Penne alla vodka, or penne pasta with vodka sauce, is an elegant flavored pasta dish that’s fairly quick to make! The creamy texture and rich flavor make this dish hard to beat!
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What is Penne alla Vodka?
Penne alla vodka consists of penne pasta coated in a creamy vodka tomato sauce. The sauce itself consists of sautéed onions and garlic, tomato paste, vodka, whole peeled tomatoes (I prefer San Marzano), heavy whipping cream, and finely grated parmesan cheese. I also like to add some red pepper flakes to give the sauce a kick. However, you can leave these out if you don’t like spicy food.
While the vodka adds to the complexity of the flavor, all alcohol is cooked out so you don’t taste alcohol in the sauce at all.
With the exact origins of vodka sauce unclear, we do know that it became popular in Italy in the 1980’s and has been served in Italian restaurants around the world ever since.
How to Make Penne alla Vodka
One of the keys to making the sauce creamy is to blend prior to adding the pasta. To do this you can use a blender, food processor, or immersion blender. However, just make sure your blender or food processor is able to handle hot liquids. If not, you can always let your sauce cool prior to adding. You would then reheat the sauce in the pan as you mix in the pasta.
Please see the step-by-step instructions below:
1. Add pasta to well salted (around 2 Tbsp. of salt) boiling water and follow the cooking the instructions on the pasta package to cook the noodles al dente (around 9 minutes or so). Make sure to save 1/2 cup of pasta water prior to straining your noodles as you will need that later.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a separate pan on medium heat.
3. Once the olive oil is hot, add the diced onion and cook until the onions are translucent (around 8 to 10 minutes). Reduce the heat if needed to keep the onions from browning.
4. Once the onion is cooked, add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant (around 30 seconds or so).
5. Then add the red pepper flakes, tomato paste, and vodka and stir together for around two to three minutes. Be careful when adding the vodka as the alcohol could cause it to flame up. If you don’t like spicy food, you can leave the red pepper flakes out.
6. Next, add the can of peeled tomatoes to the sauce and cook for 10 minutes. While cooking, break apart the tomatoes as much as you can with a wooden spoon to incorporate them into the sauce.
7. After the tomatoes have simmered in the sauce for 10 minutes, reduce the heat to low and mix in the heavy whipping cream until it’s combined into the sauce.
8. At this point, pour the sauce mixture into a blender or food processor and puree for 30 seconds or so until the onions and tomatoes are blended together and no chunks remain. Make sure your blender can handle hot liquids. If not, you can either use an immersion blender or allow the sauce to cool prior to blending.
9. Add the pureed sauce back into the pan. Then add the cooked pasta to the sauce along with 1/2 cup of the pasta water to finish. Stir the pasta into the sauce until the pasta is coated.
10. Turn off the heat and mix in the freshly grated parmesan cheese. Continue stirring until the cheese is melted and mixed into the sauce.
11. Garnish with fresh basil and enjoy!
Penne alla Vodka Recipe
Penne alla Vodka with Spicy Vodka Sauce
Equipment
- 1 Sharp knife For dicing onions
- 2 Large Pots One for pasta, one for sauce and combined noodles
- 1 Blender, Immersion Blender, or Immersion Blender
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Sized Onion Diced
- 4 Cloves Garlic
- 1/2 Tbsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 6 oz. Tomato Paste
- 14 oz Whole Peeled Tomatoes I prefer San Marzano
- 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1/4 Cup Vodka
- 1 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese Finely Grated
- 16 oz. Pasta (I prefer penne or rigatoni for this dish)
- Fresh Basil
Instructions
- Add pasta to well salted (around 2 Tbsp. of salt) boiling water and follow the cooking the instructions on the pasta package to cook the noodles al dente (around 9 minutes or so). Make sure to save 1/2 cup of pasta water prior to straining your noodles as you will need that later.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a separate pan on medium heat.
- Once the olive oil is hot, add the diced onion and cook until the onions are translucent (around 8 to 10 minutes). Reduce the heat if needed to keep the onions from browning.
- Once the onion is cooked, add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant (around 30 seconds or so).
- Then add the red pepper flakes, tomato paste, and vodka and stir together for around two to three minutes. Be careful when adding the vodka as the alcohol could cause it to flame up. If you don't like spicy food, you can leave the red pepper flakes out.
- Next, add the can of peeled tomatoes to the sauce and cook for 10 minutes. While cooking, break apart the tomatoes as much as you can with a wooden spoon to incorporate them into the sauce.
- After the tomatoes have simmered in the sauce for 10 minutes, reduce the heat to low and mix in the heavy whipping cream until it's combined into the sauce.
- At this point, pour the sauce mixture into a blender or food processor and puree for 30 seconds or so until the onions and tomatoes are blended together and no chunks remain. Make sure your blender can handle hot liquids. If not, you can either use an immersion blender or allow the sauce to cool prior to blending.
- Add the pureed sauce back into the pan. Then add the cooked pasta to the sauce along with 1/2 cup of the pasta water to finish. Stir the pasta into the sauce until the pasta is coated.
- Turn off the heat and mix in the freshly grated parmesan cheese. Continue stirring until the cheese is melted and mixed into the sauce.
- Garnish with fresh basil and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Is vodka sauce gluten-free?
All ingredients in vodka sauce are naturally gluten free. However, I would make sure you enjoy with a gluten-free pasta if you are sensitive to gluten.
Is vodka sauce healthy for you?
While tomatoes, garlic, and onions are good for you, the cream and parmesan cheese are higher in fat and calories. As such, I would enjoy this sauce in moderation.
Final Thoughts on Penne alla Vodka
Vodka sauce is a quick way to bring a taste of Italy to your table. I hope that you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does! Happy cooking!
Check out the following links for more Italian recipes:
Creamy Four Ingredient Alfredo Sauce Recipe
Boursin Cheese Pasta with Shrimp
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