general, the amount of oil in this recipe is quite substantial so any substitutions will be noticeable.

Too rich/unhealthy
This paste recipe will be spot on for some and a bit too heavy for others. If the latter is the case, you can:

  • Omit the butter and dilute the vegan cream with a bit of soy milk (a ratio of 1:1 is good). If you omit the cream altogether, the sauce will not be creamy and will be too watery.
  • The amount of olive oil can be reduced. The result will still be a super creamy and rich pasta. Instead of ¼ cup, use 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil.

Vodka
The quality of vodka will not make or break this recipe. The recipe is delicious without vodka as well. You can omit or substitute it for a bit of acidity, such as a splash of lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, apple juice, or grape juice.

Pasta
Which pasta you use for this recipe doesn’t matter. However, the pasta shells in this recipe are a good match with the creaminess. If you want to make this recipe gluten-free or whole wheat, you can use any gluten-free or whole wheat pasta for this recipe.

Red onion
If red onion is not your thing or you don’t have it on hand, feel free to use white or yellow onion instead.

Red pepper flakes
This recipe is moderately spicy, but feel free to adjust the amount of red pepper flakes in this recipe.

Orange colored shell pasta in a bowl on a white backdrop next to a beige colored napkin and a part of another bowl with pasta visible in the up left corner.

FINAL TIPS

Pasta water
Don’t forget to reserve a bit of the pasta water before you drain the pasta. If you forget to reserve the pasta water (I did in the video!), replace it with a cornstarch and water mixture. It will create the same thickening in this recipe.

Too watery or too thick
If the sauce is too thick, add some water (pasta water). If the sauce is too watery, add more cream. The consistency of the sauce is noticeable once you mix it with the cooked pasta.

Keep for later
Any leftover pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about 2-3 days. To reheat, add a bit of liquid (such as soy milk) to the leftovers and heat on the stove or in the microwave until thoroughly heated. Stir well before serving.

If you can, store the sauce and pasta separately. If you store the sauce separately, you can keep it for about 5 days.

Orange colored shell pasta in a bowl with a golden utensil topped with chopped basil and small basil leaves on a white backdrop next to a beige colored napkin and a part of another bowl with pasta visible in the up left corner.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can you make this recipe without vodka?
Yes, and it will still taste delicious.

Is it possible to omit the butter and cream in this recipe?
You can omit the butter, but the cream is tricky as it creates a rich and creamy sauce. The recipe will be too watery if you skip the cream and replace it with water and milk. See the above ”Substitutions and modifications” to make the cream slightly lighter.

With what do you serve this spicy vodka pasta?
This recipe is delicious but rich. A salad would make a good side dish with the spiciness and creaminess. You can also serve it with baked tempeh or serve it with a good amount of freshly chopped herbs (my favorite).

If you are also hopping on the bandwagon and make this recipe, let me know by giving it a star rating. Or tag your creation on Instagram @thegreencreator.

Orange colored shell pasta in a bowl sprinkled with chopped basil and a few small basil leaves with the text GIGI HADID PASTA on top and VEGAN VERSION on the bottom of the bowl.
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Orange colored shell pasta in a bowl with a gold fork in it and sprinkled with chopped basil and a few small basil leaves.

Gigi Hadid Pasta (vegan version)

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  • Author: Gigi Hadid
  • Total Time: 20
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: lunch, dinner
  • Method: stovetop
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

Early 2020 the Gigi Hadid pasta recipe went viral. This recipe with modifications to make it vegan is spicy, creamy, satiating, and ready in 20 minutes. 


Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups (450 grams) pasta shells/conchiglie + ½ to 1 cup starchy liquid (pasta water)
  • ½ cup (90 ml) olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small red onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup (140 grams) tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp vodka (optional or substitute, see notes)
  • 1 cup (235 ml) vegan cream (soy-based)
  • 2 tbsp vegan butter
  • 2 tsp red pepper flakes (use more or less to taste)
  • 1/2 cup (60 grams) vegan Parmesan cheese
  • sea salt and pepper, to taste
  • chopped basil to taste

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package instructions. When the pasta is done cooking, before draining the pasta, reserve ½ to 1 cup of the pasta water for later.

If you forgot this step, mix cornstarch and water (ratio 1:1) and set that aside for later.

Chop the red onion and mince the garlic. To a pot, add the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion when the oil is warm. Let simmer for a few minutes, then add garlic and let simmer for a few more minutes. Stir, so the garlic doesn’t burn and become bitter.

Add tomato paste and let simmer for a few more minutes while stirring.

Add vodka (if using) and let the vodka heat up for a minute so the alcohol can evaporate. In the recipe notes, you can find substitutions for vodka or omit the vodka.

Next, add the vegan cream and red pepper flakes. Stir and let simmer for a few minutes. The key is to keep stirring so the sauce doesn’t burn and can thicken.

When the pasta is ready (don’t forget to reserve the pasta water), add the pasta to the sauce with the butter and half a cup of pasta water. Again, stir to combine. The butter should be melted, and the pasta should be coated in the sauce.

If the sauce is too thick, add some water (pasta water). If the sauce is too watery, add more cream. The sauce’s consistency is noticeable once you mix it with the cooked pasta.

Add vegan Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the basil and serve immediately.

Serve with fresh basil (or vegan cheese if you wish).


Notes

Vodka
The vodka can be omitted or substituted by equal parts of lemon juice, apple juice, apple cider vinegar, or grape juice. Vodka adds a bit of an acidic hint.

Less oil
This recipe is also delicious with less olive oil. For a reduced amount of olive oil, use 2-3 tablespoons.

Vegan cream
To substitute the heavy cream, use a soy-based vegan cream in this recipe, such as this one.

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