Satisfy your Italian craving with the rich and creamy flavor of penne alla vodka, made with San Marzano tomatoes. This classic Italian comfort food is popular with Americans due to its simplicity and rustic Italian flavor. This pasta dish is of the easiest dinner ideas that will impress everyone at your dining table.
In this recipe, you will learn how to make penne alla vodka sauce and get useful cooking tips to make it an unforgettable Italian meal. The homemade Vodka sauce is so good that you can pair it with any type of pasta you like.
This Italian pasta dish is inspired by other pasta recipes on my site Gnocchi with Mascarpone and Tomato Sauce and Creamy Chicken and Chorizo Pasta
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Why You'll Love this Penne Alla Vodka recipe
- Rich flavor. The sauce uses San Marzano tomatoes, pancetta, and vodka to enhance the flavor. It is cooked slowly which allows the sauce to thicken, concentrate the flavor, and be less acidic.
- Easy to make. Even beginner chefs will be proud and can impress others with this one, just follow the simple steps.
- Versatile. This pasta tastes good by itself but also can be paired with any protein of your choice.
Ingredients
To make penne alla vodka at home, you'll need the following ingredients:
- Penne. Penne is an extruded type of pasta with cylinder-shaped pieces and their ends cut at an angle. I used regular-size penne instead of small ones.
- San Marzano tomatoes. I used canned San Marzano tomatoes with no herbs added. If you have any access to fresh San Marzano tomatoes, feel free to use them.
- Pancetta. It's an optional ingredient. If you are avoiding meat or pork products, feel free to skip the pancetta.
- Aromatic Vegetables. I used a combination of yellow onion and garlic to add sweetness and umami flavor to the sauce.
- Vodka. You can use a newly bought bottle but it's fine to grab it from an opened bottle, too. The Vodka adds a bright flavor and helps emulsify the cream and tomatoes together. It's a must-have ingredient to make vodka sauce, so don't skip it.
- Heavy cream. It's used to add creaminess and cut the acidity of the sauce.
- Pecorino cheese. This hard and salty Italian cheese adds a deep savory cheese flavor to the sauce. If you have no access to Pecorino cheese, use aged parmesan cheese instead.
How to Make Vodka Sauce with Penne
Step 1. Cook the Pancetta and Aromatic Vegetables
- In a deep skillet or dutch oven, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add pancetta and onion, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often until the onion is softened and the pancetta is crispy.
- Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir for about 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
Step 2. Add Vodka and San Marzano Tomatoes
- Add vodka and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until it's almost gone.
- Pour in the San Marzano tomatoes and simmer, uncovered for 20-25 minutes until the sauce is thickened or chunkier.
Step 3. Cook the Pasta
- While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta until al dente.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drained and reserve some pasta water for the sauce.
Step 4. Add Pasta to the Sauce
- Once the sauce is thickened, add heavy cream and stir until smooth and combined.
- Put the cooked pasta into the sauce and add ¼ cup of pasta water to the sauce.
- Add pecorino cheese and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and black pepper if necessary.
The Best Type of Tomatoes to Use for Alla Vodka
If you want to achieve a great-tasting alla vodka sauce, it is best to use canned whole San Marzano tomatoes. San Marzano tomatoes are a type of plum tomato that has a low seed count, meaty texture, and a slightly sweet flavor that is not too acidic.
For a more rich and more flavorful sauce, use whole canned tomatoes, rather than diced or crushed tomatoes. Whole canned tomatoes in juice are less processed and more versatile.
How to Crush Whole Canned Tomatoes
Follow these simple steps to crush San Marzano tomatoes.
Step 1. Carefully open the can of San Marzano tomatoes.
Step 2. Pour the tomatoes into a large bowl.
Step 3. Use your clean hands or a potato masher to gently crush the tomatoes into smaller pieces.
Tips for the Best Vodka Sauce
- Canned San Marzano Tomatoes. If possible, find canned San Marzano tomatoes that are pure, less acidic, or don't contain citric acid.
- Crush the tomatoes. If you buy canned whole San Marzano tomatoes, you need to crush the tomatoes with your hands, a food processor, or a blender before adding them to the sauce. How your crush the tomatoes will affect the final texture of the sauce.
- Season it. If you like, you can season the sauce with fresh Italian herbs such as basil.
- Use fresh ingredients. The fresher the ingredients the better the sauce tastes, it's that simple.
- Gently cook the aromatic vegetables and tomatoes. This will allow the onions' natural sugars to break down evenly. As a result, the sauce will become less acidic.
FAQ
You can use rigatoni, cannelloni, ziti, paccheri, and other tubular pasta because they can capture more sauce.
You can use prosciutto to give a more intense flavor than pancetta.
You can use butter as fat instead of pancetta. Just sweat the onion and garlic in oil and butter.
You can use aged parmesan cheese instead.
I do not recommend it as acidic tomatoes will wear off the non-stick coating.
Storage
Discard any leftovers that have been left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature or 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F. You can learn more here.
- Let the penne alla vodka cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
- Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container.
- Store the leftovers for 2-3 days in the fridge or up to 2 months in the freezer.
How to Reheat
You can reheat the leftover penne alla vodka in a microwave or on the stove.
Option 1. In a microwave
- Place a single serving of penne alla vodka in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Add a small amount of water or broth then stir.
- Cover the dish with a microwave-safe lid.
- Reheat the leftovers at medium heat, in 90-second intervals, stirring between each.
Option 2. On the stove
- Place the leftovers in a skillet.
- Add a small amount of liquid such as water or broth then stir.
- Reheat the leftovers at medium heat.
- Stir your penne frequently for about two to five minutes or until hot.
I hope you'll enjoy this recipe and share it with friends! If you try it and don't mind, please leave me a comment and/or give this recipe a rating.
📖 Recipe
Penne alla Vodka
Ingredients
- 14 oz dried penne pasta
- 1 can (28 oz) whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes (gently crush with hands)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 oz pancetta (diced)
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup freshly grated pecorino cheese (and more for serving)
- ½ cup Vodka
- ¼ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
- salt and black pepper
- freshly chopped parsley, oregano, and/or basil leaves
Method
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil to cook pasta later. Season with salt.
- In a deep pot, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add pancetta and onion, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often until the onion is softened and the pancetta is crispy.
- Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add vodka and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until it's almost gone.
- Pour in the San Marzano tomatoes and simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes or until the sauce is thickened. Stirring occasionally.
- While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and reserve some of pasta water for the sauce.
- Once the sauce is thickened, add heavy cream and stir until smooth.
- Add cooked pasta and ¼ cup of pasta water (or more as needed). Toss to coat.
- Add pecorino cheese and stir to combine.
- Taste and season with salt and black pepper if necessary. Serve with fresh herbs of your choice and grated cheese.
Nutrition
Notes
- Canned San Marzano Tomatoes. If possible, find canned San Marzano tomatoes that are pure, less acidic, or don't contain citric acid.
- Crush the tomatoes. If you buy canned whole San Marzano tomatoes, you need to crush the tomatoes with your hands, a food processor, or a blender before adding them to the sauce. How your crush the tomatoes will affect the final texture of the sauce.
- For a thinner sauce. If the sauce is too thick to your liking, add a bit more pasta water to the sauce until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Season it. If you like, you can season the sauce with fresh Italian herbs such as basil.
- Storage. Store the leftovers for 2-3 days in the fridge or up to 2 months in the freezer.
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