Description
Penne alla Vodka is a creamy, flavorful Italian pasta dish featuring penne pasta tossed in a rich tomato vodka sauce made with tomato paste, cream, garlic, onion, and parmesan cheese. It's a quick and satisfying meal perfect for weeknights or entertaining.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 500g / 1 lb penne or ziti pasta
- 2 tsp kosher salt for pasta cooking water
Sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 small onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1/2 cup (140g / 4.5 oz) tomato paste
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream (thickened cream/double cream)
- 1/3 cup vodka (or chicken stock for alcohol free)
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- Pinch black pepper
- 50g / 1 loosely packed cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup+ pasta cooking water
- 2 tsp parsley, finely chopped (optional for serving)
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Just before draining, stir pasta to release starch and reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain pasta and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add finely diced onion and minced garlic. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes until onion is translucent.
- Cook tomato paste: Add tomato paste to the pan and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes until it darkens in color. Lower heat if needed to prevent sticking.
- Make sauce: Stir in heavy cream until the tomato paste dissolves completely. Then add red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper, and vodka. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Finish sauce: Stir in freshly grated parmesan cheese until melted and fully incorporated. Remove sauce from heat and keep warm.
- Toss pasta and sauce: Return pan to medium heat. Add cooked pasta and 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water to the sauce. Stir and toss for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes until pasta is well coated with sauce. Add more pasta water to loosen sauce if needed.
- Serve: Serve immediately in warmed pasta bowls with extra parmesan and a sprinkle of parsley if desired. Enjoy with garlic bread and a fresh Italian salad for a classic meal experience.
Notes
- Use regular or double concentrate tomato paste; slight weight differences won't affect the flavor.
- Low-fat or single cream can be used as a substitute but will produce a lighter sauce.
- Vodka adds depth without strong alcohol flavor; substitute with chicken stock for alcohol-free version or use dry white wine.
- Freshly grated parmesan melts better and creates a smoother sauce compared to pre-grated varieties.
- Pasta cooking water is essential to help emulsify and thicken the sauce, preventing it from being too rich.
- Warming pasta bowls helps keep the creamy sauce warm longer.
- Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator and reheat well with a splash of water.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
