Description
Penne alla Vodka is a creamy, flavorful pasta dish combining tender penne with a rich sauce made from tomato paste, vodka, and heavy cream, enhanced with garlic, onion, and fresh basil. Perfect for a comforting dinner, this recipe is easy to prepare and serves four.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 ounces uncooked penne pasta
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 small onion chopped finely
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/4 cup vodka
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 3/4 cup heavy/whipping cream
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Fresh basil, sliced thin optional, to taste
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese optional, to taste
Instructions
- Boil the pasta: Bring a generously salted pot of water to a boil and cook the penne pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics: Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened and lightly browned.
- Add garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Deglaze with vodka: Pour in the vodka and allow the sauce to bubble for approximately 30 seconds to cook off the alcohol.
- Incorporate tomato paste: Stir in the tomato paste until the mixture is smooth and evenly combined.
- Add cream and thicken: Pour in the heavy cream and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let the sauce warm and thicken for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook longer if a thicker sauce is desired.
- Season and finish: Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the fresh basil if using. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a splash of hot pasta water.
- Toss and serve: Combine the drained pasta with the sauce. Serve immediately garnished with freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- Do not substitute heavy cream with milk or half-and-half as it may cause curdling and reduce creaminess.
- Use a high-quality tomato paste, preferably from tubes like DeLallo or Mutti, for best flavor.
- This recipe yields 4 moderately sized servings and pairs well with a fresh salad due to its richness.
- For larger appetites or no side dishes, double the recipe accordingly.
- Any skillet will work, but a 10.25″ skillet was used for this preparation.
- This recipe is from the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials cookbook, page 23.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 380 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
