Penne with Vodka Sauce
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Feb. 25, 2025
This Penne with Vodka Sauce is the ultimate comfort dish taken up a notch. It’s tangy, slightly spicy, and creamy with a perfect balance of sweet and savory. Bonus: leftovers reheat beautifully!
In This Article
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Why This Recipe Stands Out
We’re all about comforting pasta dishes, and this Penne with Vodka Sauce is no exception. Here’s why this recipe works:
- Richly Flavored: This Penne with Vodka Sauce is absolutely phenomenal. It’s creamy without being too rich and reminds us of our Creamy Tomato and Sausage Pasta.
- Leftovers Reheat Beautifully: Like our Pasta e Fagioli, the flavors of the sauce continue to develop, and the dish tastes even better the next day.
- Balance of Sweet and Savory: The vodka lends complexity to the sauce, yet all its alcohol is cooked away, so there is no bitterness in the sauce.
- Perfect Family Dinner: This pasta dish is so versatile. It can be a star at a cozy weekend dinner party or a quick, delicious weeknight meal.
Key Recipe Ingredients
- Italian Sausage – The star of our dish, the Italian sausage, adds a robust and savory flavor that sets our Penne with Vodka Sauce apart from the rest.
- Vodka – We use a splash of vodka to enhance the flavors of the tomatoes and cream, giving the sauce a unique depth that you won’t find in other pasta dishes.
- Heavy Cream – The heavy cream adds a lusciously smooth and rich texture to the sauce, balancing out the acidity of the tomatoes and vodka.
- Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese – We highly recommend using freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving, as it adds a salty, nutty flavor that complements the sauce beautifully.
Substitutions And Variations
Here are some of our favorite variations and substitutions:
- Protein: Feel free to substitute it with ground beef, chicken, or turkey.
- Spice Level: This recipe calls for a ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes, but you can adjust this to your preference. Feel free to increase or decrease the spice based on taste.
- Different Pasta: Like in our Baked Penne with Sausage, penne is our pasta of choice for this dish, but feel free to use rotini, spaghetti, linguine, elbow macaroni, or your favorite shape of pasta.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- Cook and crumble sausage in a saucepan over medium high heat.
- In a food processor, purée half of the diced tomatoes. Combine pureed and diced tomatoes, including juices.
- In a large saucepan, heat oil and add onion and tomato paste. Add garlic and red pepper flakes.
- Stir in the tomatoes and salt. Remove from heat and add vodka. Simmer and stir in cream and cooked sausage.
- While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the warm tomato sauce and toss over medium heat.
- Stir in basil, season with salt and pepper, and serve with fresh parmesan.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
How To Prep Ahead
Take a look at our favorite prep-ahead strategies for this dish:
- Prep the Ingredients: The Italian sausage can be crumbled and cooked ahead of time. You can also mince the onion and garlic in advance. Store these prepped ingredients in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Make the Sauce: You can make the vodka sauce in advance and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to serve, reheat the sauce and stir in the cream and cooked sausage, and continue on with the recipe.
- Entirely Make Ahead: Leftovers for this pasta reheat beautifully, so you can make it up to 3 days ahead of time and reheat when you’re ready to serve.
What To Serve With Penne with Vodka Sauce
Bread
- We love serving this delicious family meal with some Rosemary Garlic Bread or Olive Garden Breadsticks on the side.
- Another great option is our Garlic Cheese Bread which is particularly popular with the kids!
Sides
- A simple green salad is a great way to round out your meal. Consider this Kale Brussel Sprouts Salad or an Easy Chopped Greek Salad.
- For some veggies on the side, consider trying our Roasted Vegetables or Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
Commonly Asked Questions
Can I use any type of vodka for this recipe?
Yes, you can use any type of vodka for this recipe. There’s no need to buy a top-shelf or expensive vodka for cooking. Do not use vodka that is old that has been open too long.
Why do I need to puree half of the diced tomatoes?
Pureeing half of the diced tomatoes helps to thicken the sauce and gives it a rich, smooth texture. It also allows the sauce to cling better to the penne, giving you a more flavorful bite.
Do I need to rinse the pasta after cooking?
No, you do not need to rinse the pasta after cooking. Simply drain it and return it to the pot to mix with the sauce.
How long does penne with vodka sauce keep?
Penne with vodka sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Be sure to store it in an airtight container to maintain its freshness.
Did you make this?
Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!
Penne with Vodka Sauce
This Penne with Vodka Sauce has just the right balance of savory, tangy, spicy, and creamy. Plus, it tastes rich and creamy yet not heavy. Leftovers are great, too!
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage, no casings
- 28 oz Italian diced tomatoes, canned, juices reserved
- 2 TB olive oil
- ½ onion, chopped
- 1 TB tomato paste
- 4 cloves cloves, minced
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- table salt, to taste
- ⅓ cup vodka
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ lb dried penne
- 2 TB fresh basil leaves, minced
- freshly grated parmesan cheese , for serving
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium high heat, cook and crumble sausage until cooked through. Set aside.
- In a food processor, puree half of the diced tomatoes until smooth. Combine pureed and diced tomatoes, including juices.
- Heat oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium. Add onion and tomato paste, stirring, until onion is light golden, 3 min.
- Add garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring, 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes with juice and 1/2 tsp salt. Remove pan from heat and add vodka.
- Return pan to medium high and simmer 8 -10 minutes, stirring often and lowering heat if simmering is vigorous. Stir in cream and cooked sausage and cook to heat up 1 min. Turn heat off and keep warm.
- While sauce is simmering: bring large pot of well salted water to boil. Cook pasta until just shy of al dente (about a minute less than package instructions for al dente) Reserve 1/2 up of pasta water. Drain pasta but don’t rinse, and return it to the pot.
- Add the warm tomato sauce mixture and toss over medium heat, until pasta absorbs some of the sauce, 1-2 min. Adjust consistency of sauce with the reserved pasta water as needed.
- Stir in basil, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with fresh parmesan.
Notes
- Feel free to use mild or spicy Italian sausage, depending on your preference for heat.
- Pureeing half of the diced tomatoes is a great trick to give the sauce a smooth, velvety texture without losing the chunky tomato bits that add a nice contrast.
- Cook the penne just shy of al dente, as it will continue to cook when you toss it with the sauce. This ensures that your pasta will be perfectly cooked and not mushy.
- Don’t skip the step of reserving pasta water. This starchy liquid is a secret weapon for adjusting the consistency of your sauce and helping it adhere to the pasta.
- This recipe is part of our 30-Minute Meals Collection.
- Serve your Penne with Vodka Sauce with some freshly grated parmesan cheese on top and Rosemary Garlic Bread or Olive Garden Breadsticks on the side.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 889kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 1137mg | Potassium: 1101mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1015IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 132mg | Iron: 5mg
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