• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipe Index
  • Desserts
  • Appetizers
  • Low Carb
  • Breakfast
  • Main Entrees
  • Salads

Cooked by Julie

menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Posted In: Main Entrees
    May 15, 2022 — Updated May 26, 2022 — by Julie — Leave a Comment

    Home » Delish » Main Entrees » Penne Alla Vodka

    Penne Alla Vodka

    Sharing is caring!

    27 shares
    • Share
    • Reddit
    • Yummly
    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    This Penne Alla Vodka is a classic Italian-American dish made with pasta and creamy tomato vodka sauce. This recipe makes a quick and easy 30-minute meal the entire family will love!

    Make this for dinner and serve it with Vegetable salad and cheesy garlic bread.

    penne alla vodka on a plate.

    If you’ve been following for a while then you know how much I love pasta. I have many variations of this recipe like Penne alla Vodka with Shrimp and Vodka Stuffed Shells. Another similar pasta recipe I love is this Spicy Rigatoni.

    Why You’ll Love This Recipe

    • The vodka sauce is thick, creamy, and coats the pasta perfectly!
    • The dish is super easy to make.
    • The vodka adds flavor but it cooks long enough that the alcohol boils off. There is no need to worry-you won’t get intoxicated while consuming this dish.
    • You can add shrimp, chicken, bacon, pancetta, or prosciutto.

    Ingredient Notes

    • Pasta – I used penne pasta but feel free to use any short-shaped pasta noodles such as rigatoni, rotini, ziti, or farfalle.
    • Heavy Cream – This is a must! It’s the ingredient that will make the sauce thick and creamy.
    • Tomatoes – For best results, use San Marzano peeled whole tomatoes. San Marzano tomatoes have less acidity and are sweeter than other canned tomatoes. I like to crush them with my hands before adding them to the skillet.
    • Vodka – Any brand of vodka will work! Avoid fruit-flavored varieties.
    vodka sauce cooking in a black skillet on the stove.

    Step-By-Step Instructions

    1. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to package instructions. While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce.
    2. Add oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning, and cook until fragrant. Add the vodka and cook for 1-2 minutes.
    3. Place the tomatoes in a large bowl and crush them with your hands. Add the crushed tomatoes to the skillet along with the heavy cream and basil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the sauce to a blender. Blend until smooth.
    4. Add the sauce back to the skillet and season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Stir in the butter and parmesan cheese. Check for seasoning and then add the cooked pasta.
    5. Serve immediately and enjoy!
    Creamy tomato vodka sauce in a blender.

    Recipe For Pasta Alla Vodka Substitutions

    There are many ways to customize this recipe. Here are a few suggestions:

    • Vodka: Although vodka is in the name of the recipe, you can use white wine, chicken stock, vegetable stock, or pasta water as a substitution.
    • Italian Seasoning: If you don’t have Italian seasoning, use 1/4 tsp oregano instead.
    • Butter/Oil: If you don’t have both butter and oil on hand, you can use only one. Avocado oil works too.
    • Heavy Cream: If you don’t have heavy cream, you can use regular whole milk or half and half, but keep in mind the sauce won’t be as creamy.
    • Onions/Garlic: Don’t have fresh garlic and onions on hand? Feel free to use garlic powder and onion powder instead.
    Smooth vodka sauce in a black skillet.

    Top Tips

    • Make sure to cook the pasta until al dente.
    • Add a good amount of salt. This recipe is extra tasty when you season it generously.
    • If you don’t want to blend the sauce, be sure to crush the tomatoes well and make sure the onions and garlic are finely minced. The sauce will be a lot chunkier if you don’t blend it.
    • If you don’t have a regular blender, you can use a food processor or immersion blender. If using an immersion blender, make sure to turn off the heat before blending the sauce.
    • If you want the vodka sauce to be extra creamy, add more heavy cream and parmesan cheese. You can also simmer the sauce on low for a few extra minutes to increase the thickness.
    A spoonful of penne alla vodka up close.

    Storage

    Have leftovers? Allow the Penne Alla Vodka to cool completely and then transfer to an air-tight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. You may also freeze it in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.

    penne alla vodka with parmesan cheese and parsley on top.

    More Recipes You Might Enjoy

    • Four Cheese Pasta
    • Baked Spaghetti
    • Creamy Shrimp Alfredo Pasta
    • Spicy Crab Bucatini

    Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. And consider following me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

    penne alla vodka on a plate.

    Penne Alla Vodka

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: Italian American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 721kcal
    Author: Julie Maestre
    This penne alla vodka is a classic Italian-American dish made with pasta and creamy tomato vodka sauce. A quick and easy 30-minute meal the entire family will love!

    Equipment

    • Blender

    Ingredients

    • 12 ounces penne pasta
    • 28 ounces canned peeled whole tomatoes
    • 1/2 cup vodka
    • 3/4 cup heavy cream
    • 1 onion diced
    • 2 garlic cloves minced
    • 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes or to taste
    • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
    • 2 tbsp butter
    • 2 tbsp oil
    • 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
    • 3-4 leaves fresh basil
    • sugar to taste
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to package instructions. While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce.
    • Add oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning, and cook until fragrant. Add the vodka and cook for 1-2 minutes. 
    • Place the tomatoes in a large bowl and crush them with your hands. Add the crushed tomatoes to the skillet along with the heavy cream and basil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the sauce to a blender. Blend until smooth. 
    • Add the sauce back to the skillet and season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Stir in the butter and parmesan cheese. Check for seasoning and then add the cooked pasta. 
    • Serve immediately and enjoy!

    Notes

    • Add a good amount of salt, this recipe is extra tasty when you season it generously.
    • If you don’t want to blend the sauce, make sure to crush the tomatoes really well. Also, make sure the onions and garlic are finely minced. The sauce will be a lot chunkier if you don’t blend it.
    • Don’t have a regular blender? Use a food processor or immersion blender. If using an immersion blender, make sure to turn off the heat before blending the sauce.
    • Want the vodka sauce to be extra creamy? Add more heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Also, simmer on low for a few extra minutes to thicken the sauce further.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 721kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 449mg | Potassium: 665mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1155IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 198mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @cookedbyjulie or tag #cookedbyjulie!

    Share this:

    • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

    Filed Under: Main Entrees

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Julie! I’m extremely fortunate to make a living doing what I truly love – creating and sharing my favorite “can’t live without” recipes with readers from all over the world.

    More about me →

    Holiday Recipes

    • Chocolate Coquito
    • Traditional Rum Balls
    • Crockpot Candy
    • Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
    • Cheesy Jalapeno Corn Casserole
    • Smothered Turkey Wings

    Popular

    • Southern Fried Shrimp
    • Honey Baked Turkey Wings
    • Crab Stuffed Salmon
    • Creamy Garlic Salmon and Shrimp

    Like Us on Facebook

    Cooked by Julie
    Recipes

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2021 Cooked by Julie

    27 shares
     

    Loading Comments...