Vodka sauce Vodka sauce Vodka sauce is an American cuisine sauce made from a smooth tomato sauce, vodka, typical Italian herbs and heavy cream, which gives the sauce its distinctive orange coloration. It gained popularity in the 1970s, when a variation won a national recipe contest in Italy, although it may well have been a sauce before its popularization in the 1970s. It is a key ingredient in penne alla vodka. The vodka's function is, ostensibly, to release flavors in the tomato that are normally inaccessible; using alcoholic beverages for this purpose is common in Italian cooking, although usually accomplished with wine.
Bolognese sauce and the sauce may be laid on top of the spaghetti (rather than being mixed in, in the Italian manner) or even served separately from it (leaving diners to mix it in themselves). It is often served with grated parmesan on top, but local cheeses, such as grated cheddar are also often used. The sauce is commonly referred to as "Bolognese sauce" or just "spaghetti sauce", but is actually closer to a Southern or Central Italian style of pasta dish, as true Bolognese sauce is generally served in Italy with tagliatelle ribbons, and not with spaghetti. Although so-called "spaghetti bolognese"