Penne Alla Vodka Recipe [+VIdeo] 🥘 MasalaHerb.com

Name: Penne alla Vodka Recipe
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 Tablespoon Olive Oil; 1 Onion (sliced); 2 cloves Garlic (chopped); 11.9 fluid ounces Tomato Sauce (plain); 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning (or Oregano); 1-2 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (or Paprika); Black Pepper (pinch); Salt (pinch); ¼ cup Vodka; ¼ cup Liquid Cream (*see Notes); 1 packet Penne Pasta (= 8.8 ounce dried, cook pasta soft); Parmesan (grated)

Penne alla vodka is a quick and easy vegetarian dinner meal.

This recipe is for you if you are looking for homemade comfort food prepared in less than 30 minutes.

Penne alla vodka is such a popular dish in Italian restaurants, that you need to have tried it.

The vodka in this creamy tomato sauce enhances the texture and the flavors.

So, let’s make this pasta vodka sauce asap!

What is Penne alla Vodka?

Penne alla Vodka is a Italian pasta dinner dish.

The main ingredient is vodka, tomato and cream.

The vodka acts as an emulsifier and therefore binds the oils and other sauce ingredients, which results in a creamy sauce.

The slight taste of vodka makes this dish also a favorite in most Italian food restaurants across the globe.

Vodka alla Pasta is enhanced with Parmesan Cheese.

How to make Penne alla Vodka?

You are going to love this dish if you are looking for a quick one-pot pasta dinner meal!

This is how it’s roughly done.

Find the detailed instructions with ingredients in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. The how-to video will pop up (refresh the page if you closed it).

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Step 1

Cook pasta according to package instructions.

Step 2

Build up the sauce until creamy and hot enough.

Step 3

Toss the cooked and strained pasta through the still-hot sauce.

Serve warm with grated parmesan.

Pasta Sauce variations

You can pep up your penne vodka sauce and call it your own by adding the following ingredients to the sauce during the cooking process:

Cured meats such as pancetta, prosciutto and bacon
Meats such as chicken, sausage and even meatballs
Seafood including shrimp and salmon
Mushrooms
Vegetables such as spinach, zucchini, broccoli
Saffron spice to make it yellow (popular in Italy)
Red Pepper Flakes to add heat

What to serve along?

I love this pasta dish with a salad to balance the carbs.

Light side dish salads prepared with lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, and radish make a great addition to this penne sauce.

FAQs

Can you get drunk on a vodka sauce?

The pasta sauce contains only small quantities of vodka. You won’t get tipsy or drunk, the vodka is for flavor and it helps to bind the sauce.

Can you make this dish ahead of time?

Yes, you can add this dish to your meal plan or you can make it ahead of time. Just prepare the sauce as described and store it in the fridge. You can choose to cook the pasta ahead of time or to cook it just before serving time. Coat pasta with warmed up sauce and serve warm.

Can you freeze the sauce?

Yes, you can freeze your alla vodka pasta sauce. Prepare the sauce as per recipe and create batches before freezing so that you can take out a batch at a time whenever you need it. To thaw keep in the fridge overnight or place into micro or oven and use the thawing option. Warm-up enough to serve over cooked pasta.

Can I use another pasta variety instead of penne?

Yes. Sometimes I just use what I have at home and it’s equally tasty. Just know that some pasta varieties are recommended because of the way they are coated by the sauce.

More Pasta Sauce Recipes

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