• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Little Ferraro Kitchen logo
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Summer Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Cookbooks
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Summer Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Cookbooks
    • About
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Italian Recipes

    Penne Alla Vodka with Parmigiano and Fresh Oregano (Vodka Pink Sauce)

    Published: Feb 20, 2020 · Modified: Jun 3, 2020 by Samantha Ferraro · This post may contain affiliate links · 17 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Penne alla vodka is a decadent pink vodka sauce, cooked low and slow with fresh oregano, sweet San Marzano tomatoes and a healthy amount of Parmigiano.

    Penne alla vodka is a decadent pink vodka sauce, cooked low and slow with fresh oregano, sweet San Marzano tomatoes and a healthy amount of Parmigiano.

    Inspired by Penne Alla Vechia Bettola

    I am a HUGE Ina Garten fan and I mean HUGE. I LOVE her! She makes a lot of the same recipes I grew up on and I try to not miss any of her shoes.

    This time Ina had her favorite Italian restaurant, Nick & Toni's as a guest on her show and  introduced the most mouth-watering dish you will ever lay taste buds on. I am telling you, run and make this penne alla vecchia bettola.

     
    Penne alla vodka is a decadent pink vodka sauce, cooked low and slow with fresh oregano, sweet San Marzano tomatoes and a healthy amount of Parmigiano.

    The Key to Making The Best Pink Sauce

    This heavenly pink vodka sauce is not a quick 30 minute dinner, but instead cooks low and slow for at least an hour.

    After sauteing onions, garlic and reducing a good amount of vodka, sweet San Marzano tomaotoes are added and then everything cooks in the oven low and slow for an hour.

    The slow cooking reduces the plum tomatoes, condensing the flavor and making a luxurious rich sauce.

    Once the sauce base is done, blend everything until smooth and stir in heavy cream and a good amount of freshly grated Parmigiano Regiano and fresh oregano.

    Penne alla vodka is a decadent pink vodka sauce, cooked low and slow with fresh oregano, sweet San Marzano tomatoes and a healthy amount of Parmigiano.
     

    How to Make Penne Alla Vodka

    1) Start off in an oven proof pan. Olive oil, chopped onion, chopped garlic, dried oregano and red pepper flakes go in. Saute for a few minutes.

     
    Start pink vodka sauce by sauteing onions, garlic and oregano in olive oil.

    2) When onions are cooked down a little bit, let's say, 3-4 minutes, add about 1 cup (or so...) of Vodka. I turn the heat up after adding the alcohol so the alcohol cooks off.

    Cook for a few minutes until the alcohol reduces.

    Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola

    3) Now this is the messy part! I only use San Marzano tomatoes. They are super juicy and very sweet. Take the can of whole plum tomatoes and drain the liquid out. Don't worry, the tomatoes are juicy enough! Crush the whole tomatoes with your hands and put them in the pan. Season with salt and pepper.

    The juice will get everywhere! So do it slowly! I still find tomato juice somewhere on the kitchen walls after I make this pink sauce...but it is so worth it!

    And don't worry about how much you crush the tomatoes, you're going to blend it up later anyway.

    4) Then place oven-proof lid, and put in the oven for 1hr at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

    After deglazing with vodka, add whole San marzano tomatoes and palce in oven to cook for an hour.

    5) While your sauce is cooking in the oven, get your pasta water boiling and cook your pasta. I like to have the pasta ready at about the same time I'm blending the sauce. Also, I used rigatoni instead of penne here. The rigatoni is huskier and can handle such a substantial sauce. I really thought it just worked out better.

    6) After an hour  the tomato mixture comes out caramelized and condensed. Let cool for a few minutes before blending it up.

     
    After an hour, tomato sauce will be reduced.

    7) Ladle all this tomato garlicky goodness in the blender and blend until thick smooth.

    Blend tomato sauce mixture in blender or food processor until smooth.

    8) Place the blended mixture back in your used pan on very low heat. Stir in about ¾ cup of heavy cream, fresh oregano and grated Parmesan.

