Penne Alla Vodka is a creamy, delicious, and easy meal the whole family can dig into!
Penne Alla Vodka is an Italian dish that is an integral part of Italian-American cuisine. It gained popularity in the 1980s, but its exact origins are a little unclear. However, we can be certain that it is one of the tastiest things you can do with pasta. This recipe gives you a path to a restaurant-quality meal that’s perfectly balanced and very easy to make for a quickly-needed dinner.
The recipe keeps things simple and delicious, which is more true-to-form for good, traditional Italian food. Simple, high-quality ingredients without lots of fancy additions will give you a sauce that’s luxurious to the taste. The fresher the ingredients—for example, fresh basil rather than dried—the better your result!
On a school night or any weekday after a long day at work, quick food is the best. But you also want that quick food to be good and make you feel satisfied and happy when you eat it. You want food that feels like love and home. This is that food! I particularly enjoy how quickly I can make this penne alla vodka recipe while not sacrificing quality for speed. It’s a crowd-pleaser, for sure, so everyone in the house loves it.
Vivid Vodka
You might think that cooking with ¼ cup of vodka would make this recipe less than family-friendly, but never fear. While you cook, the majority of the alcohol evaporates out of the sauce. The result is child-friendly and isn’t boozy, yet still delicious. The vodka leaves a little tanginess that plays very nicely with the strong tastes of garlic and onion, as well as the acidity of tomatoes.
How to Make Ahead and Store?
You can make this dish and keep it in your refrigerator for about 4 days, reheating it in the microwave with a little splash of water to freshen it up. It’s not recommended to freeze the pasta or the completed dish. However, you can freeze just the sauce and keep it separately from the pasta for up to 3 months. Just defrost the sauce when you’re ready to make the pasta and eat.
To-meh-to, To-mah-to!
If you want to go the extra mile with this recipe, you may want to consider using fresh tomatoes instead of canned crushed tomatoes. Get about 6 medium-sized tomatoes, put them in a food processor, and cook them into your lovely sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Penne alla vodka doesn’t need a whole lot to go with it, but a little freshness can go a long way! You can start your meal off with a nice, light salad like a Cucumber and Tomato Salad or maybe an Arugula Caprese Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing that will complement the basil garnish on your penne alla vodka. Whatever salad you choose to serve, I recommend not going too heavy with the dressing! Penne alla vodka is a heavy, rich dish, and the light and bright flavors of a refreshing salad will go a long way as an appetizer without making you feel too full to enjoy your main meal.
While you don’t really need much in the way of other sides, you can opt for some delicious Garlic Rolls! These are tasty and garlicky on their own but are also good for getting the remaining sauce from the bottom of your plate so that you can enjoy every drop.
Penne Alla Vodka
Ingredients Â
- 8 ounces penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup vodka
- 1 can 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil chopped for garnish
InstructionsÂ
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Carefully pour in the vodka, letting it simmer for about 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook the sauce for about 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
- Reduce the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another 5 minutes until the sauce is heated through and slightly thickened.
- Add the cooked penne to the sauce, tossing to coat the pasta evenly.
- Serve the pasta garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped basil.
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