10 Creative Ways to Add Bourbon to Your Pasta Dishes

As a recipe developer and mixologist, I’m always looking for ways to incorporate some of my favorite boozy ingredients into some of my favorite foods. And while at first glance, bourbon and pasta may not seem like an ideal pairing, combining them can make some mighty tasty dishes. 

The trick is in finding good cooking methods and the right combination of flavors to make each of the ingredients sing. It’s easier to do than you might think. So, if you’re like me, and you love both pasta and bourbon, why not marry them into a savory dish that lets both ingredients shine? From adding it to browned butter pasta to whipping up a delicious bourbon-scented Bolognese, get ready to boil some noodles and bust out the bourbon for these bourbon and pasta dish ideas that are a match made in heaven.

I’m a huge risotto fan. I love how creamy and warming it is. One of my favorite risotto swaps is replacing the arborio rice with orzo, a rice-shaped pasta that will swap out at a 1:1 ratio in any risotto recipe. The orzo acts almost exactly like rice in the recipe, and the slow addition of broth and constant stirring activate the starches in the orzo just like they would in rice. That’s ingredient swap #1.

Ingredient swap #2 involves replacing another traditional risotto ingredient — white wine — with the same amount of bourbon. You’ll do this after toasting the orzo in the oil with the onions and before you begin adding broth. To keep the bourbon from flaming in the hot pan, turn off any open flame and add the bourbon to the pot before turning the heat back on. Just like you would with white wine, add it to the toasted rice and aromatics and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until all the liquid is absorbed. Then, continue adding broth just like you would in any risotto recipe. Flavors that go well with bourbon in an orzo include mushrooms, bacon, kale, ham, spinach, and peas.

Bourbon tastes amazing in creamy sauces, and its slightly spicy, rich flavor makes it the perfect partner for a Cajun shrimp pasta. Many Cajun shrimp pasta recipes call for white wine, and once again, bourbon makes the perfect substitute because it stands up beautifully to spicy flavors like andouille, bell peppers, onions, and Cajun seasoning while not overpowering the shrimp. 

The spice notes in the bourbon blend perfectly with the slightly smoky notes of paprika and the heat of cayenne. If you want to play up the smoked flavors even more, which will bring out the best in bourbon, consider starting by chopping and browning bacon and using the bacon fat in place of oil. Then, add a little smoked paprika to your Cajun seasoning for an even smokier flavor that highlights the bourbon. It’s an out-of-this-world flavor combo that will set any bourbon lover’s taste buds alight.

If you’re looking for a bourbon-based sauce for a filled pasta like ravioli or tortellini, a creamy bourbon, sage, and browned butter sauce will allow the filling in the pasta to shine while complementing the flavors beautifully. Plus, browned butter is the absolute perfect flavor combo with bourbon, thanks to its warm, slightly nutty flavors. It takes a few steps to make it happen so the bourbon and brown butter emulsify, but the savory results are totally worth it.

Start by browning butter on the stove and adding some chopped fresh sage. You’ll need to let the sage cook for a few minutes (one to two) until it’s crisp and fragrant. Meanwhile, take about a tablespoon of the browned butter and cook it with some minced shallots for a few minutes. Add a few tablespoons to a quarter cup of bourbon (off the heat so it doesn’t flame), and then return it to the heat and cook for four minutes more. Add some heavy cream, and whisk in the browned brown butter and sage over warm heat to emulsify. Pour over your favorite stuffed pasta. Try a squash-stuffed-filled pasta for a fantastic flavor combo.

Bolognese is a hearty meat-based sauce that pairs perfectly with long noodles like spaghetti or tagliatelle. It’s a thick, rich sauce that clings to the noodles. When making a classic Bolognese recipe, what you need is time and, in this case, some bourbon. Once again, bourbon stands in here for white wine, and you can use it as a 1:1 replacement to deglaze the pan in a Bolognese recipe. It’ll add rich, caramelized flavors that hold up well to hearty meat and umami Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. 

When you’re deglazing, turn off any open flame briefly as you add the bourbon before returning it to medium-high heat and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with the side of a wooden spoon. You’ll want to scrape every last bit up because there’s a ton of flavor in those browned bits, and bourbon will help release them from the pan and into your sauce.

Adding bourbon to an easy Alfredo sauce recipe can take it to the next level, and when you pair it with a pasta like fettuccine and a protein like salmon or shrimp, it’s an umami, creamy flavor sensation. Since raw bourbon can have an overpowering alcoholic flavor, you’ll want to cook off some of the alcohol. In this easy Alfredo sauce recipe, replace a few tablespoons to ¼ cup of the heavy cream with bourbon and add it to the butter before you add the heavy cream. Simmer, stirring, for four to five minutes to allow the alcohol to cook off. Then, add the heavy cream and finish the recipe as written. 

