Pasta is pure comfort food. It's easy, economical and as far as flavor, you can take it in so many directions. It's easy to make a restaurant quality pasta dish at home is by making a Vodka Penne recipe. It's different, creamy and delicious!
A favorite restaurant dish is Penne alla Vodka, the sauce is just SO good! I know my daughter wants to order it (or Chicken Francaise) every time were at an Italian restaurant). I especially like it when they add bits of pancetta to the sauce, mm-mmmm!
Vodka Sauce has a lovely flavor. Smooth, robust and creamy with tang from the vodka and a kick from the red pepper. It's a favorite pasta sauce of many. If you add in pancetta, you get delicious bits of it mingling with the sauce and pasta. It's Heaven on a plate!
The vodka adds some flavor complexity and will cook-off as the vodka sauce simmers and the addition of heavy cream makes it smooth and fabulous.
Table of Contents
Penne Vodka ingredients needed
- avocado or olive oil
- pancetta or bacon (optional but delicious)
- butter
- chopped onion
- garlic
- crushed tomatoes
- heavy cream
- Parmesan cheese
- fresh basil
- salt & pepper
- pasta
When it comes to sauces, the better quality your ingredients, the better your sauce will be.
You can make the sauce first and then cook your pasta when ready, it's up to you. You can also make the sauce ahead of time, just reheat the vodka sauce gently on low so the cheese and cream don't break (separate).
Tips for making perfect Vodka Sauce
- The better your ingredients, the better the result.
- Use San Marzano tomatoes if you can or fire roasted tomatoes (they really do both have deeper flavor).
- You can use whole canned tomatoes and crush them up with your hands, chopped tomatoes or crushed tomatoes. If you like chunks of tomato in your sauce, do it. If you want it smooth, use crushed.
- Only use freshly shredded Parmesan cheese for this, trust me.
- Use a good quality vodka.
- Have your ingredients prepped and ready to go before beginning to cook.
- Do not boil the sauce after the cream and cheese have been added. You risk "breaking" the added fat. Same goes for when you reheat it. Gently heat on low and just bring to a simmer.
- Fresh basil makes this dish sing!
IF you have an open tube or tube of tomato paste, stir in 2 TBS just as your onions & garlic are wilted before adding the crushed tomatoes. It is not necessary but it will add depth of flavor to you Vodka Sauce in my opinion.
Storage
- This sauce keeps well. You can make it a day or two ahead and store it in your refrigerator in a mason jar or container. Reheat gently when ready to use. DO NOT bring to a boil or you risk "breaking" / separating the sauce. heat until just a simmer begins.
- While its is not recommended to freeze cream or milk, the combination of this sauce with the tomatoes has frozen well for me. Allow it to fully that in the fridge for a day or two and then reheat gently. Store in freezer for up to 6 months.
- DO not place in freezer until sauce is completely cooled or it has been chilled in fridge.
I hope you enjoy this easy Vodka Penne Recipe! XO Colleen
Pasta Recipe To Try
Colleen Kennedy is the author of 3 cookbooks and has appeared on QVC and other shows inspiring home cooks of all levels. She has a popular TikTok channel @ColleensCooking with hundreds of short recipe videos. Colleen lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and kids, she started the food blog, Soufflé Bombay in 2009. Read more about her here.
Recipe originally published in 2009. Updated 2025. As I am not a R.D or Nutritionist, the nutritional information is provided via a WordPress plug in.
Penne Vodka
Ingredients
- 1 TBS olive oil
- ½ cup diced pancetta you can omit this or add more if you like
- 1 TBS butter
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves minced garlic or 1TBS garlic paste
- 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes if you enjoy tomato chunks in your sauce, you can use chopped or cut whole tomatoes from can
- 1 cup heavy or whipping cream
- ½ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese (often I add ¾ cup) or more to taste
- dash or two of red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup decent vodka
- 10 fresh basil leaves cut into ribbons
- 1 box penne pasta
- dash of S&P
- Optional garnish - shredded Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Cook your pancetta in a medium pot until it just begins to crisp, remove and drain on a paper towel.
- Place oil in the same pot over medium heat, add in chopped onion and sauté for 3 minutes or until onions are translucent.
- Add in garlic sauté for 1 minute and then add the tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes stirring often.
- Add in the vodka and allow it to simmer for another 5-7 minutes.
- Add in red pepper flakes and cream, simmer for just a few minutes until sauce bubbles.
- Remove from heat and stir in your freshly shredded Parmesan cheese.
- Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking and more red pepper if you wish.
- Stir in basil. Set aside until ready to use
- Serve over cooked penne pasta or your favorite pasta.
- Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese, basil and red pepper flakes.
Elizabeth says
This looks tasty! Hope to try it soon!
Crystal says
This looks great...I'll have to try it when I get a chance!
bridget {bake at 350} says
I love pasta, too! You're right...total comfort food! This is making me VERY hungry!
lisacharlesparsons says
Wow, that looks great. I am wondering can you taste the Vodka? I am not a Vodka drinker (only when it comes to Bloody Mary's) and was wondering if you could substitute with a White Wine??