Penne alla Vodka (Without Vodka!)

This vodka-less vodka sauce recipe comes together in the amount of time it takes to boil a batch of pasta. Incredibly tasty and shockingly simple, this is sure to become a weeknight dinner favourite.

4.8 from 89 votes

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Servings 4

Prep Time 5

Total Time 15

Ingredients

500 g (1 lb) penne pasta
30 ml (2 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
½ medium yellow onion diced
3-4 cloves garlic crushed
¼ tsp chili flakes optional
2 tbsp tomato paste
200 ml (¾ cup) cream
25 g (¼ cup) parmesan cheese grated
Basil leaves for garnish

Instructions

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the pasta, stir to prevent sticking, and cook for about 2 minutes less than the package suggests -- we will finish cooking the pasta in the sauce.
Meanwhile, over medium heat in a large skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion, crushed garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and translucent and the garlic is very lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chilli flakes, if using, and cook for a further minute or two.
Add the tomato paste and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the paste darkens in colour slightly and becomes sticky. Add a ladle-full of pasta water (about 60ml or ¼ cup) to loosen the sauce and deglaze the pan.
Reduce the heat to low and pour in the cream. Stir until well combined with the tomato paste sauce.
Drain the pasta, reserving 100-200ml (⅓-¾ cup) of the pasta cooking water. Add the pasta to the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce. Add more pasta water if necessary until the desired sauce consistency is met. Taste a piece of pasta to see if it is cooked thoroughly, then turn off the heat. Add the parmesan cheese and toss to combine.
Portion the pasta into bowls and garnish with a bit more parmesan and some basil leaves.

Video

Notes

Make Ahead

The sauce can be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Allow to cool, then store in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to serve, reheat the sauce gently in a pan over low heat, then cook fresh pasta and finish it in the sauce as per the recipe.

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan over low heat, adding a splash of water to loosen the sauce as needed.

Nutrition

Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.

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