Penne alla Vodka

5 from 19 votes

Recipe video above. I think this was THE viral pasta about 5 years ago - but I totally missed the trend (not cool enough 😅). While the young probably love that it's got vodka in it, I love it because you get to use a whole packet of pasta and a whole tub of tomato paste - no measuring, no waste!

Jokes aside, vodka adds depth and almost floral-like notes into the sauce without tasting boozy, and though not a standard step, cooking off the paste really lifts the flavour and cuts the sourness. Makes regular taste just as good as the pricier double-concentrate paste!

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Main

Cuisine: American-Italian, Italian

Keyword: pasta alla vodka, penne alla vodka, vodka sauce

Servings: - 5 people

Calories: 693cal

Author: Nagi

Ingredients

500g / 1 lb penne or ziti (rigatoni is also a fave, else any other pasta)
2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt , for pasta cooking water
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 small onion , finely diced (smaller dice than usual is better)
2 garlic cloves , finely minced
1/2 cup (140g / 4.5 oz) tomato paste (UK: tomato puree)
1 1/4 cups heavy / thickened cream (UK: double cream - Note 2)
1/3 cup vodka , or chicken stock/broth for alcohol free (Note 3)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (chilli flakes), 100% optional
3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for table salt)
Pinch black pepper
50g / 1 loosely packed cup freshly grated parmesan , plus more for serving (Note 4)
1/2 cup+ pasta cooking water (Note 5)
2 tsp parsley , finely chopped, for serving (optional)

Cups - Metric

Instructions

ABBREVIATED:

Sauté garlic and onion, cook off tomato paste, simmer with cream, vodka, chilli flakes, S&P 3 min, stir in parmesan at end. Toss with pasta and 1/2 cup pasta water, eat!

FULL RECIPE:

Cook pasta - Bring a large pot of water to the boil with the pasta salt. Cook pasta per the packet directions until al dente. (Meanwhile cook the sauce)
⭐️ Reserve pasta water - Just before draining, give the pasta a big stir to agitate the starch then scoop out a cup of the water. Then drain the pasta.

Vodka sauce:

Sauté - Heat the oil in a large pot or non-stick pan over medium high heat. Cook the onion and garlic for 1 1/2 minutes until translucent. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until it darkens in colour (lower heat if catching on base).
Make sauce - Add the cream, stir well to dissolve the tomato paste. Then add the chilli flakes, salt, pepper and vodka. Simmer on low for 3 minutes, stirring regularly. Stir in the parmesan until melted, then turn off the heat until the pasta is ready.
Toss! Add the pasta and 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Over medium heat on the stove, stir for 1 - 1 1/2 minutes until all the pasta is nicely coated with the rust coloured sauce, using extra pasta cooking water to loosen if needed.
Serve immediately in warmed pasta bowls* with a dusting of extra parmesan and pinch of parsley. Add a side of garlic bread and big Italian Salad, then finish with Tiramisu for a classic trattoria meal at home!

Notes

1. Tomato paste - I use regular, "double concentrate" is fine too, but use the same amount (flavour not any stronger to me though does have richer tomato flavour). Note: US tubes are 133g (4.5oz), Aussie cans & tubs are 140g, tubes are 130g. That 7g or 10g difference won’t ruin your dinner, promise! :)

2. Cream - I rarely say this, but low fat cream will work quite well here I think, the tomato paste thickens the sauce.

UK - Your double cream is like our thickened cream in Australia. Single cream works too - the parmesan and pasta water will thicken it.

3. Vodka - Like wine in cooking, vodka adds depth and complexity without leaving an alcoholic taste. You can swap it with a neutral gin or deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup dry white wine after the tomato paste. For alcohol-free, use chicken stock - it won’t give the same flavour but adds depth. Without, the sauce would be flat.

Cooking for kids? Add the vodka before the tomato paste and simmer to reduce by half to cook out the alcohol more thoroughly. It won't cook out completely though so if you can't consume ay alcohol at all (for example, medical reasons), use the stock substitution.

4. Freshly grated parmesan - Use a fine grater like a microplane and avoid pre-grated, which doesn’t melt smoothly and can make sauces grainy. 1 cup of parmesan may sound like alot but it's not, it's only a small 50g/1.75oz piece ((~4cm/1.6" cube) which increases massively in volume when finely shredded.

5. Pasta cooking water - key for pasta cooking! It increases the sauce volume so it’s not overly rich, and helps it cling to the pasta instead of pooling. The starch in pasta water emulsifies with the sauce’s fat, naturally thickening it. Cooking science at work!

* I like to use warmed pasta bowls as it prolongs the life of creamy pastas (30 seconds on high in the microwave for 1 bowl, 1 minute for 4 bowls).

Leftovers - Keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge, actually keeps better than most creamy pastas because the sauce is thicker. Microwave reheating is best, give it a good stir and splash of water if needed to loosen.

Nutrition per serving assuming 5 servings, reduce by 95 cal per serving if you use low fat cream instead (see Note 2).

Nutrition