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This Italian-American dish for Penne alla Vodka is wonderful when you’re craving a creamy tomato pasta with the added richness and punch from Vodka. Serve as a main dish or with your favorite entrée, such as grilled chicken, pork, or shrimp.

I first tried Penne alla Vodka when one of our sons-in-law (waving at Ted) made it for us for dinner one night this past year. He served it with grilled chicken and zucchini, and it was fabulous. I just had to try making it myself. It’s taken me a few tries to get it right, but I’m finally happy with the results of this recipe, and I hope you will like it, too!

My First Attempts at this Recipe

To be honest, my first attempts at this recipe included the use of “moonshine” because I happened to have a bottle that I’d purchased in Wisconsin one summer. Moonshine has a lot of the same qualities as Vodka (high alcohol content with little to no flavor) so I wanted to give it a try. I was pleased with the results and was tempted to title this recipe Penne alla Moonshine, but figured most folks wouldn’t have moonshine in their spirit cupboard!

With that in mind, my last attempts used Vodka. Again, I didn’t notice much difference. Perhaps my taster isn’t all that sophisticated. I also use Vodka to make vanilla extract, so I usually have it on hand, and this recipe only calls for 1/4 cup. Just enough alcohol to help blend the tomatoes with the cream and keep it from separating, plus adding depth to the sauce.

If you’d prefer not to use any alcohol in this recipe, simply omit it. I think it will still be good, but cannot say for certain. Please know that the alcohol in the Vodka (or moonshine) cooks out, and only serves to enhance the flavor of the tomato sauce.

I also tried using different types of tomatoes–hand crushed, crushed, and blended, as well as adding small pieces of meat to the dish. First I added small pieces of Pancetta, and then diced kielbasa. In the end, I opted for the wonderful creaminess that this dish offers without any meat. But feel free to add small pieces, if you want.

More Pasta Dishes

Ingredients for Penne alla Vodka

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Instructions For Making This Recipe

Gather the ingredients so you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.

Prepare the Ingredients

Using a sharp knife and cutting board, dice the sweet onion. Mince the garlic.

If you are using whole tomatoes, go ahead and hand crush them in a large bowl, being careful not to squirt tomato juice on your clothes. Ask me how I know!

If you are using whole tomatoes, I encourage you to buy Cento (my favorite) or Red Gold. These two brands offer the best tomatoes for hand crushing, with Cento leading by leaps and bounds (but is also more expensive). Another option for home gardeners, is to use canned Roma tomatoes, which have fewer seeds than most garden tomatoes.

Using a fine-edged zester, grate the parmesan cheese. You’ll need a cup, plus extra for garnish.

Make the Cream Sauce

Over medium-low heat, melt the butter along with the extra virgin olive oil, and sauté the diced onion and minced garlic. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until onion is translucent.

Stir in the tomato paste, granulated sugar, dried basil, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for another 2-3 minutes to allow the tomato paste to caramelize and darken.

At this point, you may want to blend the crushed tomatoes and onion mixture to make a smooth puree. This step is optional, depending on your preference of sauce texture.

This is where my KitchenAid K-400 blender works its magic. You might use an immersion blender, although I haven’t tried that method on this recipe.

Transfer the sauce back into the pan and stir in the vodka. Heat on medium-low and bring the mixture to a low boil. Reduce heat to simmer, and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce has reduced.

Prepare Pasta and Finish Sauce

While the sauce simmers, go ahead and cook the pasta in boiling salt water, according to package directions, and cook just minutes before al dente, as the pasta will continue to cook when you add it to the tomato sauce.

This creamy tomato sauce works wonderfully with penne pasta, but you could also use rigatoni, linguine, or even gnocchi for a fun twist on this recipe.

Once the sauce has reduced by about 1/4, stir in the heavy whipping cream, and then the grated parmesan.

Be sure to use freshly grated parmesan rather than the canned type.

Allow this to simmer for another 5-7 minutes until thickened as desired. Season the sauce with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of pasta water to use in the sauce. Add the pasta to the sauce and carefully stir to combine until pasta is well coated. Simmer on low for an additional 1-2 minutes, adding pasta water, if needed.

Garnish pasta with more grated parmesan and fresh basil.

Serving Suggestions

Serve Penne alla Vodka warm with a fresh salad and a hard crusty bread, such as my Tangy Sourdough Bread. You might also serve this as a side dish along with a green vegetable and a chicken or pork entrée. This recipe will serve 6-8 people.

Refrigerate leftovers in a tightly covered container for up to 5 days. To reheat, place pasta in microwave safe bowl or saucepan. Heat for a few minutes in a microwave or on stovetop until heated through, adding a bit of heavy cream or chicken broth to make the sauce creamy.

Featured Image - Recipe for Penne alla Vodka

Penne alla Vodka

This Italian-American dish is wonderful when you’re craving a creamy tomato pasta with the added richness and punch from Vodka. Serve as a main dish or with your favorite entrée, such as grilled chicken, pork, or shrimp.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Serving Size 6

(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)

Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 cup sweet onion (diced)
  • 2 tablespoons garlic (minced)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 28 oz whole tomatoes (or crushed tomatoes)
  • 1/4 cup vodka
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 16 oz penne pasta (cook according to package directions)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil (for garnish)

Instructions

  • Gather the ingredients so you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.

Prepare the Ingredients

  • Using a sharp knife and cutting board, dice the sweet onion. Mince the garlic.
  • If you are using whole tomatoes, go ahead and hand crush them in a large bowl.
  • Using a fine-edged zester, grate the parmesan cheese. You’ll need a cup, plus extra for garnish.

Make the Tomato Cream Sauce

  • Over medium-low heat, melt the butter along with the extra virgin olive oil, and sauté the diced onion and minced garlic. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until onion is translucent.
  • Stir in the tomato paste, granulated sugar, dried basil, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for another 2-3 minutes to allow the tomato paste to caramelize and darken.
  • At this point, you may want to blend the crushed tomatoes and onion mixture to make a smooth puree. This step is optional, depending on your preference of sauce texture.
  • Transfer the sauce back into the pan and stir in the vodka. Heat on medium-low and bring the mixture to a low boil. Reduce heat to simmer, and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce has reduced.

Prepare the Pasta and Finish the Sauce

  • While the sauce simmers, go ahead and cook the pasta in boiling salt water, according to package directions, and cook just minutes before al dente, as the pasta will continue to cook when you add it to the tomato sauce.
  • Once the sauce has reduced by about 1/4, stir in the heavy whipping cream, and then the grated parmesan. Allow this to simmer for another 5-7 minutes until thickened as desired. Season the sauce with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  • Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of pasta water to use in the sauce. Add the pasta to the sauce and carefully stir to combine until pasta is well coated. Simmer on low for an additional 1-2 minutes, adding pasta water, if needed.
  • Garnish pasta with more grated parmesan and fresh basil. Serves 6-8.

Notes

*Unless otherwise indicated, all butter used on this recipe site is salted.

Nutrition

Calories: 633kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 859mg | Potassium: 652mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2079IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 268mg | Iron: 2mg

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2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This recipe was so yummy, thank you. I made garlic confit before I started the recipe with about 10 cloves and used that oil for the 2 tablespoons that the recipe called for. The sauce was really delish!

    1. Thanks so much for leaving a comment and rating, Jennifer. I’m so glad that you enjoyed this recipe. The garlic oil sounds wonderful. Thanks for sharing!