Penne alla vodka recipe

This penne alla vodka recipe is so good, you’ll be hooked after just one bite! The perfect blend of creamy and tangy, it’ll become a firm favorite. Plus, it’s easy to make and can be on the table in just 30 minutes.

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Why you’ll love this vodka sauce recipe

• Quick and easy, you’ll have this delicious pasta dish on the table in just 25 minutes!
• An ideal quick weeknight dinner or a dinner party treat, this ticks all the boxes!
• It’s a real crowd-pleaser, and bowls are polished off VERY quickly!
• It’s 100% vegetarian.

Our penne alla vodka is creamy and delicious, it’s also designed to be super simple and super quick to make.

Ingredients you’ll need to make penne alla vodka sauce

You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.

How to make penne alla vodka sauce with step-by-step instructions

Making the best penne alla vodka recipe is easy if you follow our simple instructions.

A full printable recipe and the measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the recipe card below.

First, bring a pan of salted water to a boil and cook your penne pasta according to the package directions.

When draining the pasta, reserve some pasta water for use later.

While the pasta is cooking, in a skillet over medium heat, heat extra virgin olive oil, then add the shallots or onions and sauté them until they start to change their color.

Next, add in your minced garlic and sauté for one minute.

Now stir in your tomato paste, let the sauce simmer, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Now add vodka, stir, and cook for a further 3 minutes.

Then add your heavy cream (double cream), red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper, and stir until fully combined.

Now add in freshly grated Parmesan cheese and the reserved pasta water, stir to combine, and cook for a further minute.

Finally, stir in your drained pasta and butter and stir to combine.

Serve immediately and garnish with parsley or fresh basil and Parmesan cheese – enjoy!

We hope you enjoy making and eating our pasta alla vodka recipe and would love to hear how you got on with making it.

Notes and expert tips

• Don’t like it spicy?
  Either reduce or remove the crushed red pepper flakes.
• Remember the cheese
  Parmesan cheese isn’t vegetarian, so make sure you buy the vegetarian version of the cheese.
• Storage
  Keep any leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze the sauce for up to 6 months.

What do I serve it with?

Serve our creamy penne alla vodka recipe with a fresh green salad, sprinkled with Italian seasoning and a balsamic vinaigrette, crusty bread, garlic bread, air fryer green beans, or air fryer broccoli.

Often penne alla vodka is served with grilled chicken, you could serve it with vegetarian chicken if you like.

Or simply eat it on its own, the choice is yours!

Do I have to use penne pasta?

We love penne pasta with vodka sauce, but no, you don’t have to use penne pasta.

If you haven’t got any penne, then you’ll want to use tubular pasta or pasta that can hold the sauce nicely.

Rigatoni, gnocchetti, paccheri, tortiglioni, would all work and even fusilli can be used.

How do I cook pasta?

The first thing you’ll need to do is to bring a pan of salted water to a boil.

You add salt to the water because pasta isn’t very flavourful on its own and the salt adds a touch of flavor.

Always cook pasta according to the package directions, but remember, you want your tender penne pasta to be al dente, so it’s still firm to the bite – you don’t want mushy overcooked pasta!

How much vodka is in vodka sauce?

Not a great amount, in our vodka sauce recipe we use just 3 tablespoons of vodka.

Penne alla vodka without vodka

If you don’t want to include the vodka, then simply leave it out of the sauce.

Be warned, it will make a difference to the sauce, the vodka adds a peppery taste and enhances the taste of the tomatoes, and helps to create a super creamy sauce.

But it’s totally possible to make penne vodka sauce without the vodka.

Do I use fresh or canned tomatoes?

This recipe is all about speed and ease, imagine you’ve just got home from work after a busy day and all you want to do is eat something tasty, but something easy – this is that recipe.

We’ve used Italian tomato paste, you could use tomato sauce or passata, as it’s known, but tomato paste helps to thicken the sauce.

Using sauce means that you don’t have to get out the food processor, so less cleaning up!

Try to buy a brand that makes it with Italian tomatoes.

Of course, you can use fresh tomatoes, they would have absolutely delicious flavor, but as we’ve said, our recipe is for convenience.

How do I store vodka sauce?

Our creamy penne alla vodka sauce stores well when kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

It does freeze well for up to 6 months, but we’d recommend freezing the sauce separately from the cooked pasta.

More tasty pasta dishes for you to enjoy

If you like our penne alla vodka, then why not try out our other pasta recipes?

• Pasta alla Norma
• Penne arrabiata
• Mushroom pasta
• Pasta alla Sorrentina
• Gigi Hadid pasta

Follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram, for more tasty inspiration!

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