Ingredients (~4 servings)
- 1 lb mild Italian sausage (bulk or casings removed)
- 2 large yellow onions, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 1/2 cup tomato paste (double concentrated preferred)
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 lb orzo pasta (dry)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chili crisp or chili oil (plus more for serving)
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Small handful fresh basil leaves
- Olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Brown the Sausage
Heat a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat with a splash of olive oil. Add the sausage meat.
Break it up with a wooden spoon into small, bite-sized crumbles. Fry for ~6-8 minutes until it is deeply browned and crispy. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
Caramelize the Onions
Add the diced onions to the hot fat (add more olive oil if the pan is dry). Lower the heat to medium.
Cook the onions slowly for ~20 minutes. You want them to turn completely soft, sweet, and golden brown. If you rush this, they will be crunchy and sharp, which ruins the creamy texture.
Stir in the garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the paste turns a dark brick red and starts to stick to the bottom of the pan.
Deglaze and Simmer
Pour in the vodka. Scrape the bottom of the pan vigorously to lift up all the fond (browned bits). Let the vodka bubble and reduce by half, which takes about 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the heavy cream, chili crisp, and the cooked sausage. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Cook the Orzo and Combine
While the sauce simmers, cook the orzo in a pot of salted boiling water for ~7 minutes (or until al dente).
Drain the orzo, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
Dump the cooked orzo directly into the creamy sauce. Stir to combine. Add the pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce is loose and glossy; the orzo will drink up the liquid quickly, so you want it wetter than you think.
Finish and Serve
Turn off the heat. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper.
Serve in bowls topped with torn fresh basil and an extra drizzle of chili oil.
Sausage Vodka Orzo
Ingredients
Ingredients (~4 servings)
- 1 lb mild Italian sausage bulk or casings removed
- 2 large yellow onions finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 1/2 cup tomato paste double concentrated preferred
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 lb orzo pasta dry
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chili crisp or chili oil plus more for serving
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Small handful fresh basil leaves
- Olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Brown sausage in olive oil over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes until crispy. Remove from pan, leaving fat behind.
- Add onions to pan. Cook slowly for 20 minutes until golden brown. Add garlic and tomato paste, stirring for 5 minutes.
- Pour in vodka, scrape pan bottom. Reduce by half in 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in cream, chili crisp, and cooked sausage. Simmer gently.
- Cook orzo in salted water for 7 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water.
- Add orzo to sauce. Stir and add pasta water until sauce is glossy.
- Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve with torn basil and extra chili oil.
