When most think of Gigi Hadid, they think of her as one of the most famous supermodels in the world. However, due to recent social media trends over quarantine, many are now thinking of Hadid when penne alla vodka is mentioned. For those unaware of this trend, in May, Hadid shared her recipe for making penne alla vodka. It can seem strange that people would associate a supermodel with a food recipe, but after sharing the recipe on her Instagram story, many are making this dish and sharing amazing reviews.

TikTok user @myrnanassar posted a video in which she made Hadid’s recipe. The video received over 19 million views and 2.4 million likes. This was one of the first videos of this recipe that myself and others had seen, and since it looked so incredibly delicious, I, along with other viewers, decided to make it. I was very surprised that the dish itself is not complicated to make. The recipe provided by Hadid is thorough and is demonstrated effectively on her Instagram, so it is easy to mimic her example.

Since viewing the video, I have made the recipe three times, and each time I made it, it turned out better than the last. The sauce is creamy and extremely flavorful if the process is correctly executed, and it can be easily paired with any pasta. Since I made it on three different occasions, I have been able to make it for my immediate and extended family, and the recipe is truly a fan favorite, even to my Italian relatives. Sophomore Erin Hynes also made the dish, and she felt similarly, commenting: “I loved this recipe! Even though the steps are so simple, something about this dish makes it seem so complex, yet delicious. One thing I did differently though, was adding grilled chicken, and that definitely gave it some extra flavor!”

If you have not tried this recipe, I really suggest you do. It is a great way to impress your family and friends while also eating a delicious meal.

What You’ll Need: (2 Servings)

¼ Cup Olive Oil

1 Clove of Garlic (Diced or you may use for flavor and then remove)

¼ Diced Onion

¼ Cup of Tomato Paste

½ Cup of Heavy Cream

1 Tablespoon of Vodka (optional, if using ask a parents permission)

1 tsp or More of Red-Hot Pepper Flakes (optional)

Salt & Pepper

Pasta of your choice

Parmesan Cheese

Steps: (From @Gigihadid on Instagram)

Get a large saucepan, heat the olive oil to a sizzle then add in the ¼ diced onion and the clove of garlic. Cook until onions are golden brown/transparent.

Add the ¼ cup of tomato paste. Cook until it is a little dark/caramelized.

Add 1 tablespoon of Vodka (optional) and cook until it is almost evaporated.

Add ½ cup of heavy cream. At this time, you can also add a tablespoon or more of red pepper flakes depending on how spicy you want the sauce to be.

Stir until all ingredients thus forth are combined. After that, season with salt and pepper.

Begin cooking your pasta (about a pound unless you have a bigger serving size). You can also do this step simultaneously will cooking the sauce.

Once the pasta is all cooked, add the pasta and ¼ cup of the pasta water to the sauce (still in the saucepan). After that add in 1 tablespoon butter.

Add ¼ cup of parmesan cheese and stir. Remember to taste the sauce to see if you need to add more of certain ingredients such as red pepper flakes or pepper.

Serve the dish with basil, extra red pepper flakes, or extra parmesan cheese on top!