Penne Alla Vodka

Looking to make a restaurant-quality Italian dish at home? Then you’ve got to try my penne alla vodka recipe: creamy, delicious, lots of tomato flavor, and it goes with everything.

Prep the Ingredients

First off, we have a little prep to do: 1½ cups of diced onion—that’s about two smallish-medium onions. However, you could add way more if you’d like.

How to Chop an Onion

Use your knuckles as a guide. When the knife is closer to your hand you actually have a lot more awareness and control, so don’t make big movements. The knife is moving very little, but your knuckles are guiding it away from your precious fingertips, which you need for so many things. Then you can just give it a rough chop after it’s sliced.

Last bit of prep: we have to mince some garlic. My recipe calls for four cloves; however, four to six, four to eight, one head of garlic—it’s really totally up to you. I would never judge using more garlic than the recipe calls for. Give your garlic a little smash or press; it helps release the oils and it gets the skin right off.

Build the Sauce

Dry your eyes and now get that Dutch oven or large pot out. Into a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat, we’re going to add about ¼ cup (60 mL) of olive oil. You’ll know the olive oil is ready for your onion when you see it just starting to shimmer on the surface.

Once your oil is heated up, add the onion (but not the garlic—that burns easily). Move it around so it’s all coated with oil. Cook this down for about 5 minutes while stirring occasionally.

Season with:

• ½ teaspoon salt
• A good pinch of red-pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Keep the onions nice and softened but not burning.

When the onions are ready, add the garlic. Stir occasionally for about 2 minutes, making sure it doesn’t burn.

Deglaze with Vodka

Time for the signature flavor: vodka. It’s not just a little drop—it’s a full cup (240 mL). Pour it in and cook the alcohol off while using it to deglaze the pan, releasing those little brown bits and capturing all the flavor of the caramelized garlic and onion.

Wondering about all the vodka? The alcohol burns off, but the vodka’s sharp acidity pairs well with the tomatoes and gives the sauce depth. Use a vodka you would actually drink—same rule as using wine in a sauce.

Tomatoes & Simmer

Stir in 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and let it cook down a little. Add one 28-oz can of whole or crushed tomatoes. For texture, break up whole tomatoes by hand; for a smoother sauce, use crushed. Reduce to low and simmer 25–30 minutes. Add about 1 teaspoon salt to taste.

Cook the Pasta

While the sauce simmers, bring salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, reserving 1 cup (240 mL) of the starchy pasta water before draining.

Finish the Sauce

Take the sauce off the heat and stir in:

• ½ cup (120 mL) heavy cream
• ½ cup freshly grated or shaved Parmesan cheese

The cream adds luxurious richness and a silky mouthfeel.

Combine & Serve

Add the al-dente pasta to the sauce; it will absorb flavor and finish cooking. If the sauce is thick, drizzle in reserved pasta water a little at a time for a silky consistency.

Plate and garnish with extra Parmesan and fresh basil leaves.

If you’ve only had penne alla vodka out of a jar, you’ve got to make this—your mind will be blown.