Penne with Vodka Sauce

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Show: Everyday ItalianEpisode: Light Pasta Classics

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (213)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(213)

Cook Time:
25 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
6 servings

Times:

Prep: 5 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 25 min
Total:: 30 min

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Ingredients

1 quart Simple Tomato Sauce, recipe follows, or store-bought marinara sauce, blended until smooth
1 cup vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 pound penne

Directions

Simmer the tomato sauce and vodka in a heavy large skillet over low heat until the mixture reduces by 1/4, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Stir the cream into the tomato and vodka sauce. Simmer over low heat until the sauce is heated through. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted and well blended.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and transfer it to the pan with the sauce, and toss to coat.

Simple Tomato Sauce:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

4 to 6 basil leaves

2 dried bay leaves

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional

In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrot and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and taste for seasoning. If sauce tastes too acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, to round out the flavor.

Pour half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.

If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and then pour 1 to 2 cup portions into plastic freezer bags. Freeze for up to 6 months.

Yield: 6 cups

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Penne with Vodka Sauce
Dottie South Jordan, UT 01-27-2010
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Wonderful!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This was really good and easy to make. There was not too much alcohol just make sure you simmer it long enough to cook off... all the alcohol. I really enjoyed this dish.Read more
recipe Penne with Vodka Sauce
Lisa Ann Raritan, NJ 01-12-2010
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Simple - Quick - Tasty
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I really liked the simplicity of this recipe - I used jarred marinara sauce - and dinner was on the table in about 30... minutes! I think that I should have simmered the sauce & vodka in the beginning a little more ? as the vodka taste was ever present ? but was still really good. Thanks to Giada ? this one is a keeper for a quick and delicious supper.Read more
recipe Penne with Vodka Sauce
Alli Sedalia, CO 01-03-2010
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Pasta Dish Complete with a Buzz
Rated: 2 stars out of 5

I thought this seemed like a ot of vodka, but I got this recipe out of Giada's cookbook so I didn't read the reviews. Wish I... would have....I would have saved almost $20 in ingredients (including chicken). I can definitely see the potential though. I would recommend cutting the vodka but at least half, if not more. Maybe add some fresh basil, too. I literally have a buzz from this dish and I only ate half of my serving. Bummer and a waste of ingredients.Read more
recipe Penne with Vodka Sauce
veronica egg harbor township, NJ 01-03-2010
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Recipe Recovery!
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

This is a boozy, watery mess-don't waste your vodka. Here is what I did for my penne alla vodka, and it came out great. I... sauteed 3 minced garlic cloves and one tablespoon of shallots, with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and a bay leaf in 2 tablespoons of butter and a splash of olive oil. Then I added one small can of tomato paste and only 1/2 a cup of vodka. I stirred while some of the vodka cooked out, about 4 minutes, then I added a pint of heavy cream and Kosher salt and pepper to taste. When I strained my penne, I reserved a little bit of my salted pasta water. Mix sauce with the penne, and about 1/2 a cup of grated parmesean. If sauce gets too thick, add a little bit of the pasta water to loosen it up. It came out wonderful, everyone went back for seconds and thirds! The tomato paste makes a smooth and creamy sauce, but if you like it chunkier, use a marinara. Read more
recipe Penne with Vodka Sauce
Virginia Merrick, NY 11-02-2009
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Used the comments and modified it like crazy w/great result!
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

Per the other reviews, I used 1/3 C of vodka. I doubled the tomato component, using approx 1-1/2 cups of The Barefoot... Contessa's Basic Marinara, which I first pureed in a blender. I sauteed the onions in only 2T of butter and only used 3/4 C of heavy cream; made the sauce slightly healthier! I used red pepper flakes instead of tobasco. Could have used 8 oz prosciutto instead of 4 oz as I used more tomato sauce. All of these solved the problem of the sauce being too watery. Family loved it!Read more
recipe Penne with Vodka Sauce
E arlington, VA 11-01-2009
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Easy to make and fun to 'update'
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I've been using this recipe for a few years and always get compliments. I always saute some prosciutto and onion in a little... butter and add to the sauce while it's simmering. If I am in a rush, I use Rao's brand marinara...but it's always best when I have time to make the homemade version. I use San Marzano brand crushed tomatoes when making the sauce. I do often simmer the sauce for a little longer in order to lessen the vodka flavor and make sure the alcohol is all cooked off. Read more