0 from 33 votes
Penne alla Vodka
This pasta dish is easy to make and one the best vodka sauce recipes around. Vodka is used to add flavor to the sauce, but contrary to what some might believe, it does not add alcohol content to the dish because it cooks off.
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 561 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Italian
Ingredients
- 2 2 cups plum tomatoes finely chopped
- ¼ ¼ cup olive oil or 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2-3 2-3 cloves garlic very finely minced
- ¼ ¼ tsp red pepper flakes crushed
- ½ ½ cup heavy cream
- 2-4 2-4 tbsp vodka
- 1 1 lb penne rigate pasta
- parsley chopped, for garnishing
- parmigiano reggiano Grated
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients together and set a large pot of well-salted water on the stove-top to boil.
- Heat the olive oil (or butter) in a large sauce pan.
- Add the finely minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic begins to brown.
- Add the finely chopped tomatoes to the pan and season lightly with salt. Bring to a simmer.
- As the tomatoes break down (you can use tomato puree to speed this up), add the vodka and simmer until the vodka cooks off.
- Put the pasta into the boiling water to start cooking.
- About five minutes before the pasta is done (follow the instructions for length of time to cook pasta al dente printed on the pasta packaging), slowly pour the cream into the pan with the tomato sauce and cook over low heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove 1/4 cup of pasta water and set aside before draining the pasta in a colander.
- Add the cooked pasta and pasta water to the pan and stir until the pasta is coated entirely by pink sauce.
- Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with parsley and grated cheese to enjoy immediately.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Some people add pancetta, sweet Italian sausage, capers, or green peas to this dish. If adding pancetta, add it when you first heat the pan, add capers while the garlic is cooking, and add the green peas as you are adding the cream. These are not necessarily “traditional” additions, but neither is a sauce with vodka, so why not experiment?
Nutrition Information
Serving
100g
Calories
561kcal
(28%)
Carbohydrates
88g
(29%)
Protein
16g
(32%)
Fat
14g
(22%)
Saturated Fat
7g
(35%)
Cholesterol
41mg
(14%)
Sodium
151mg
(6%)
Potassium
349mg
(10%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
4g
(8%)
Vitamin A
729IU
(15%)
Vitamin C
5mg
(6%)
Calcium
53mg
(5%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 561
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 100g | |
| Calories | 561kcal | 28% |
| Carbohydrates | 88g | 29% |
| Protein | 16g | 32% |
| Fat | 14g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Cholesterol | 41mg | 14% |
| Sodium | 151mg | 6% |
| Potassium | 349mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 729IU | 15% |
| Vitamin C | 5mg | 6% |
| Calcium | 53mg | 5% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.