Penne alla vodka is a creamy pasta dish made with vodka, tomatoes, and usually heavy cream. It isn’t quite everyone’s favorite pasta dish, but it’s pretty darn close.
It’s certainly one of my all-time favorites. You just can’t go wrong with light pink pasta sauces. Whenever I see it on a menu, I tend to order it, no matter what other tempting options there are.
Growing up, penne alla vodka was a major treat. It was a dish I usually saw in a chafing dish at a restaurant or party, because we rarely made it at home. My sister and I were the big pasta cooks in our house, and being underage at the time, we weren’t even cooking with wine, let alone distilled alcohol!
That said, the alcohol in this recipe cooks off, and there’s no harsh alcohol flavor. All you’re left with is a deliciously creamy, rich sauce.
I like to crisp up sausage in a pan and add it to my version. It adds an extra layer of flavor and texture to this penne alla vodka recipe. Set aside a bit of your sausage to garnish the pasta with, so your dining companions can see what’s in it!
How to Make Penne alla Vodka: Recipe Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain.
In a skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and fry the sausage until browned and crispy, breaking it up into smaller chunks.
Remove from the skillet and set aside.
Place the skillet back over medium heat, and add the butter, garlic, and onions. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and cook for another minute.
Carefully add the vodka (if your stove has an open flame, you can turn it off before adding it to prevent flare-ups), and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the tomato puree and bring to a simmer once again.
Turn down the heat to low. When the mixture stops bubbling, add the heavy cream, black pepper, and salt to taste.
Stir in the cooked sausage (reserve some sausage for topping if you like), cooked pasta and parmesan cheese…
And serve with plenty of additional parmesan for garnish.
Penne Alla Vodka with Crispy Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried penne (450g)
- Salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 ounces sweet Italian sausage (about 4 links, casings removed)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 medium white or yellow onion (finely chopped)
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
- ½ cup vodka
- 1 15 oz. can tomato puree or tomato sauce (425g)
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain.
- In a skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and fry the sausage until browned and crispy, breaking it up into smaller chunks. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Place the skillet back over medium heat, and add the butter, garlic, and onions. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and cook for another minute.
- Carefully add the vodka (if your stove has an open flame, you can turn it off before adding it to prevent flare-ups), and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the tomato puree and bring to a simmer once again. Turn down the heat to low. When the mixture stops bubbling, add the heavy cream, black pepper, and salt to taste.
- Stir in the cooked sausage (reserve some sausage for topping if you like), cooked pasta and parmesan cheese, and serve with plenty of additional parmesan for garnish.
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