This Classic Vodka Sauce Recipe comes together in one pan with a handful of ingredients you probably already have. It turns plain penne into penne alla vodka and tastes like you ordered it from your favorite Italian restaurant. No, you won't taste the vodka, I promise. Yes, it's still doing important work in there and gives this sauce its classic silky texture. This homemade vodka sauce is super creamy, perfectly rich, and comes together fast, perfect for a weeknight.
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If pasta night is a regular thing in your house, you'll want to bookmark a few more of my recipes too. My garlic shrimp fettuccine alfredo is a classic and extra indulgent. My creamy avocado carbonara proves carbonara doesn't have to be complicated. For something a little different (but kind of the same), my rosé penne sits right in between a marinara and this vodka sauce, and my french onion soup pasta is what happens when you can't decide between two of the greatest comfort foods, so you just decide to blend them together.
Why You'll Love This Vodka Sauce Recipe 🍝
- It's the classic vodka sauce, done right. No shortcuts that skip out on flavor, no fifteen extra ingredients, just the version that made vodka sauce famous in the first place.
- Dinner ready in 30 minutes. This creamy vodka sauce comes together fast and is perfect for a weeknight dinner.
- A restaurant quality meal in your own kitchen. If you can chop an onion and stir a pot, you can make this vodka pasta sauce taste like it came from a real Italian kitchen.
- Dress it up or down. Just toss it with penne for a simple classic penne alla vodka. Or add garlic butter shrimp or tender velvet chicken to bulk it up a bit.
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Ingredients You'll Need
- Yellow Onion: Finely diced is key here, if you prefer, you can swap the yellow onion for two shallots.
- Canned Whole Tomatoes (undrained): I dice half of the can and blend the rest, which gives the sauce body from the diced pieces and a smooth, saucy texture from the blended half, without needing tomato paste or crushed tomatoes.
- Vodka: The star ingredient, and it's responsible for the silky texture. It helps release flavor compounds in the tomatoes that water alone can't release. Nearly all of the alcohol cooks off, so the sauce won't taste boozy either.
- Maple Syrup: Just a couple of tablespoons introduce a very subtle sweetness that balances the acidity of the tomatoes perfectly.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream is what turns this sauce from a tomato sauce into a creamy vodka sauce. Optionally, you can substitute half-and-half for a lighter version, or use coconut cream to make it dairy-free.
- Fresh Basil: Add this at the end. Freshly torn basil adds brightness and a delicious flavor. Dried basil can work in a pinch, but only use about 1 teaspoon.
The full list of ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Vodka Sauce Variations
- Spice It Up: Add a healthy dose of red pepper flakes, or stir in a spoonful of chili paste for a spicy vodka pasta sauce variation.
- Make It Dairy-Free: Swap the heavy cream and parmesan for homemade cashew milk or coconut cream.
- Add A Protein: Stir in a batch of my baked garlic butter shrimp for penne alla vodka with shrimp, or try my velveted chicken or crispy chicken cutlets for penne alla vodka with chicken. All three options pair well with a creamy pasta sauce like this.
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How To Make Vodka Sauce
Prepare The Tomatoes & Cook The Penne
Start by getting your tomatoes ready. Pull out about half of the whole tomatoes from the can and dice them up, then blend the rest right in their juices until smooth using an immersion blender. Stir the diced pieces back in and set the whole mixture to the side.
Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta. While the pasta cooks, prepare the vodka sauce, and don't forget to save ½ cup of the pasta water before draining it.
Vodka Tomato Base
In a large, deep skillet, sauté the onion in olive oil over medium heat until it is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes (if you want a spicy sauce), and cook for another 30 seconds or so, until super fragrant. Next, stir in the maple syrup, vodka, and the prepared tomatoes. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until thickened and slightly reduced.
Make It Creamy
Turn the heat down to low and add the heavy cream and reserved pasta water. Cook for an additional minute before removing from the heat.
Add the Penne
Stir the cooked penne into the sauce until it is well coated.