The bourbon and salmon have similar flavor intensity, so neither overpowers the other. With other fish, like halibut or a similar white fish, the bourbon will overpower the fish’s delicacy, which is why salmon is such a great protein to pair with bourbon. Of course, you can also have a simple fettuccine Alfredo with bourbon and no protein if you’re going meatless. I love caramelizing some onions and mixing them into the bourbon sauce before tossing it with pasta to make it even tastier.

Bourbon also works well in lighter pasta sauces because it brings a big pop of flavor to milder ingredients. I like it in a simple, fresh veggie sauce with kale, mushrooms, zucchini, winter squash, onions, and red bell peppers because it adds warm notes that make the veggies all that much more interesting.

There aren’t a ton of rules here. Cook some veggies and a pinch of salt in a few tablespoons of olive oil until they’re soft — usually around five minutes. Add some minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until it’s fragrant. Add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes if you want some heat. Then, add about a quarter cup of bourbon off the heat, return it to the heat, and use the side of a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer, stirring, for four to five minutes to burn off raw flavors, and then whisk in a few pieces of very cold butter one at a time to thicken the sauce a little before tossing it with pasta. This goes well with a nice sprinkling of shredded cheese like Pecorino Romano or Asiago.

Bourbon is a fabulous ingredient in marinades for all kinds of proteins. And while it’s good with chicken and salmon, it’s especially delicious when you use it to marinate beef and pork. I really like to make a bourbon marinade for pork tenderloin that has bourbon, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, minced garlic, chopped scallions, and chopped fresh thyme. Marinate the meat in the fridge in a zipped bag in the marinade for five hours or longer (overnight is fine). Pat the meat dry with a paper towel, grill it, and then slice it over pasta tossed with a little browned butter and some steamed veggies. If you’re using it to marinate salmon, you’ll only need to marinate it for about 30 minutes and no longer than three or four hours. For chicken, marinate it for two to four hours with the skin and bones removed. It’s an easy, low-effort meal. 

The earthy, umami flavors of mushrooms taste good with bourbon. What I like about mushroom sauce for pasta is that you can whip it up as a pan sauce in 15-20 minutes, so you’ll have a meal on the table in less than half an hour. The trick is to allow the mushrooms to sufficiently brown and develop caramelized flavors that blend with bourbon. To do it, heat some butter or oil in a large skillet on medium-high until it shimmers and then add quartered mushrooms — any kind works, but I like creminis or chanterelles. 

Then, don’t do anything. Leave them in contact with the medium-high pan for five to seven minutes without stirring so they release their liquids and start to brown before you give them a stir. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another five minutes or so, and add some minced garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant. Then, add in some bourbon and scrape all that browned mushroom goodness from the bottom of the pan with the side of a spoon. Simmer for another few minutes to let the alcohol cook off, stir in a few tablespoons of heavy cream, and toss it with your favorite cooked pasta.

Love vodka sauce? It’s a great, creamy accompaniment for pasta with or without protein and additional vegetables, but it takes a little patience to make it right and allow the flavors to develop. Since vodka is relatively flavorless, if you want slightly more depth of flavor, why not add the warm, caramel notes of bourbon instead? It’s an easy substitution to make — just replace the vodka with an equal amount of bourbon and cook it exactly as it’s written in the recipe. 

The warm bourbon flavors bring complex notes to this creamy tomato sauce that make it interesting. And while most vodka sauces are tossed with chopped fresh basil, when you use bourbon instead, I recommend working with a chopped fresh herb like sage or thyme. They both complement the depth of flavor the sauce will get from the bourbon. Toss it with a penne for a classic presentation, or try it over bowtie pasta instead with some steamed fresh peas added.

I think I’ve saved the best for last because bacon makes everything better. And bacon and bourbon? Chef’s kiss! The smoky bacon complements the deep caramel notes in the bourbon for the perfect flavor combo. You can add a splash of bourbon to a classic carbonara recipe, or you can make an easy creamy bacon-bourbon pan sauce. 

To make the pan sauce, cook a few slices of bacon, leave the grease in the pan, crumble the cooked bacon, and set it aside. Add some minced shallot to the bacon and cook to soften, and then add some bourbon off the heat to deglaze the pan. Return to the heat for a few minutes to cook off the alcohol. Add some chopped fresh thyme and heavy cream, plus a few dashes of red pepper flakes for heat and some salt and pepper to taste. Simmer, stirring, return the bacon to the pan, and then toss with the cooked pasta. Garnish with some grated Parmesan. It’s super easy but really satisfying.