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Penne Alla Vodka is an Italian dinner that combines al dente penne pasta with a velvety tomato cream sauce infused with the subtle kick of vodka. Perfectly balanced flavors of garlic, tomatoes, cream, and Parmesan cheese create a decadent pasta dish that’s both comforting and sophisticated. It’s a surefire way to elevate your weeknight dinner or impress guests at your next gathering.

Table of Contents

1. Table of Contents
2. Why You’ll Love This Recipe
3. Ingredients for Penne Alla Vodka
4. Tips & FAQs
5. TikTok
6. Recipe:
7. Check out these other great recipes!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Penne Alla Vodka always seems super fancy when you go out and order it at an Italian restaurant, but it’s actually quite easy to make at home. Between the creamy indulgence of the vodka-infused tomato cream sauce and al dente-pasta, it’s a harmonious marriage of flavors within this dish. It has a wide range of appeal to many palates. Whether you’re a fan of Italian cuisine or simply love anything pasta (much like me), my recipe is sure to satisfy any and all cravings. The preparation is super easy, despite it’s gourmet appeal and taste. Straightforward cooking techniques and simple ingredients is what you need to make a batch of Penne Alla Vodka in no time.
I recommend buying a good vodka; not cheap, but not over the top expensive either. A few good vodkas that I use is Svedka, Absolut, Tower (available at any Total Wine & More near you), or New Amsterdam. You will need 237ml, which is equivalent to 1 cup, so going with a 375ml will be enough plus some extra to mix your drink later!

Ingredients for Penne Alla Vodka

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Used to cook the veggies and herbs.
• Crushed Tomatoes in Puree: Most recipes use only tomato paste, however I love this adds more to the sauce. I’ve tried testing with only tomato paste; while it was delicious, the sauce was lacking texture. The crushed tomatoes add that texture with bits of sweet tomatoes. Make sure it’s in puree, otherwise the sauce will be thin. If your children are picky and just want a smooth sauce without the added veggie, tomato puree will work just fine.
• Tomato Paste: I used enough to give the sauce the luxurious rich taste that it so deserves. Letting it cook into the veggies really makes it bloom its umami flavors.
• Garlic & Yellow Onion: The flavor builders for the sauce. Many opt in to use shallots instead of onion and both work just as well.
• Fresh Basil, Fresh Parsley & Dried Oregano: While other recipes don’t put fresh herbs into their sauces, I decided to add them in! It just gave the sauce a much needed vibrant upgrade. If your family doesn’t care for green things, feel free to use dried herbs or none at all.
• Sugar: Trust me on this, you’ll need it. Tomatoes, especially canned, have acidity to them. Depending on the brand you get, most have a higher acidity than others. The sugar helps cut out the acidity without making the sauce sweet.
• Vodka: The key ingredient to this recipe; there’s a reason it’s in the name! When it’s cooked down, it leaves behind an indescribable and distinct taste that plays well with the cream and tomato. I recommend buying a good vodka; not cheap, but not over the top expensive either. A few good vodkas that I use is Svedka, Absolut, Tower (available at any Total Wine & More near you), or New Amsterdam. You will need 237ml, which is equivalent to 1 cup, so going with a 375ml will be enough plus some extra to mix your drink later!
• Salt: Taste as you cook. Add more to your preference. A dish without salt is a dish with little flavor!
• Grate Parmesan Cheese: Adds flavor to your sauce and helps thicken it a bit. You can subsititue Parmigiano Reggiano. You can also add more to garnish your pasta.
• Heavy Cream: This is what creates that luxuriously creamy vodka sauce. I don’t recommend substituting milk or half-and-half for this recipe. The sauce will not be the same, and the acidity from the tomatoes is likely to separate/curdle it.
• Butter: Add this at the end when you stir in the parmesan cheese. I went on a whim for this, and it just added a delicious flavor to the sauce. You can opt out of using butter at the end, but I highly recommend trying it first! It’s super delicious and just rounded out the sauce.
• Penne: Boil the pasta to al dente for a perfect pasta dish. You can also use rigatoni, mezze rigatoni (a shorter cut of the rigatoni), bowties, or fussili. There are those who even make it with linguine or spaghetti.

