In what seemed to be a casual attempt to draw attention away from the rumors that Gigi Hadid was pregnant, the international supermodel took to Instagram to share a story of her cooking pasta.
Although it did not work, and we are still obsessed with her cute baby over a year later, the pasta did receive a lot of attention – and for good reason!
Instagrammers fled to her page to get their hands on the recipe, and Gen Zs have been whipping it up for dinner ever since. The biggest appeal was that it was a vodka-based pasta sauce, which made it cheeky and unique.
What’s great about the pasta, though, is that it can be enjoyed with or without the vodka element, and that came straight from the horse-loving-supermodel’s mouth!
If you are late to the pasta party and missed her original story, we’ve got you covered. We have found Gigi’s spicy vodka pasta recipe and recipes that it has inspired, and put them all together in the article below. Take a look at the internet’s take, and find tonight’s dinner!
Grazia has always kept up-to-date with celebrity gossip, and they managed to get a peek at Gigi’s story before it disappeared. Although the recipe can be made without vodka, Grazia has opted to keep it in for this recipe, and even suggest including more than Gig’s recommended 1 tbsp.
We think that’s a bit stingy, too, Grazia. The more (vodka) the merrier! We decided to use 3 tbsp in our sauce, and it worked a treat. Grazia has used the transcript of the original video to make the recipe.
They have altered Hadid’s recipe slightly, but have also included her original video, in case you want to get the completely authentic version.
This next recipe has been inspired by the celebrities, but chef Kshamaya Daniel has given it a clever Indian take. The recipe is perfect for two servings, so if you and your partner can’t decide between getting an Indian or an Italian for date night, ditch the takeaway order and just make this – it’s the best of both worlds!
The ingredients list is split into three sections: the main bulk, the seasoning, and the garnish. This makes it really easy to make sure you’ve added everything you need to your trolley in the supermarket.
While Gigi incorporated parmesan into the pasta sauce, as well as using it as a topping, this recipe chooses to simply sprinkle some on at the end.
If you are parmesan-fuelled and like to have more cheese than pasta on your plate – as I am and do – you might want to add in some extra parmesan to the sauce, or pick a different recipe. We opted to grate in a big ol’ chunk of parmesan into the sauce, and we had no regrets!
The chef on this website is a big fan of Gigi’s recipe, so has included clear instructions according to the model’s Instagram story.
However, Trisha from saltysidedish.com has been making a similar pasta dish for years, and has included her own version of the pasta, too! At the bottom of the recipe, Trisha has included details of the changes she would make to the recipe, which she thinks would make it even more mouth-watering.
One change that we can totally get behind is her addition of cooked sausage, which made the pasta full of flavor and provided a nice contrast in texture to the al dente pasta! Using diced tomatoes instead of tomato paste made the pasta taste way more sumptuous, too.
We loved that this recipe included step-by-step photos alongside the instructions, which reassured us that we were doing things right!
The recipe on this site ticks all the boxes of Gigi’s own spicy pasta, but has a few alterations. Instead of using an onion, for example, this recipe calls for three shallots. Also, instead of using shell pasta (orecchiette), the chef suggests using regular short-cut pasta.
Although we loved the look of Gigi’s pasta choice, the dish tasted just as delicious with a different kind. This recipe is short and sweet, and has no frills, so that you can focus on getting your pasta dish cooked and on the table in no time.
The next recipe on our list has a comprehensive list of ingredients, upon which Izzy goes into great detail, regarding their benefits and which ones she has decided to substitute.
For example, she has opted to use the same little shell pasta that Gigi used, because she notes how they hold the sauce well – and we agree.
Although we are all here for spicy pasta dishes, this recipe does make the red pepper flakes optional, meaning that you can tailor the heat to your preference. The site has helpful photos that Izzy has taken while cooking the recipe herself, which is a nice touch.
It made us feel like we were cooking the pasta alongside her! Our favorite part of this recipe was the added ‘tips and tricks’ section, which includes helpful pointers to help get your pasta to the next level.
