Simply put, this is the best Penne alla Vodka recipe you’ll ever make. It’s depth of flavor comes from roasting the tomatoes before turning them into a creamy, luscious sauce that offers just a pinch of spice. You’ll find yourself going back for seconds (and thirds), and don’t be surprised when friends, family, or dinner guests beg you to make it again.
The problem with most Penne Alla Vodka Recipes
Let’s be honest: a lot of people’s experience with Penne alla Vodka comes from catered parties or pizzerias—where it’s been sitting for hours, overcooked and oily. That “broken” cream sauce? A tragedy. Worse yet, some recipes use flour or a roux to keep the texture thick (please don’t), and others skip the vodka entirely (sacrilege!).
You’ll also see versions with sautéed onions, peas, or prosciutto. And while there’s nothing wrong with adding your own spin, this is a classic Penne alla Vodka recipe—true to its Italian-American roots. It’s perfect on its own, but the base is certainly there if you wante dto get creative with adding to it.
The Secret to the Best Penne Alla Vodka Sauce
The secret to this recipe is roasting the sauce in the oven for over an hour to develop the deep flavors that set this recipe apart. This is a very different approach than most sauces which are made only on the stovetop. This hands-off roasting approach develops a deeper, richer tomato flavor than you’ll ever get from stovetop-only versions.
Once the tomatoes are done roasting, the sauce is blended and finished on the stove top resulting in a velvety, craveable sauce that perfectly balances richness, acidity and heat.
Helpful Tips:
- Make ahead: You can prep the sauce 1–2 days in advance. Just reheat gently and stir in the cream and parmesan right before serving.
- Freezer-friendly: Prepare up until the point of adding cheese and cream and freeze in airtight containers.
- Use quality tomatoes: San Marzano tomatoes make all the difference.
- Double the batch: This recipe scales up easily for dinner parties or meal prep.
- Serve with sausage & peppers: It’s a classic pairing.
Recommended Ingredients & Equipment:
Penne Alla Vodka
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup good olive oil
- 1 medium Spanish onion chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic diced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 cup vodka
- 2 28-ounce cans peeled plum tomatoes
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 pound penne pasta
- 4 tablespoons fresh oregano
- 3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream
- Grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F
- Pierce the tomatoes over the sink, one by one, to let the water and seeds release from the tomatoes. This doesn’t have to be perfect. Add them to a bowl and set aside. When all the tomatoes are in a bowl, crush them with your hands. Again, this does not have to be perfect because they will eventually be processed in a blender. Reserve 1 cup of puree from the can of tomatoes.
- Once the tomatoes are prepared, Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof saute pan over medium heat, add the onions and cook for about 10 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and dried oregano and cook for 1 minute more. Add the vodka and continue cooking until the mixture is reduced by half.
- Add the tomatoes & puree to the pan, add 2 teaspoons kosher salt and a pinch of black pepper. Stir to combine. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and place it in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.
- Place the tomato mixture in a blender and puree in batches until the sauce is a smooth consistency. Return to the pan.
- At this point you can set the sauce aside until ready to use, or use right away. When you are ready to serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, reheat the sauce, add 2 tablespoons fresh oregano and enough heavy cream to make the sauce a creamy consistency.
- Add salt and pepper, to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes. Toss the pasta into the sauce and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan.
- Serve with an additional sprinkle of Parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh oregano on each plate.
