Insanely Flavorful Penne Alla Vodka
If you’re looking for an indulgent dinner option that’s guaranteed to impress, you’re going to LOVE today’s penne alla vodka recipe. I don’t say that lightly. Today’s recipe is truly spectacular and satisfying. It has an incredible depth of flavor (despite the fact that it’s meatless, it rivals my beef ragu in flavor) that is perfectly balanced and restaurant-quality. It reminds me a bit of my tomato soup in that the sauce is not overly-acidic from the tomatoes, but creamy and rich instead. And that sauce… truly other-worldly. I’m not stingy with it, either. There’s plenty to luxuriously and generously coat every penne noodle, while still leaving plenty to go around and to be sopped up with garlic knots. My pasta alla vodka recipe doesn’t require much hands-on time but I do strongly recommend allowing it 30 minutes of simmering for best flavor. And that vodka? It isn’t just for show; it helps give the sauce a creamy, velvety mouthfeel and adds to the depth of flavor. It’s a key component of this recipe.
Why you’ll love it:
Takes just 1 hour to make from start-to-finish.Uses whole tomatoes (that you’ll crush yourself) for the best flavor.Pairs well with seared chicken or shrimp, plus homemade breadsticks for dipping.Can be made as mild or spicy as you like!
What You Need
Here are the key ingredients that make this pasta alla vodka so insanely irresistible:
Tomatoes. I prefer to use whole tomatoes and feel they make a better sauce, but you could substitute crushed tomatoes in a pinch.Vodka. Use a plain, unflavored vodka. Pretty much any brand will work here, it doesn’t need to be the most expensive brand. I do not have a recommended substitute if you do not wish to use vodka, it would completely change the dish. Heavy cream. We’ll be using a fair bit of cream to temper the tomatoes. This dish is definitely indulgent comfort food! Red pepper flakes. Red pepper adds a nice subtle heat. If you like penne alla vodka to be spicy, double the amount I have listed. Or, if you don’t want any heat, just leave it out!Pasta. Penne is usually the norm, but you really can use any type of noodle to make it pasta alla vodka. Rigatoni would work just as well, as would any thicker noodle that will allow the sauce to cling to it.
SAM’S TIP: Save your pasta water! It also adds flavor and helps the sauce cling perfectly to the noodles. This a simple trick I use in many of my pasta recipes (like beef ragu). Pasta water is liquid gold! Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Pasta Alla Vodka
SAM’S TIP: You won’t need the full cup of pasta water, but you can save the rest for warming up leftovers the next day. Since the pasta absorbs much of the liquid, leftovers can seem dry, I’ll usually reheat then with a splash of pasta water to make them creamy and saucy again. I hope you enjoyed today’s savory recipe. We’ll be back to sweets on Thursday 😊 Enjoy! Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
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