As you can see from the title of this page, this recipe has chosen to exclude the vodka. Although we were at first a little disappointed at the lack of special ingredient, we remembered that Queen Gigi herself cooks the recipe without vodka sometimes, and has said that it is equally as decadent.
Although the vodka would boil off and evaporate during cooking, it might still be comforting to use a recipe without booze, if you prefer not to drink or if you are cooking for your kids!
The maker of this recipe prides themselves on it being a quick and easy recipe, that is still full of delicious flavors. We couldn’t agree more, and can vouch for it being a success among the whole family.
Next up is a recipe that is unrelated to Gigi’s viral video, but which covers the same bases. Using vodka has, believe it or not, been a go-to move for pasta lovers worldwide since well before Gigi shared her recipe. But, we’re glad she brought light to the topic, because it helped us to find gems like this!
At the beginning of the recipe, the chef responsible for it apologizes in advance for how tasty it is, and how much we are going to eat of it.
They weren’t wrong to do that, because we managed to eat four portions between two…The first difference between this recipe and Gigi’s is that it uses rigatoni (thick tubes of pasta) instead of orecchiette.
We loved the extra thickness of the pasta, but if you want the sauce to be the star of the show, you might want to stick to Gigi’s suggestion. Another addition to this recipe that doesn’t feature in Gigi’s is the Calabrian Chili paste.
This ingredient gave spicy pasta a whole new meaning, and combines with the red pepper flakes to give you mouthfuls of pasta that warm your tongue and your heart!
If you’re vegan, you’ve probably been feeling a little left out…until now! Although Gigi’s original recipe is full of cream and parmesan, PlantYou has developed a completely vegan version of the dish. Instead of the heavy cream found in other recipes, this one opts for two plant-based alternatives: coconut milk and almond milk.
Instead of finishing the dish with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese, this pasta is topped with a dusting of nutritional yeast, which supposedly has a cheesy flavor. We didn’t have any yeast ourselves, so we tried the pasta without a topping.
The coconut and almond milk doesn’t have the same consistency as heavy cream, which is why this recipe calls for a bit of cornstarch to thicken it up – and it did the trick!
As a non-vegan, this wouldn’t be my first choice. However, it was a really great alternative and provides some of the same amazing and spicy flavors as the original recipe. What’s even better about it is that it is much healthier than the original, so you can eat more of it!
If you don’t drink or don’t have your cupboards stocked with vodka, and can’t be bothered to get some, this recipe replaces vodka with a healthy helping of chicken stock. This recipe is pretty customizable, so that you can tailor it more to your preferences than Gigi’s original recipe.
You can choose between using shallots, red onions, or white onions, for example, and have the option of adding sugar. Photos of the chef’s process accompany the clear set of instructions, and the end result is to die for.
This recipe was creamy, spicy, and was perfectly complemented by the addition of basil on top at the end. Delicioso!
This super helpful page not only includes Gigi’s recipe, but also has some great tips for ensuring that your pasta goes down a treat. It includes all the same ingredients as Gigi’s, like the heavy cream and chili flakes, and recommends using the shell pasta despite using penne themselves.
The tips for perfecting the recipe are detailed and allow you to make this dish your own. For example, if you cannot use vodka in yours, it provides details on the next best options.
Plus, they’ve discovered that adding ¼ cup extra of pasta water helps the sauce to become thicker and creamier – and it was worth the extra minimal effort! The sauce was noticeably thicker and the extra water didn’t affect the taste at all.
Final Thoughts
We adored this pasta, and could have made all of the recipes twice! In fact, we probably will. If you haven’t yet tried this viral recipe, pick one of the methods and get cooking, because it will likely become a staple dish in your household once you’ve tasted it.
All of these recipes are quick and easy, require minimal ingredients, and provide a flavorful pasta dish with an enticing kick. Whether you opt for the cheeky addition of vodka, or you substitute it with something a little more lowkey, there is a recipe on this list for the whole family.
Thank you, Gigi Hadid, for bringing this masterful creation into the spotlight and reigniting our love for spicy vodka pasta.
