Penne alla Vodka Recipe
This creamy Penne alla Vodka Recipe is the perfect quick and easy dish! It is jam-packed with the rich blend of creamy, savory, and garlicky flavors in each tasty bite!
How to Make Penne alla Vodka
When I am in the mood for a quick and easy lunch or dinner, I make this Penne alla Vodka Recipe. It is truly a scrumptious dish that literally takes less than 30 minutes to make. The true star of this recipe is the creamy vodka sauce which elevates this pasta dish from good to AMAZING! To make this recipe, you will need the key ingredients shared below.
Key Ingredients
- Penne
- Tomato Paste
- Vodka (may substitute with water or vegetable broth)
- Onions
- Garlic
- Heavy Cream
- Parmesan Cheese
- Unsalted Butter
- Fresh Parsley
- Seasonings (Italian seasoning, red chili flakes, salt and black pepper)
Preparation
- Cook Pasta – boil pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Make Sauce – heat some oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add in the onions and garlic and cook until softened and fragrant. Mix in the tomato paste and cook until it starts to thicken and darken in color. Mix in the vodka and cook for an additional minute. Mix in the heavy cream and seasonings into the tomato paste mixture. Reduce heat to low. Allow the sauce to simmer for 2-3 minutes to thicken slightly. Next, mix in the Parmesan cheese.
- Mix in Pasta and Butter – add and mix the cooked pasta into the sauce to fully coat. Mix in some of the reserved pasta water to help loosen up the sauce if it is too thick. Mix in the butter. Once the butter is fully incorporated, remove the pan from the heat.
- Serve – garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately.
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Penne alla Vodka Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces of penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/3 cup white or yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves, finely minced
- 4 ounces tomato paste
- 1/4 cup vodka, may substitute with water or vegetable broth
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2/3 cups Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Bring an large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook pasta to al dente according to package instructions.
- As the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add in the onions and garlic and cook until softened and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
- Mix in the tomato paste and cook until it starts to thicken and darken in color, about 1-2 minutes.
- Mix in the vodka into the tomato mixture and cook for an additional minute. Next, mix in the heavy cream and seasonings (Italian seasoning, red chili flakes, salt and black pepper) into the tomato paste mixture.
- Reduce heat to low. Simmer the sauce for 2-3 minutes to thicken slightly. Mix in the Parmesan cheese.
- Drain the cooked pasta and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Add the pasta into the sauce and mix to fully coat. Mix in some of the reserved pasta water a little at a time, as needed, to loosen up the sauce if it is too thick.
- Mix the butter into the pasta. Once the butter is fully incorporated, remove the pan from the heat.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately, then enjoy!
