• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Souffle Bombay logo
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipe Index
  • Work With Me
  • Press & PR
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipe Index
  • Work With Me
  • Privacy Policy
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Vodka Penne Recipe

    Aug 26, 2021 · 4 Comments

    55 shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Email
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Pasta is pure comfort food. Plus, it’s easy, economical and you can take it in so many directions. An easy way to make a restaurant quality pasta dish at home is by making an easy Vodka Penne recipe. It’s creamy and delicious!

    Penne in Vodka Cream Tomato Sauce

    Growing up every Sunday…and I mean every Sunday, my parents made a Perdue chicken with all the fixings for dinner. Some Sundays, my siblings and I (5 kids) Sunday were like “roast chicken again??” We often joked that we never wanted to see another roast chicken again as long as we lived.

    Flash forward to today, all my siblings and their families are busy, and dispersed here and there. I myself feel like I am always on the run with my kids and husband. My parents are no longer together. How I WISH for our Sunday roast chicken dinner with everyone around the table again. Playing a board game or two after dinner. Such simple times they were.

    I began exploring how to make all sorts of dishes I hadn’t had growing up such as this easy, delicious Vodka Penne recipe. The easy to make & creamy Vodka Cream Tomato Sauce mingling with the pasta and maybe a hunk of crusty bread for dipping is pure bliss!

    True story: When I was first married, one night after work, I cooked a Perdue chicken for dinner. I may have been seeking comfort. I missed the only home I had known a bit. You would think I could roast a chicken with my eyes closed haha! When the chicken was done, I pulled it from the oven to carve it and guess what? I carved off the legs but no white meat? I thought “what kind of a chicken doesn’t have white meat?” It late, around 8:00, I was hungry and tired. I got so upset, which is so not like me and I threw the chicken in the sink! I started to cry and ran to the bedroom to sulk.

    My husband who didn’t cook at all came to the bedroom to try and calm me down. He had known me for over 5 years and knew that I didn’t react this way to anything. He listened to me freak out about the store selling a chicken with no white meat and gently said. “Honey you cooked the chicken it upside down, all the meat is there”. I was like “oh” I was just looking to recreate the comfort I had from those Sunday dinners and look what I got lol!

    Soooo since we were starving at that point, I quickly whipped up this Vodka Penne recipe instead of ordering a pizza. I figured it would be much faster (and tastier). And it was.

    Vodka Penne Recipe

    How To make Penne alla Vodka

    Gather your ingredients:

    • grapeseed or olive oil
    • pancetta or bacon
    • butter
    • chopped onion
    • garlic
    • crushed tomatoes
    • heavy cream
    • Parmesan cheese
    • fresh basil
    • salt & pepper
    • pasta

    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. Next, add 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.

    You can make the sauce first and then cook your pasta. Up to you. You can also make the sauce ahead of time, just reheat the sauce gently on low so the cheese and cream don’t break.

    Vodka Penne Recipe

    Tips for making perfect Penne 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!

    I hope you enjoy this easy Vodka Penne Recipe!

    Colleen

    As I am not a R.D or Nutritionist, the nutritional information is provided via a WordPress plug in. Recipe originally posted December 2009, updated August, 2021 with new photos and updated text.

    Print Recipe

    Penne Vodka

    Penne ala Vodka is one of those recipes you will find yourself making again and again. I enjoy it with pancetta however you can easily make it vegetarian as well.
    Course: Entree, pasta
    Cuisine: Italian, Italian American
    Keyword: penne vodka sauce, vodka penne recipe
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 477kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 TBS olive oil
    • 1/2 cup diced pancetta you can omit this or add more if you like
    • 1 TBS butter
    • 1/2 cup chopped onion
    • 1 clove minced garlic or 1/2 TBS 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
    • 1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese (often I add 3/4 cup) or more to taste
    • dash or two of red pepper flakes
    • 1/4 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.

    Notes

    The better your ingredients the better the dish. 
    Use a quality PLAIN vodka you would enjoy in a cocktail (I use Tito’s).
    If you can use San Marzano tomatoes or use fire roasted tomatoes. They have more depth of flavor.
    You can substitute chopped bacon for the pancetta if you like OR leave it out and enjoy this vegetarian.
    Fresh basil really does give this sauce great flavor.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 4servings | Calories: 477kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 445mg | Potassium: 146mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1072IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 194mg | Iron: 1mg

    55 shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Email

    Entrees, pasta Penne in a Vodka Cream Tomato Sauce, Recipe

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Elizabeth says

      December 18, 2009 at 6:01 pm

      This looks tasty! Hope to try it soon!

      Reply
    2. Crystal says

      December 18, 2009 at 8:01 pm

      This looks great…I'll have to try it when I get a chance!

      Reply
    3. bridget {bake at 350} says

      December 20, 2009 at 12:26 am

      I love pasta, too! You're right…total comfort food! This is making me VERY hungry!

      Reply
    4. lisacharlesparsons says

      December 20, 2009 at 2:47 am

      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??

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome! It doesn't take much effort to whip up delicious food & drinks that leave an impression. ANYONE can cook, they just have to want to!

    More about me →

    Available on Amazon

    Kid Chef Everyday Cookbook for Kids

    Popular

    • Easy Apple Fritters
    • Prize Winning Key Lime Pie Recipe
    • The BEST (and Easiest) Salsa Recipe
    • Spicy Bloody Mary
    • Brownie Cookies Recipe
    • Asian Pork Meatballs With Ginger Honey Sauce

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Follow Us

    Contact

    • Work With Me

    Copyright © 2021 Souffle Bombay