Creamy Vodka Pasta

A plate of vodka pasta with fresh basil, Italian bread and a striped towel in the background.

This creamy vodka sauce with penne is a classic American-Italian family favorite! My recipe is a quick and easy version that is sure to make your weeknight dinners way more delicious. Prepped and ready in 40 minutes.

Course dinner, Main, Main Course, Main dish

Cuisine Italian

Diet Low Salt

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 273kcal

Author Jessy Freimann

Equipment

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Olive oil
4 ounces pancetta, diced
1 cup finely diced onion
4 large garlic cloves minced or pressed
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¾ cup vodka
28 ounce can crushed Tomatoes
1 pound penne pasta, boiled 1 minute less than package directions for al dente
¾ cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons roughly chopped basil
2 Tablespoons grated Romano cheese or Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. On a different burner, bring large pot of water to a boil.
Add pancetta to skillet and sauté stirring often until almost crispy and beginning to brown, about 3-4 minutes.
Add onions, garlic and crushed red pepper to pan and continue sautéing stirring often until onions have softened, about 3 minutes.
Add vodka to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, scraping the brown bit from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Salt pasta water and add pasta to the pot of boiling water cooking to one minute under package directions.
Add crushed tomatoes to the pan and stir to combine.
Reduce heat to just below medium and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring periodically.
Stir in heavy cream and cook for 2 more minutes stirring periodically.
Add fresh basil and cheese and then use a slotted spoon to scoop pasta directly from the water into the pan of sauce.
Stir to combine and cook about 2 more minutes. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Buy your pancetta already diced if possible to make things easier.

I like to finely dice my onions so they cook down and soften quicker in the olive oil and melt into the sauce.

When you add the vodka it will bubble up quite a bit- this is a good sign! Use a wooden spoon to scrap all the delicious brown bits from the bottom of the pan. The vodka reduces and the alcohol cooks out to add even more great flavor to your sauce.

Once I add the tomatoes, I like to let it simmer for 10 minutes while stirring occasionally to let all the flavors come together.

Cook the penne pasta 1 minute less than package directions for al dente. It will finish cooking in the pan while the flavor of the sauce infuses the pasta. And don't forget to season the water with salt (like the sea!).

Make sure you don't rinse the drained pasta before adding it to the sauce. That starch from the pasta water helps the sauce stick to the pasta. Honestly, if you can, use a large slotted spoon to scoop the pasta from the water directly into the sauce instead of draining it in a colander.

Ingredients to prep ahead- Cut the pancetta if it isn't already, then dice and mince the onion and peel the garlic. The rest of my penne vodka pasta recipe moves really quickly, so there isn't any else you could prep.

Leftovers and storage- You can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of cream to liven it back up.

A close up image of a plate of penne vodka with fresh basil in the background.

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