The Best Penne alla Vodka Recipe

Why you'll love it

Penne alla vodka is one of those recipes that seems super fancy, but in reality it only takes as long to cook the sauce as it does to boil the water for the pasta! It's quick and easy, and you'll appreciate how few ingredients you need for it.

The key to making creamy vodka sauce extra amazing is using tomato paste. It's a total game changer. I've tried everything from fresh tomatoes to canned tomatoes, but nothing comes even close to the luxurious, velvety taste when using tomato paste. An added bonus is that you don't need to spend ages cooking the sauce down like you would with other varieties of canned tomatoes.

Ingredients you'll need

• Penne - this is the classic variety for this dish, but if you can't find it, another similar sized shape will be fine
• Olive oil and butter - for sautéing
• Onion and garlic - our flavorful aromatic base. I like sweet Vidalia onions best, and this garlic press makes mincing the garlic totally effortless.
• Vodka - the signature flavor in the sauce. You don't need to buy a premium one by any means, but I'd avoid the very cheapest too. Any clean and neutral brand will be fine. We like SKYY or Absolut.
• Tomato paste - it gives the best taste and consistency. I like a good-quality tube, not the canned kind. Try Mutti or DeLallo. It's a vibrant and concentrated tomato flavor.
• Heavy cream - for that irresistible creaminess

How to make penne alla vodka

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

Boil the penne. Meanwhile, sauté the onion in butter and olive oil until softened, then add in the garlic, followed by the vodka. Let it bubble for about 30 seconds or so, and then stir in the tomato paste, then add the cream.

Stir until combined, and then let the vodka sauce warm through and thicken. Toss with the drained cooked penne. Before serving, add some fresh basil if desired, and season with salt & pepper as needed.

Substitutions and variations

• I don't recommend subbing the heavy cream out for something like milk or half-and-half. The sauce will not be the same, and the acidity from the tomatoes is likely to separate/curdle it.
• As mentioned earlier in the blog post, I have experimented using fresh and canned tomatoes in penne vodka, but the best results by far are from tomato paste. If you're really in a pinch, you could use either fresh or crushed canned tomatoes or tomato purée. You'll need to cook the sauce down for longer, though, and it won't have that smooth and creamy texture.
• I love penne alla vodka as-is, but you can always add some leftover roast chicken or rotisserie chicken to the sauce if you wish. I suggest adding it right near the end and letting it warm through.
• Want to make it spicy? Add in some crushed red pepper flakes.