This Penne Alla Vodka is an easy to make creamy pasta in tomato and vodka sauce. Add meatballs, shrimp, chicken, or veggies to make it even more hearty.
If you love Pasta as much as I do, here are some of my other favorites, that I am sure you will enjoy making and eating – White Sauce Pasta, Garlicky Roasted Red Pepper Pasta, Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti Aglio Olio, and Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta.
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About This Recipe
Pasta is one of those dishes that has become popular all over the world, due to its impeccable taste and easy process. You just need 30 minutes of your time, to get a delicious Pasta dish ready on the table, and this Penne Alla Vodka is one of them.
This becomes even more special, because of the boozy ingredient Vodka. This Pasta is a simple cheesy Pasta recipe that is upgraded with the flavor from Vodka.
Penne Alla Vodka is Penne Pasta tossed in a rich tomato, vodka cream sauce and it comes out just like your favorite Italian Restaurant Pasta.
You can also add in some grilled chicken or prawns to make a Non-Vegetarian version of the same. The best part is, this Pasta recipe has minimal ingredients and yet tastes so incredible.
So next time, you crave a delicious, creamy Pasta, you know what you need to make for a perfect weeknight dinner.
This Penne Alla Vodka is,
- Creamy
- Boozy
- Full of Flavour
- Quick & Easy
- Perfect for weekday meals
Ingredients
Pasta – As the name suggests, this recipe uses Penne, but you can go ahead and add any Pasta of your choice such as Spaghetti, Macaroni, Farfalle, Fusilli, Orzo, Linguine, Rigatoni, etc.
Vodka – You can use any Original Vodka of your choice to add in the Pasta. The higher the quality, the richer the taste.
Cream – Heavy Cream adds a richness in the sauce, that along with cheese even makes it extra cheesy, which is hard to resist.
Cheese – Parmesan Cheese adds a delicious flavor and cheesiness in this Pasta. You can also add in processed cheese, to make it extra cheesy. Parmesan gives it that restaurant-style touch, which I enjoy the most.
Tomatoes – Crushed Tomatoes are used to make the base of the sauce, which adds a slight hint of tanginess and sweetness, both together in the Pasta, which is later combined with cheese and cream and makes the sauce even more delicious. Use the best quality Italian tomatoes to make the sauce. It makes all the difference.
Basil – Basil is one of my favorite ingredients to use when making a Pasta. Along with a unique taste, it also adds a beautiful aroma.
Oil – Always use good quality extra virgin olive oil for the best taste.
Others – Apart from the above-mentioned ingredients, you will also need garlic, onions, salt, sugar, and pepper. If you like the garlic flavor in your pasta, feel free to increase the quantity of the same.
If you like to make it spicy, you can add in some red chilli flakes in the sauce.
Step By Step Recipe
Cook the pasta as per manufacturer’s instruction. Meanwhile, heat olive oil and butter in a pan.
Add garlic and onions and sauce for a minute.
Add vodka and crushed tomatoes and cover and cook for 15-20 minutes on low heat.
Now add heavy cream, salt, sugar and pepper.
Add the cooked pasta and mix well.
Add fresh basil and parmesan cheese.
Cook until cheese melts. Serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
This sauce does have vodka in it, but usually while cooking the alcohol in the same boils off, leaving a nice flavor in the Pasta and very very little alcohol. So you do not have to worry about getting intoxicated after eating the same.
You can make the sauce a day before and store in the fridge in an airtight container. Once you want to serve it, boil fresh pasta, reheat the sauce in a pan, add in the pasta, give it a stir and serve hot. You can add some fresh basil on top.
You can add in water and a squeeze of lemon instead of vodka in this sauce.
Most of the alcohol in this Pasta boils off while cooking so it is safe to give it to kids, but if you want to still avoid giving it to your kids, you can use the above-mentioned substitute while making the Pasta.
Pro Tips By Neha
Let the sauce cook for a longer time, that is 15 to 20 minutes so that the alcohol in Vodka boils off, otherwise, it will leave a bad after taste.
Always use high quality ingredients for the best taste.
You can add vegetables and meat such as Italian Sausage, Meatballs, Pancetta, Bacon, Grilled Chicken, Grilled Shrimps, Zucchini, Mushrooms, Broccoli, or Olives to make it wholesome.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Penne Alla Vodka along with Garlic Bread or Bruschetta on the side. You can also serve some homemade Foccacia Bread or Dinner Rolls with your creamy Pasta.
Recipe Card
Penne Alla Vodka Recipe
Ingredients
- 300 gram Penne Pasta
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 2 tsp Garlic (minced)
- ½ cup Onion (finely chopped)
- ¼ cup Vodka
- 2 cups Crushed Tomatoes
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- Salt (to taste)
- Pepper (to taste)
- 10-12 Fresh Basil Leaves (torn)
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese (shredded)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta as per manufacturer’s instruction.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil and butter in a pan.
- Add garlic and onions and sauce for a minute.
- Add vodka and crushed tomatoes and cover and cook for 15-20 minutes on low heat.
- Now add heavy cream, salt, sugar and pepper.
- Add the cooked pasta and mix well.
- Add fresh basil and parmesan cheese.
- Cook until cheese melts.
- Serve hot.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!