This penne alla vodka recipe is a hearty Italian-American classic that’s ready in 30 minutes.
Penne pasta is tossed into a creamy tomatoa Vodka sauce with pancetta, whole tomatoes, and parmesan cheese.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights For Penne alla Vodka
I love this meal because it’s an easy dish in just one pan and quick enough for a weeknight meal.
- Flavor: This sauce is a slightly creamy tomato sauce; you cannot taste the vodka once the sauce is cooked.
- Difficulty: It’s a relatively easy meal—great for something quick that feels a bit fancy!
- Technique: Cook the garlic just until fragrant; if it browns, the flavor can become bitter.
- Swaps: Pancetta adds great flavor but can be replaced with chopped bacon.
What’s in Penne Alla Vodka?
- Pasta: Penne or other sturdy noodles like bucatini, rotini, rigatoni, and farfalle allow the sauce to cling.
- Pancetta: Pancetta adds a salty umami (savory flavor) to the sauce, but if you can’t find it, bacon or prosciutto will work in place.
- Vodka: You can’t taste the boozy flavor of the vodka but it really does add something special to the sauce.
- Tomatoes: Use high-quality tomatoes like San Marzano tomatoes for the best results. I find whole tomatoes to provide a better texture compared to diced but diced tomatoes can be used in a pinch.
Variations: Other proteins to try are Italian sausage, meatballs, anchovies, shrimp, or even leftover chicken. Garnish with some fresh basil and black pepper to taste.
Make Penne Alla Vodka in 30 Minutes!
- Cook pasta until al dente (do not rinse).
- While the past is cooking, cook pancetta (recipe below).
- Add vodka, tomatoes, chili flakes, and simmer. Stir in cream, pasta, and Parmesan.
- Serve in bowls with parsley and remaining parmesan cheese.
Storing Leftovers
Keep leftover penne alla vodka in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat portions in the microwave or stovetop with a bit of cream to loosen the sauce.
Freeze sauce separately from the pasta in zippered bags for up to 4 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on low while whisking to incorporate the dairy. Serve over fresh pasta!
Penne Alla Vodka Goes Great With…
Did you enjoy this Penne Alla Vodka Recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below.
Penne alla Vodka
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne cooked al dente
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 ounces pancetta chopped
- ⅓ cup vodka
- 28 ounces whole Italian tomatoes with juices
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ⅔ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese divided
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- In a medium pot, cook penne until al dente.
- Meanwhile, in a saucepan, cook garlic in butter over medium-low heat until fragrant. Add pancetta and cook 2 more minutes.
- Add vodka and cook 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes (with juice) and chili flakes, and slightly break it up with a spoon. Simmer 8-10 minutes.
- Add cream and cook 5 minutes. Add penne to the sauce and cook 1 minute to combine flavors. Season with salt and pepper.
- Remove from heat, stir in ½ cup parmesan cheese.
- Place in bowls and top with parsley and remaining parmesan cheese.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine Italian© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
OMG! This is so delicious; it made four generous portions. Super easy to make. I ate one and the other three are going in the freezer. If I wasn’t on Weight Watchers, I think I would’ve eaten the whole pot in one sitting, lol.
So glad you loved it Joanne!
Delicious and easy recipe to make! Thanks Holly for all your delicious and easy to make recipes!
I can’t cook worth a damn. Yet, I made this dish and it was awesome! Thank you, Holly!
So happy to hear that, Henrick!
Excellent recipe.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.
Huge hit with the kids! I was hoping they would just eat it and not complain but they absolutely loved it and asked for seconds!
That is the best possible outcome. So glad they loved this recipe, Nic!
First time making Penne alla Vodka. Recipe was quick and easy. Whole family loved it! Will be making again. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome Angela! So glad your family loved it!
This is one of my favorite recipes to make!
Could this be made ahead and stored in the freezer?
We haven’t tried freezing this recipe but I would love to hear how it turns out if you do Robert!
Made this on a whim and we loved it. My husband just let me know that he has eaten the last of it and is begging for more. I followed the recipe exactly except had only plain whole tomatoes so I generously added Italian seasoning to them. Worked great. Just before serving I added 2-1 parmesan & mozzarella. I used a little less than a lb of penne. My suggestion to first timers is to measure out all sauce ingredients into little containers before starting…things don’t cook long before the next ingredient is needed, so it avoided confusion. Delicious! (BTW had my doubts about the Pancetta, but it was fantastic…I wouldn’t substitute anything else)
I’m so glad you both loved it. Thank you for sharing your tips!
It was good but not great. Better pasta Alla vodka recipes out there. Needs some tomato paste and olive oil added in. Fresh mozzarella would be a good touch too.
I made this for my husband who loves vodka sauce. I was a little skeptical but my whole family loved it!!! I will definitely be making this again. It is super easy and quick to make and the whole family had seconds!
So happy to hear that Fran!
This was delicious! So simple yet flavorful. My husband and I loved it.
So happy to hear that Kristen!
Pancetta was crazy expensive so ended up using bacon instead. Didn’t have Italian tomatoes so added Italian seasoning to regular canned tomatoes. Everyone in the house LOVED it and kids asked if we could make it again and again.
I am so glad your family enjoyed this recipe Leah!
Can I make it with hamburger meat
We’ve only made this recipe as listed, but hamburger meat would probably taste delicious Lisa!