Top With Basil & Parmesan
Stir in the fresh basil, grated Parmesan cheese, and a little salt, to taste.
Enjoy Your Penne Alla Vodka
Serve with a side of slow-roasted garlic bread, top with a crispy chicken cutlet, or pair it with a fresh kale Caesar salad on the side.
Expert Tips For The Best Vodka Sauce
- Add the heavy cream last. Stirring it in once the sauce is almost done cooking, over low heat, keeps the cream from breaking or turning grainy.
- Don't skip the diced and blended tomatoes. Blending half of the can while leaving the rest diced gives the sauce a rustic, traditional texture.
- Let the vodka actually cook off. Giving the sauce time to reduce cooks off the harsh alcohol taste and leaves behind all the flavor benefits.
- Save the pasta water! The splash of pasta water we add right at the end helps the sauce cling to the penne noodles instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
How To Store & Reheat Vodka Sauce
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer: This creamy vodka sauce freezes well for up to 1-2 months, though cream sauces tend to separate slightly on thawing. Give it a quick whisk while reheating it to bring it back together. Freeze only the sauce and save the pasta to cook fresh.
- Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat, and a splash of cream or water helps loosen it back up if it has thickened in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Technically, no, but vodka helps release the flavor from the tomatoes and gives the sauce its signature silky texture. If you'd rather skip it, swap it for an equal amount of water with a squeeze of lemon juice or white wine.
No. Almost all of the alcohol cooks off while the sauce simmers.
Both of these issues are always caused by the cream. Adding the cream when the sauce is at a hard boil, or stirring in the cold cream too fast, can cause it to break and separate. Turn the heat down to low before adding the cream, or remove it from the heat completely.
Penne is the classic choice to make penne alla vodka, but any tubular-shaped pasta or fusilli works well.
More 30 Minute Meals
Looking for quick and easy weeknight meals like this? Try these:
If you made this Vodka Sauce Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating, a 💬 comment and share it on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook!
📖 Recipe
The Best Vodka Sauce Recipe (Penne alla Vodka)
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Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 454 grams Penne Pasta
- 28 ounces Whole Tomatoes canned
- 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 small Yellow Onion finely diced
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes optional
- 2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
- 6 Tablespoons Vodka
- ¾ cup Heavy Cream
- ½ cup Pasta Water reserved
- Fresh Basil
- Parmesan Cheese grated
Instructions
- Remove about half of the whole tomatoes from the can and dice them. Blend the remaining tomatoes with the liquid in the can until smooth using an immersion blender, then stir the diced tomatoes back in and set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne according to package instructions, reserving ½ cup of pasta water before draining. Prepare the vodka sauce while the pasta cooks.
Prepare the Vodka Sauce
- Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes (if using), and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Stir in the maple syrup, vodka, and prepared tomatoes. Cook over medium-low heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring regularly, until slightly reduced and thickened.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream and reserved pasta water, and cook for 1 more minute before removing from the heat. Stir the cooked penne into the sauce until it is well coated.
- Season with a little more salt, to taste. Stir in some fresh basil, then top it with grated Parmesan cheese.
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Notes
- Yellow Onion: Can be substituted for shallots or red onion.
- Canned Whole Tomatoes: Don't skip these or try to use something different. This is what gives the sauce the most flavor and a rustic texture.
- Vodka: Obviously, use plain vodka and nothing flavored. This is the star of the show.
- Maple Syrup: The addition of maple syrup helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes. You can use regular sugar, honey, or agave instead, if you prefer.
- Heavy Cream: Sub half-and-half for a lighter version, or use cashew cream or coconut cream for dairy-free options.
- Add A Protein: Top this pasta with crispy chicken cutlets, succulent garlic butter shrimp, or velveted chicken breast.
- Add the cream at the end, and over low or no heat. Adding the cream while the sauce is at a rolling boil can cause it to break and turn grainy.
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator and it will vary based on the ingredients that you use.
Jessica says
This vodka sauce recipe is seriously delicious. We tested the heck out of it, and it is absolutely perfect. We hope you love it!