This penne alla vodka uses both whole tomatoes and tomato paste along with a splash of cream to make a vodka sauce with plenty of depth. The defining detail in this recipe is adding the zest of a lemon to the vodka. It lends a fragrant brightness to the whole preparation, making this family favorite extra special.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Zest of 1 lemon (thin strips) | — |
| Vodka (with lemon zest) | 1/3 cup |
| Whole canned tomatoes (include juices) | 14 oz |
| Dried penne / rigatoni / gemelli | 1 lb |
| Extra-virgin olive oil or butter | 3 tbsp |
| Onion (or 3 shallots), diced | 1 medium |
| Garlic, thinly sliced | 8 cloves |
| Red chile flakes | 1 tsp |
| Tomato paste | 1/3 cup |
| Heavy cream | 1/3 cup |
| Fine sea salt | 1 tsp |
| Freshly grated Parmesan & fresh basil | To serve |
Quite honestly, I don’t tend to keep vodka in my pantry. So I have to plan ahead when I want to make this. In a pinch, if you have tequila and not vodka, go ahead and make the swap. Super good.
My favorite way to make penne alla vodka spice is to add a bit of spicy Calabrian pepper paste (the one I buy most is called Bomba di Calabria)) to the sauce at the same time the tomato paste is added. Go easy, some of these pastes are wildly spicy. A finishing drizzle of a spicy chile olive oil can add dimension and another layer of heat. I like Brightland’s chili olive oil for this (not sponsored, just a fan), or drizzle a few drops of oil from the jar of Calabrian pepper paste.
You can make this recipe vegan by skipping the Parmesan, using olive oil to simmer the onions, and using a cashew cream in place of heavy cream. To make cashew cream, soak 1 cup of cashews in 1 cup of water for thirty minutes or so. Puree in high-speed blends until silky smooth.
Back To Top