Last Updated on June 19, 2025 by Michelle Mundy
Penne Pasta with Creamy Vodka Sauce is an easy weeknight meal of tender penne pasta with a flavorful homemade tomato, vodka and cream sauce.
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 Creamy Vodka Sauce
- Pasta – We like penne pasta because it is really good at trapping the delicious sauce. Substitutions included ziti, farfalle or fusilli pasta.
- Tomatoes – For convenience we use canned diced tomatoes and canned crushed tomatoes.
- Olive Oil – We use extra virgin olive oil but any olive oil, avocado oil, vegetable oil or canola oil may be used for this recipe.
- Garlic – Fresh, peeled and chopped or minced.
- Onion – Diced or chopped, depending on how chunky you want your sauce. We typically use yellow onion but white onion, sweet onion, red onion, or shallots may be used in equal amounts.
- Pantry Spices – Salt, pepper, dried basil.
- Vodka – Vodka gives the sauce a complex and delicious flavor and the alcohol portion totally cooks off, leaving just the flavor!
- Heavy Cream – If you don’t have heavy cream, substitutions include half and half or evaporated milk in equal amounts.
How to make Penne Pasta with Vodka Sauce
Penne Pasta with Creamy Vodka Sauce, or “Penne alla Vodka”, is a bright and flavorful pasta dish. A tomato based pasta sauce is lightened and brightened 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. Stirring often, cook until heated through and bubbling.
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the vodka.
Reduce heat to medium, return skillet to heat and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until alcohol has evaporated and sauce has slightly thickened.
Drizzle in 1/2 cup of heavy cream and stir until well combined.
Cook for one minute until heated through and serve immediately over penne pasta. Enjoy!
Other Easy Weeknight Pasta Recipes You May 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!
Spinach and Sausage 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 Creamy Vodka Sauce
Ingredients
Method
- 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. Stirring often, cook until heated through and bubbling.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the vodka. Reduce heat to medium, return skillet to heat and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until alcohol has evaporated and sauce has slightly thickened.
- Drizzle in 1/2 cup of heavy cream and stir until well combined. Cook for one minute until heated through and serve immediately over penne pasta. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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