Penne alla Vodka (gluten-free option, whole wheat option)
Penne alla Vodka with step by step photos. Penne pasta cooked in a creamy vodka sauce. My husband asked me to make this dish for him once a week. It's made with love, it's delicious, and a total crowd pleaser.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- pot of water for the pasta
- 1 pound penne pasta* gluten-free or whole wheat will work
- 1/4 cup vodka** I like Grey Goose, or any other brand works
- 1 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 cup tomato sauce, no salt I like Whole Foods Organic brand
- 21 ounces crushed tomatoes, no salt I like Whole Foods Organic brand
- salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, julienned
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
- for garnish fresh basil, julienned
Instructions
Prep
- Add crushed red pepper to vodka. Cover with a plastic wrap and set aside for at least one hour. Once the vodka turns slightly red, chop the onions and garlic.
- Heat up a pot of water for the pasta.
- Julienne basil leaves and set aside.
Make the Vodka Sauce
- Heat up a stainless steel pan (I love my All-Clad) on medium heat. Once hot, add oil followed by garlic and onions. Saute for about 3 minutes or until the onions turns golden.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir. Note: I prefer using NO SALT versions. You can easily find those at Whole Foods.
- Carefully add all the crushed red pepper and vodka to the sauce. There shouldn't be any flames, however stand back when you add the vodka.
- And then add fresh basil leaves, salt, and black pepper. Stir. Let this mixture simmer on low-medium heat for 15 minutes. Do not cover with a lid.
- While the sauce cooks, make the pasta. Follow the instructions on the pasta box. You can use penne or rigatoni for this dish.
- Once the sauce has simmered down, lower the heat all the way. Add heavy cream.
- Stir. It turns into an orange-pink sauce.
- Add mozzarella cheese. Stir.
- Finally, add all the drained hot pasta. You may add a little bit of reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce slightly, however don't add more than a 1/4 cup. This sauce is meant to be creamy. Let the pasta heat up for a few minutes and then turn off the stove.
- Garnish with more fresh julienne basil leaves. Enjoy with a glass of red wine. It's so damn good!
Notes
* Can I make this dish gluten-free?
Yes. Just replace the white penne pasta with any gluten-free pasta. I highly recommend using penne or rigatoni pasta for this dish.
* Can I make this dish whole wheat?
Yes. Just replace the white penne pasta with any whole wheat pasta. I highly recommend using penne or rigatoni pasta for this dish.
** Can I omit vodka?
Sure, you can, however this will alter the taste of the recipe since vodka helps release flavors in the tomatoes that normally wouldn't be released. Note: most of the alcohol is evaporated in this recipe, but it is still required in making this dish. If you still choose to omit vodka, you may.
Nutrition
Calories: 578kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 560mg | Potassium: 802mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1852IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 4mg