Penne Alla Vodka
Serves 6 to 8
You don't need to go to a restaurant to get great penne alla vodka—this recipe is easy to make at home! It stars a delicious homemade vodka sauce that's creamy, silky, and packed with rich tomato flavor. The whole thing comes together in under 30 minutes, so it's perfect for weeknights.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- ¼ cup vodka, see note*
- 1 (14-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
- 1 pound tube-shaped pasta, such as penne or rigatoni
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Chopped fresh parsley or fresh basil leaves, for garnish
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, salt, and several grinds of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 8 minutes, or until softened.
- Add the red pepper flakes and tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, or until the tomato paste darkens. Stir in the vodka and let it cook down for 1 minute.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and their juices and stir to combine. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
- Allow the sauce to cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the pasta according to the package instructions, cooking until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- Return the blended sauce to the skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the cream, followed by ½ cup of the reserved pasta water. Add the pasta and stir to coat, adding more pasta water as needed to fully coat the pasta in a lightly creamy, glossy sauce.
- Season to taste and serve topped with fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese.
Notes
*The vodka still retains a slight amount of alcohol even after cooking. If you're making this sauce for kids or people who are avoiding alcohol, you may want to omit it and replace it with water, broth, or a tablespoon of vinegar.