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Penne with Vodka Sauce

This Penne with Vodka Sauce has just the right balance of savory, tangy, spicy, and creamy. Plus, it tastes rich and creamy yet not heavy. Leftovers are great, too!

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 889 kcal
Course: Main Course , Dinner
Cuisine: Italian-American Fussion

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Italian sausage no casings
  • 28 oz Italian diced tomatoes canned, juices reserved
  • 2 TB olive oil
  • ½ onion chopped
  • 1 TB tomato paste
  • 4 cloves cloves minced
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • table salt to taste
  • ⅓ cup vodka
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ½ lb dried penne
  • 2 TB fresh basil leaves minced
  • freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a saucepan over medium high heat, cook and crumble sausage until cooked through. Set aside.
  2. In a food processor, puree half of the diced tomatoes until smooth. Combine pureed and diced tomatoes, including juices.
  3. Heat oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium. Add onion and tomato paste, stirring, until onion is light golden, 3 min.
  4. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring, 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes with juice and 1/2 tsp salt. Remove pan from heat and add vodka.
  5. Return pan to medium high and simmer 8 -10 minutes, stirring often and lowering heat if simmering is vigorous. Stir in cream and cooked sausage and cook to heat up 1 min. Turn heat off and keep warm.
  6. While sauce is simmering: bring large pot of well salted water to boil. Cook pasta until just shy of al dente (about a minute less than package instructions for al dente) Reserve 1/2 up of pasta water. Drain pasta but don't rinse, and return it to the pot.
  7. Add the warm tomato sauce mixture and toss over medium heat, until pasta absorbs some of the sauce, 1-2 min. Adjust consistency of sauce with the reserved pasta water as needed.
  8. Stir in basil, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with fresh parmesan.

Notes

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  • Feel free to use mild or spicy Italian sausage, depending on your preference for heat.
  • Pureeing half of the diced tomatoes is a great trick to give the sauce a smooth, velvety texture without losing the chunky tomato bits that add a nice contrast.
  • Cook the penne just shy of al dente, as it will continue to cook when you toss it with the sauce. This ensures that your pasta will be perfectly cooked and not mushy.
  • Don't skip the step of reserving pasta water. This starchy liquid is a secret weapon for adjusting the consistency of your sauce and helping it adhere to the pasta.
  • This recipe is part of our 30-Minute Meals Collection.
  • Serve your Penne with Vodka Sauce with some freshly grated parmesan cheese on top and Rosemary Garlic Bread or Olive Garden Breadsticks on the side.

Nutrition Information

Calories 889kcal (44%) Carbohydrates 62g (21%) Protein 28g (56%) Fat 55g (85%) Saturated Fat 21g (105%) Polyunsaturated Fat 6g Monounsaturated Fat 24g Cholesterol 120mg (40%) Sodium 1137mg (47%) Potassium 1101mg (31%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 12g (24%) Vitamin A 1015IU (20%) Vitamin C 24mg (27%) Calcium 132mg (13%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 889

% Daily Value*

Calories 889kcal 44%
Carbohydrates 62g 21%
Protein 28g 56%
Fat 55g 85%
Saturated Fat 21g 105%
Polyunsaturated Fat 6g 35%
Monounsaturated Fat 24g 120%
Cholesterol 120mg 40%
Sodium 1137mg 47%
Potassium 1101mg 23%
Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 12g 24%
Vitamin A 1015IU 20%
Vitamin C 24mg 27%
Calcium 132mg 13%
Iron 5mg 28%

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