Bruschetta Rigatoni alla Vodka – Budget Bytes

If you love bruschetta and vodka sauce, you NEED to make this Bruschetta Rigatoni alla Vodka recipe. It’s a comforting, restaurant-quality dinner recipe that feels both fancy and unfussy. Creamy tomato vodka sauce swirls together with fresh tomatoes, ground chicken, garbanzo beans, spinach, and tender rigatoni to make a budget-friendly meal that comes together in one pan. I made mine using ingredients straight from my Hungryroot box (the tomato-basil-garlic ground chicken is unreal), and it’s perfect for busy weeknights or stocking the fridge for easy lunches all week long.

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Easy Recipe for Bruschetta Rigatoni alla Vodka

I love a good pasta and vodka sauce recipe, so as soon as I saw this one from Hungryroot, I knew I had to give it a go (and give it a Budget Bytes twist, of course). To keep things easy, I turned it into a one-pot meal by cooking the pasta right in the sauce with a bit of added water. I also leaned on shelf-stable, pantry-friendly ingredients like garbanzo beans from my Hungryroot box, which helped stretch this dish further while keeping costs down.

But what I like most about my Hungryroot subscription is how it actually makes it super easy to cook wholesome meals without the stress. They send full-sized groceries (plus snacks and breakfast options), and the more I add to my order, the more I save (how many grocery stores can say the same?!) It all started with a quick quiz, and then Hungryroot suggested personalized recommendations based on me and my family. Over time, it’s learned more about what I like and what I actually use, so I waste less, save more, and have way fewer “what’s for dinner?” moments. Yay!

PS: If you want to give Hungryroot a try, we have a great discount for you! Click this link to get 40% off your first box PLUS a free gift. Thanks Hungryroot!

Bruschetta Rigatoni alla Vodka

This one-pan Bruschetta Rigatoni alla Vodka combines veggies, ground chicken, a creamy vodka sauce, and rigatoni. A restaurant quality meal on a budget!Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 16 oz ground tomato, basil, and garlic chicken
• 2 beefsteak tomatoes, chopped
• 1 onion, small dice
• 2 ½ cups vodka sauce
• 16 oz uncooked rigatoni pasta
• 1.5-2 cups water
• 10 oz fresh spinach
• 13.4 oz organic garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes

• Gather and prepare all ingredients.

• Heat the oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the ground chicken, break it into small pieces, and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until cooked. Then, remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

• Add the diced tomatoes and onion and cook for 5 minutes, gently scraping the bottom of the pan.

• Add the vodka sauce, uncooked pasta, and 1.5 cups of water to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring periodically.

• Add the chicken, spinach, garbanzo beans, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Continue to cook for 8-10 minutes while covered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is done. If the pasta is not fully cooked, add the last ½ cup of water and continue cooking until the pasta is done.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

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Serving: 1servingCalories: 488kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 24gFat: 15gSodium: 628mgFiber: 9g

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nutrition disclaimer here.

how to make Bruschetta Rigatoni alla Vodka step-by-step photos

Gather all of your ingredients.

Cook the ground chicken: Set a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp vegetable oil, and once heated, add 16 oz ground tomato, basil, and garlic chicken to the pan. Break it into small pieces and sauté in the hot oil for 4-5 minutes until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside for now.

Sauté the veggies: Add 2 diced beefsteak tomatoes and 1 diced onion to the same pan you cooked the chicken in. Cook for 5 minutes while gently scraping the bottom of the pan to pick up any stuck-on-ground chicken (which will add even more flavor!).

Add the pasta and sauce: Once you’ve sauteed the tomatoes and onion for 1 minute, add 2.5 cups vodka sauce, 16 oz uncooked rigatoni pasta, and 1.5 cups of water. Bring the pot to a simmer and cover with a lid. Let the pasta and sauce simmer for 10 minutes, stirring periodically.

Add the remaining ingredients: Now, return the cooked ground chicken to the skillet along with 10 oz fresh spinach, 13.4 oz organic garbanzo beans, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper, and ¼ tsp red pepper flakes. Cook while covered for a further 8-10 minutes until the pasta is done. Be sure to stir the pasta occasionally. If you find that your pasta isn’t fully cooked at this point, add the last ½ cup of water and keep cooking until the pasta is finished.

Serve: Plate up your homemade bruschetta rigatoni alla vodka, and enjoy!

I’m 100% ordering these ingredients again in my next Hungryroot box…this pasta is too good NOT to! 😉

Serving Suggestions

If you ordered some shredded sharp cheddar cheese in your Hungryroot box, sprinkle some over each bowl for an extra tasty finish. I love serving this with a slice of garlic bread for dipping, but you could even add a piece of fresh bruschetta on the side if you’re craving more of that tomato-basil flavor!

Storage & Reheating

Let your rigatoni alla vodka with chicken cool completely before storing. It’ll keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, just pop it in the microwave or warm it gently on the stove with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. The pasta will soak up some of the sauce as it sits and may get a bit softer during storage, but it’ll still taste amazing. I usually don’t recommend freezing pasta dishes like this since the noodles can turn mushy when thawed (but you can try if you don’t mind the texture change!)