Penne alla Vodka is penne pasta in a rich, creamy, slightly tangy tomato sauce with garlic, onions, crushed tomatoes, and, of course, vodka. It is one of our favorite pasta dishes, and you will be pleasantly surprised by how well it all comes together.
It is a hearty meal in itself, but for a special Sunday meal or if company is coming, I like to serve it with Italian chopped salad and cheese garlic bread.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
- Butter: Unsalted or salted.
- Vodka: Use a good-quality vodka that you would enjoy drinking.
- Tomatoes: Use the best quality tomatoes you can find for this recipe. You can use canned crushed tomatoes or whole peeled tomatoes and crush them yourself. My go-to brands for canned tomatoes are Muir Glen and Cento San Marzano because of their outstanding quality.
- Pasta: Any medium pasta will work for this recipe, like rigatoni, ziti, rotini, campanelle, or elbow macaroni.
- Parmesan cheese: Pick up a wedge of Parmesan Cheese, “Parmigiano Reggiano,” and grate the cheese yourself. You will love the fresh flavor, and the wedge lasts about a month when stored in a plastic zipper bag in the refrigerator.
- Fresh herbs: Chopped fresh parsley or basil.
How to make Penne alla Vodka
See the complete list of ingredients on the recipe card below.
- Cook the onion in a bit of butter over medium heat.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic and red pepper flakes.
- Carefully add the vodka, tomato paste, and crushed tomatoes. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Cook the pasta al dente according to the package instructions, then drain well.
- Turn the heat to low on the sauce and stir in the cream and Parmesan cheese.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese.
Preparation Tips
- Vodka is flammable, so be very careful when adding it to the pan. Make sure to keep towels, loose clothing, and your hair tied back. Sometimes, if the air seems heavy when I am cooking with alcohol, I will turn off the heat, very carefully add it to the pan so it does not drip down the sides, let it sit for a couple of minutes for the alcohol fumes to dissipate, and then turn the heat back on.
- The sauce can be made up to two days in advance and stored in the fridge in an airtight container.
- For more protein, add cooked chicken, Italian sausage, crispy fried bacon, prosciutto, or pancetta.
- For added vegetables, try mushrooms, zucchini, or eggplant.
Serving Suggestions Penne alla Vodka
- Salads: arugula salad, tomato salad, and antipasto salad
- Vegetables: roasted broccoli, roasted brussels sprouts, and air fryer asparagus
- Soup: minestrone, broccoli cheddar soup, and vegetable soup
More Pasta Recipes
Penne alla Vodka Recipe
Penne alla Vodka is penne pasta in a rich creamy tomato sauce with sun ripened tomatoes, sweet onions, garlic, vodka and fresh Parmesan Cheese.
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Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 744kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup vodka
- 2½ tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 28 ounce can whole tomatoes
- 12 ounces penne pasta
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan Cheese plus more for garnish
- kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- fresh chopped basil or parsley
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook 4-5 minutes or until soft. Stir several times. Reduce the heat to low, add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Carefully add the vodka. Stir in the tomato paste, then add the tomatoes, crushing with your hands as you add them. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring several times.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta al dente according to the box instructions and drain well.
- Reduce the heat on the sauce to very low and add the cream and the parmesan cheese. Add cooked pasta to the pan and stir to combine.
- Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Sprinkle with fresh basil or parsley and a little more grated Parmesan Cheese.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Because of the heavy cream, I do not recommend freezing this dish.
Nutrition
Calories: 744kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 473mg | Potassium: 454mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1240IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 227mg | Iron: 2mg
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Sarah J
We do love pasta dishes in my house, and never had this before I have seen vodka used a few times but never tried it myself. Definitely one to try this week
Yolanda L
I am looking forward to giving this recipe a try. I have never used vodka in a sauce before but I can imagine that it adds a little extra depth to the pasta dish.
Beth Pierce
Thanks! Enjoy!
Hadley
I love this dish! It is so darn tasty! Thanks for sharing it!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Hadley!
Kira
Such an easy recipe to follow and tasted absolutely delicious. 5 stars!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Kira!
Kat
This penne alla vodka recipe was super comforting and perfect for a cozy dinner night at home. Hubby and I loved it.
Arieta Andreia Mulligan
I love penne. Thank you for sharing this recipe.