Tips & FAQs

• Storage: Allow to cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3-4 days. Anything after that will cause the sauce to separate a bit, leaving a watery layer that begins to form. Freezing is not recommended. The sauce will separate and the noodles won’t hold their shape when thawed.
  • Reheat: Reheat in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Don’t heat it too quickly, or the sauce may break.
• What if I don’t keep vodka in the house/my family doesn’t like dishes with alcohol cooked into it! No big deal. You can completely omit the vodka, but you’ll miss that flavor it leaves behind. The alcohol cooks out, so you don’t have to worry about getting tipsy from this. You can try my Creamy Tomato-Basil Pasta if you’re looking for an alcohol-free option for dinner.
• Variations:
  • Add protein to this such as sauteed shrimp, crispy parmesan chicken cutlets, or shredded leftover rotisserie chicken.
  • Make it spicy by adding red pepper flakes when you add the herbs in.
  • No vodka? No big deal! If you have tequila, you can add that instead of the vodka. You can also omit it completely if you don’t want to keep vodka in the house.
  • Make it Vegan/Dairy-Free: Omit the parmesan or use a dairy-free cheese. Make a cashew cream in place of heavy cream. To make cashew cream, soak 1 cup of cashews in 1 cup of water for thirty minutes or so. Puree in high-speed blends until silky smooth. For the butter, you can opt in for a dairy-free butter such as Country Crock Plant-Based Butter with Olive Oil. I use this butter regularly. I love it over regular butter any day.

TikTok

Recipe:

Servings 6

Author Dani Bayer

Prep time

10 Min

Cook time

30 Min

Total time

40 Min

Print

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Penne Alla Vodka

Penne Alla Vodka is an Italian dinner that combines al dente penne pasta with a velvety tomato cream sauce infused with the subtle kick of vodka. Perfectly balanced flavors of garlic, tomatoes, cream, and Parmesan cheese create a decadent pasta dish that’s both comforting and sophisticated. It’s a surefire way to elevate your weeknight dinner or impress guests at your next gathering.

Ingredients

• 16 oz penne
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 medium onion)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tbsp)
• Salt, to taste
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 cup good quality vodka
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 (28 oz) cans of crushed tomatoes in puree
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 to 1 cup heavy cream, depending on your preference of creaminess
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
• 2 tbsp butter

Instructions

1. Cook penne according to box directions for al dente and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium sauce pot or deep skillet. Add in the onions & garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes—season with ½ tsp salt.
3. Stir in basil, parsley, and oregano. Pour in the vodka and allow the alcohol to cook out and reduce, about 7-10 minutes. Stir in tomato paste until it spreads into the veggies and cook for 2 minutes until aromatic.
4. Stir in the crushed tomatoes. Sprinkle in the sugar, stir, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, covered and stirring occasionally, until flavors marry together. Season with salt as needed.
5. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream. Sprinkle in the parmesan cheese, then stir in the butter (if using, see note). Toss the penne noodles into the sauce, using the reserved pasta water to help coat the pasta if needed.
6. Serve with extra cheese and parsley on top.

Notes

Storage: Allow to cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3-4 days. Anything after that will cause the sauce to separate a bit, leaving a watery layer that begins to form. Freezing is not recommended. The sauce will separate and the noodles won’t hold their shape when thawed.

• Reheat: Reheat in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Don’t heat it too quickly, or the sauce may break.

What if I don’t keep vodka in the house/my family doesn’t like dishes with alcohol cooked into it! No big deal. You can completely omit the vodka, but you’ll miss the flavor it leaves behind. The alcohol cooks out, so you don’t have to worry about getting tipsy from this. You can try my Creamy Tomato-Basil Pasta if you’re looking for an alcohol-free option for dinner.

Variations:

• Add protein to this such as sauteed shrimp, crispy parmesan chicken cutlets, or shredded leftover rotisserie chicken.
• Make it spicy by adding red pepper flakes when you add the herbs in.
• No vodka? No big deal! If you have tequila, you can add that instead of the vodka. You can also omit it completely if you don’t want to keep vodka in the house.
• Make it Vegan/Dairy-Free: Omit the parmesan or use a dairy-free cheese. Make a cashew cream in place of heavy cream. To make cashew cream, soak 1 cup of cashews in 1 cup of water for thirty minutes or so. Puree in high-speed blends until silky smooth. For the butter, you can opt in for a dairy-free butter such as Country Crock Plant-Based Butter with Olive Oil. I use this butter regularly. I love it over regular butter any day.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

611.51

Fat (grams)

19.59 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

9.2 g

Carbs (grams)

72.04 g

Fiber (grams)

5.69 g

Sugar (grams)

10.51 g

Protein (grams)

15.67 g

Sodium (milligrams)

401.95 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

39.84 mg

The nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and the brands of ingredients used.

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https://missravenskitchen.com/2024/04/11/penne-alla-vodka

penne, vodka, alla vodka, sauce, main dishes, italian, comfort food, creamy, vegetarian, 30 minute meals

Main Dishes, Pasta, Italian, Comfort Food, 30 Minute Meals

Italian, American

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