Penne in Pink Vodka Sauce
Tender tubes of penne, tossed in a velvety, tomato cream sauce that’s spiked with vodka and scented with onion, garlic, basil, and oregano. A showering of parmesan cheese and fresh basil and this incredible meal is ready in about 20 minutes. And almost everything comes from your pantry!
We’ve all stared at a box of pasta and thought, “How can I get creative with this?” Get out of your pasta rut and create this penne with personality!
The name “penne” comes from the Italian word for pen (quill) because the angled ends of the pasta resemble the tip of a quill pen. Penne can be found smooth and ridged and is a fantastic addition to a variety of dishes – especially this one, with pink vodka sauce!
Smooth or ridged penne? Ridged (rigate) penne can be used with virtually any sauce – thick or thin – and the ridges help soak up every last drop. Ridged penne keeps thin sauces together, and is study enough to support thick, chunky sauces. Plus, the tubes are hollow, which means they fill up with deliciousness. Smooth penne (lisce) doesn’t soak up quite as much sauce, but is equally fabulous. I like to reserve smooth penne for soups, casseroles, and as a side dish for stew.
Why do we add the vodka to the sauce? Vodka enhances the flavor of tomatoes by pulling out and concentrating their inherent sweetness; that’s why vodka is a popular addition to all types of tomato-based sauces. Plus, the alcohol adds a subtle bite of its own, which is the perfect contrast for the sweet cream in the sauce.
Can you leave the vodka out? Yes, you can leave the vodka out; simply replace the vodka with an equal amount of vegetable broth, chicken broth, or reserved pasta cooking water.
Penne in Pink Vodka Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne, or pasta shape of choice
- 2 cups tomato sauce or puréed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup vodka, optional (see note above), or 1/4 cup reserved pasta cooking water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream
- Grated parmesan cheese for serving
- Chopped fresh basil for serving, optional
Equipment
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain (and reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water if you’re not using vodka). Cover with foil to keep warm.
- Meanwhile, in a large saucepan or high-sided skillet, combine the tomato sauce, vodka, olive oil, dried basil, dried oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Set the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Fold in the pasta and cook for 1 minute to heat through. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Top with parmesan cheese and fresh basil (if using) and serve with extra parmesan cheese on the side.