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Dairy Free Penne Alla Vodka

This creamy dairy free penne alla vodka has a flavorful vegan vodka sauce made with almond milk or oatmilk. Healthy and delicious!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 644 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup raw almonds, soaked in water for at least 4 hours or up to 10 hours if you have a high-powered blended such as a Vitamix, you can skip the soak
  • ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts optional, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup vodka
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 28- ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 pound whole wheat penne or similar whole wheat pasta
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • Thinly sliced fresh basil or chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drain the almonds, then place them in a blender with the almond milk. Puree until smooth, thick, and creamy. Depending upon your blender, this may take several minutes and you may need to stop and scrape down the blender a few times. The mixture will be the consistency of a paste and will have brown flecks of almond skin in it. Set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, in a very large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium high heat. Once hot, add the chicken. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Sauté until lightly browned on all sides and cooked through, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside. Make sure you have the vodka measured and on hand.
  3. To the same pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Let warm up, then add the onion and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until the onion begins to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes, then add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn it.
  4. Carefully add the vodka (be especially careful if your stove has an open flame). Scrape to deglaze the pan, then let the vodka cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Bring this sauce to a steady simmer, then reduce the heat to a low simmer over medium low, adjusting the heat as needed so that the sauce simmers gently (you want it to continue to reduce but not bubble aggressively). Let simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the blended almond mixture until the sauce is smooth and the almond mixture is well incorporated (the sauce will turn a light, creamy red color). Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
  5. While the sauce simmers, cook the pasta in the boiling water to al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid, then drain the pasta and immediately add it to the sauce. Toss to coat the pasta, then stir in the chicken, adding a bit of the pasta cooking liquid to loosen the sauce as needed. Stir in the nutritional yeast. Serve hot, sprinkled with basil or parsley.

Notes

  • TO STORE: Keep leftover dairy free penne all vodka in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • TO REHEAT: Gently rewarm leftovers in a Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-low heat, splashing in broth, almond milk, or water as needed to loosen the sauce. Or, reheat this recipe in the microwave.
  • TO FREEZE: Freeze in an airtight freezer-safe storage container in for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1of 6 Calories 644kcal (32%) Carbohydrates 64g (21%) Protein 33g (66%) Fat 18g (28%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3g Monounsaturated Fat 10g Trans Fat 0.01g Cholesterol 48mg (16%) Potassium 900mg (26%) Fiber 11g (44%) Sugar 9g (18%) Vitamin A 346IU (7%) Vitamin C 15mg (17%) Calcium 146mg (15%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 644

% Daily Value*

Serving 1of 6
Calories 644kcal 32%
Carbohydrates 64g 21%
Protein 33g 66%
Fat 18g 28%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g 18%
Monounsaturated Fat 10g 50%
Trans Fat 0.01g 1%
Cholesterol 48mg 16%
Potassium 900mg 19%
Fiber 11g 44%
Sugar 9g 18%
Vitamin A 346IU 7%
Vitamin C 15mg 17%
Calcium 146mg 15%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.