Penne Pasta with Vodka Sauce is an easy to make weeknight meal of tender penne pasta with a light and flavorful tomato, vodka and cream sauce. Restaurant quality in about 30 minutes!
Pasta is an easy mid-week meal that is great for busy families, but variety is the key! Penne Pasta with Vodka Sauce is easy to make and the lighter creamy sauce is bright and flavorful.
Vodka gives the sauce a depth and the alcohol portion totally cooks off, leaving a sauce that really takes the meal to a restaurant level without ever leaving your kitchen. Delicious!
What you’ll need to make Penne Pasta with Vodka Sauce
- penne pasta
- canned diced tomatoes
- canned crushed tomatoes
- olive oil
- minced garlic
- onion, diced
- salt & pepper
- basil
- vodka
- heavy cream
How to make Penne Pasta with Vodka Sauce
Penne Pasta with Vodka Sauce, or Penne alla Vodka, is a bright and flavorful pasta dish. A tomato based pasta sauce is lightened up with the addition of heavy cream and vodka.
Delicious and satisfying, it’s restaurant quality weeknight meal, ready in about 30 minutes.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook penne pasta according to package directions.
In the meantime, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper and basil, stir and cook until heated through and bubbling.
Remove from heat and add vodka. Stir in well, reduce heat to medium and return skillet to heat.
Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until alcohol has evaporated and sauce is slightly thickened.
Add 1/2 cup of heavy cream and stir until well combined.
Cook for one minute until heated through and serve over Penne pasta.
This is a simple recipe but it is so flavorful that it makes mid-week dinner seem like a special occasion. Enjoy!
Other Weeknight Pasta Recipes You Might Like
Weeknight Pasta Primavera – tender pasta and crisp, fresh veggies in a rich, creamy garlic sauce for a deliciously satisfying family dinner.
Weeknight Shrimp Portofino – A light pasta dish featuring shrimp and marinated artichokes, perfect weeknight fare.
Creamy Chicken Linguine with Brie – chicken and creamy pasta with hints of fennel and lemon.
Weeknight Lasagna with Meat Sauce – Made with available on hand pantry ingredients – simple, satisfying and delicious!
Spaghetti Pie – With Italian sausage and spinach hidden inside this is an unexpectedly good (and super easy!) weeknight creation that the entire family will love.
Penne Pasta with Vodka Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 cups penne pasta
- 1 can diced tomatoes 14 oz
- 1 can crushed tomatoes 14 oz
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 1/3 cup vodka
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook penne pasta according to package directions.
- In the meantime, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper and basil and cook until heated through and bubbling.
- Remove from heat and add vodka. Stir in well, reduce heat to medium and return skillet to heat. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until alcohol has evaporated and sauce is slightly thickened.
- Add 1/2 cup of heavy cream and stir until well combined. Cook for one minute until heated through and serve over penne pasta. Enjoy!
Nutrition *
* The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
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