Penne Alla Vodka – perfectly hearty and tender penne pasta is tossed with a creamy and vibrant, San Marzano tomato based and vodka infused sauce that’s seasoned with fresh herbs and parmesan. Talk about delicious dinner recipe!
Penne alla Vodka (Best Vodka Sauce!)
Ingredients
- 1 (28 oz) can San Marzano tomatoes, crushed finely with hands*
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup minced yellow onion
- 3 oz. prosciutto, diced (optional)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic (3 cloves)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, more or less to taste
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 14 oz. penne pasta, plus reserved pasta water for thinning sauce as needed
Instructions
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Bring a pot of water to a boil to cook pasta. Season water with salt.
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Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and prosciutto saute 4 - 5 minutes, add garlic and red pepper flakes and saute 1 minute longer.
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Remove pan from heat and add tomatoes, vodka, season with salt and pepper to taste. Return to medium-high heat, bring to a simmer then reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer until strong alcohol scent has cooked off, about 15 minutes**, stirring occasionally.
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Meanwhile cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain pasta.
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Stir cream into sauce and let just heat through, about 1 minute. Stir in parmesan, basil and oregano.
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Add drained pasta to pot with sauce, toss to coat, while thinning sauce with a little pasta water as needed. Serve warm with more parmesan and garnish with more basil if desired.
Recipe Notes
- *For a smoother sauce you can blitz the tomatoes in a food processor or buy crushed San Marzano tomatoes if you can find them.
- **Be sure to allow enough time for sauce simmer or it will taste strongly of alcohol and that will overpower the flavors of the dish.
- Sauce can be frozen up to 3 months.
