Penne alla Vodka

Keep it saucy.

By
Jasmine Smith
Jasmine Smith wearing a blue apron against an orange background
Jasmine Smith
Jasmine Smith is a recipe developer and tester at Dotdash Meredith Food Studios. She has nearly a decade of experience in the culinary industry.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
and
Sharon Hsu
Sharon Hsu wearing a white button-down shirt and holding a skewer of strawberries
Sharon Hsu
Sharon Hsu is an enthusiastic recipe and technique developer best known for her expertise in crafting visually appealing cafe and bakery-style treats. She thrives on exploring new concepts in the culinary world, seamlessly blending traditional baking methods with innovative flavors and techniques to create culturally rich creations. She appreciates how food has consistently been at the heart of countless cherished memories and aims to inspire others to bake and cook for their loved ones as an expression of love.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Published on 02/19/24
A large bowl of penne alla vodka topped with parmesan cheese

The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 4
Yield: 8 cups

This is not just “another'' pasta dish. While you can never have too many pasta recipes up your sleeve, let me introduce you to the only creamy penne alla vodka recipe you will ever need. It’s comforting, nostalgic, and perfect for creamy tomato sauce lovers. You’re welcome. Ready in 45 minutes, this recipe is a great weeknight dinner choice. 

Can You Get Tipsy From the Vodka Sauce?

Sorry to those looking for a boozy adventure in their meal. Much of the alcohol in this dish evaporates during cooking, and what remains certainly isn’t enough to get you anywhere close to tipsy. What’s left is a subtle vodka flavor, complementing the creamy tomato sauce. You don't need to splurge on the priciest vodka for this meal; use what you typically have on hand or what's readily available (and affordable).

Can I Use Another Pasta Shape? 

Penne’s hollow tube shape is perfect for catching the sauce. However, if you can’t find it or have other pasta in your pantry you need to use, another similarly sized shape will be fine. You want the best sauce to pasta ratio. You can also serve this sauce with large white beans, like corona beans, instead of pasta.

Creamy tomato sauce that’s slightly spicy from the crushed red pepper and flavored with vodka, this is a straightforward, hearty meal. Serve it with a crisp, refreshing salad or toasted garlic bread, or both!

Recipe Tips

  • Use the right kind of tomatoes—The secret to this creamy vodka sauce is using San Marzano tomatoes.These canned gems have more flavorful pulp and are sweeter than traditional canned plum tomatoes.
  • Use salted water for the pasta—To ensure that the pasta is well-seasoned, don’t be shy when salting your pasta water.
  • What does “al dente” mean—Al dente literally means “to the teeth,” but in practice it just means that the pasta should still have a little texture, or bite, to it. This is because as the pasta is mixed with the sauce it will continue cooking, and no one wants mushy pasta.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped (2 cups)

  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic (from 6 medium garlic cloves)

  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

  • 1/4 cup tomato paste

  • 1/2 cup vodka

  • 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled San Marzano plum tomatoes with juices, finely crushed by hand

  • 1 pound uncooked penne pasta

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream

  • 3/4 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 1/2 cup (2 ounces) finely grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients to make pasta alla vodka

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

  2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped (2 cups) and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and light golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.

    Add 2 tablespoons minced garlic (from 6 medium garlic cloves) and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

    A large pot with diced onions being stirred with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

  3. Add 1/4 cup tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly until deep red and caramelized, 1 to 2 minutes.

    A large pot of diced onion and garlic mixed with tomato paste

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

  4. Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup vodka, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced slightly and the raw alcohol smell has cooked off, about 2 minutes.

    A large pot of diced onions, tomato paste, and vodka being stirred with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

  5. Add 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled San Marzano plum tomatoes with juices, finely crushed by hand and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld and the sauce thickens until very thick and chunky, 15 to 20 minutes.

    A large pot of crushed San Marzano tomatoes added to the onion-vodka mixture

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

  6. Meanwhile, cook 1 pound penne pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

    A colander of cooked penne pasta with a small measuring cup of reserved pasta water

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

  7. Stir 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 3/4 teaspoon fine salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper into the vodka sauce. If desired, transfer the sauce to a blender and process until smooth, 1 minute. Transfer the sauce back into the Dutch oven.

    A large pot of creamy vodka sauce being stirred with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

  8. Add the cooked pasta and 1/2 cup (2 ounces) finely grated parmesan cheese to the vodka sauce. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the cheese is melted and the pasta is coated in sauce, stirring in reserved pasta cooking water 1/4 cup at a time to reach the desired consistency.

    Divide the pasta evenly among 4 bowls, sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese, and serve.

    A large pot of penna alla vodka, being stirred with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

How To Store

Refrigerate leftover penne alla vodka in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

  • Vodka sauce isn’t just for pasta—If you love the taste of vodka sauce, try it in other applications. It’s particularly nice with white beans (pile them atop toasty garlic bread for the full treatment) or use it in place of marinara sauce in lasagna or chicken parm.
  • Give it more of a kick—If you like your vodka sauce on the spicy side, consider adding a big spoonful of Calabrian chile paste instead of or in addition to the crushed red pepper.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
668 Calories
34g Fat
62g Carbs
16g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 668
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 34g 44%
Saturated Fat 17g 86%
Cholesterol 79mg 26%
Sodium 912mg 40%
Total Carbohydrate 62g 22%
Dietary Fiber 8g 30%
Total Sugars 15g
Protein 16g
Vitamin C 36mg 182%
Calcium 274mg 21%
Iron 4mg 20%
Potassium 890mg 19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)