    I always find the sauce to be a little thick for me. So if you have starchy water already, take about ½ cup and stir into the sauce, or just rinse the bottom of blender with all the extra blended yummy-ness and put that in too. It will still be thick, don't worry!

     
    Stir in heavy cream to tomato sauce to make pink vodka sauce. Add fresh oregano.

    9) So once your pasta is all done cooking, another tip I like to mention, is to use a slotted spoon and ladle the pasta directly from the hot water to your sauce pan. That way you get some of that thick starchy water in your sauce too. Mix the pasta and the sauce together in the pan.

    Toss pink vodka sauce with penne pasta.

    10) At this point I add a little more Parmesan and top with more fresh oregano and drizzle of olive oil (doesn't hurt, right?)

    More great pasta recipes

    • Classic linguini and clams recipe with a touch of white wine, tomatoes for sweetness and a gorgeous garlic sauce that wraps around each pasta strand.
      Linguine with Clams
    • Traditional bolognese sauce is a labor of love. Made low and slow with layers of ground beef and pork, carrots and celery and a splash of milk for creaminess.
      Traditional Bolognese Sauce
    • Creamy and easy tomato mascarpone sauce with parmesan and fresh basil.
      Creamy Tomato Mascarpone Sauce with Pasta
    • Weeknight gnocchi al forno topped with burrata and fresh basil.
      Four Cheese Gnocchi Al Forno with Sausage
    Vodka Pink Sauce

    Penne Alla Vodka (Vodka Pink Sauce Recipe)

    Samantha Ferraro

    LittleFerraroKitchen.com

    Penne alla vodka is a decadent pink vodka sauce, cooked low and slow with fresh oregano, sweet San Marzano tomatoes and a healthy amount of Parmigiano.
    5 from 18 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr
    Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 503 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • Olive oil for drizzling
    • ½ onion chopped
    • 3 cloves of garlic chopped
    • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
    • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
    • 1 cup vodka
    • 1 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes
    • 1 pound penne or rigatoni pasta
    • Few sprigs of fresh oregano plus more for garnish
    • ¾ cup heavy cream
    • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and heat a pan over medium heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add chopped onions, dried oregano and red pepper. Cook until onions caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
    • When onions cook down, carefully add vodka. Turn the heat up and allow vodka to reduce, while stirring with a spatula.
    • Next, gently crush the whole San marzano tomato with your hands and add them to the pan with all its juices. Season with salt and pepper.
    • Place oven-proof lid on and place the oven for 1 hour.
    • While your sauce is cooking in the oven, get your pasta water boiling and cook your pasta.
    • After an hour, remove tomato sauce from oven and blend sauce in blender or food processor. Pulse a few times until everything is blended.
    • Place the blended mixture back in your used pan on very low heat. Stir in heavy cream, fresh oregano and freshly grated Parmigiano. Add cooked pasta to sauce and ½ cup of pasta water if it is too thick.
    • To serve, spoon in bowl and top with more Parmigiano, fresh oregano and a drizzle of olive oil.

    Notes

    Any type of canned tomatoes will work here, including whole or chopped tomatoes, since it will all be blended together anyway.
    Save some starchy pasta cooking water, to add to the sauce if it's a bit thick.
    Recipe adapted from Ina Garten

    Nutrition

    Calories: 503kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 9gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 175mgPotassium: 331mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 946IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 96mgIron: 3mg
    Did you make this recipe?Let us know by leaving a comment and 5 star rating!

    More Delicious Italian Recipes

    • Cherry tomato pasta with basil and garlic.
      Cherry Tomato Pasta with Garlic and Basil
    • Puttanesca pasta with anchovies, capers, olives and garnished with basil.
      Linguine Puttanesca
    • Prosciutto and Caramelized Pear Pizza with Balsamic Glaze
    • Creamy spinach risotto with lemon and parmesan.
      Spinach Risotto with Parmesan

    Sharing is caring!

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Email
    • Print

    Weeknight Mediterranean Shopping List

    Subscribe to get the Mediterranean shopping list and to be the 1st to get brand new recipes!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dana Vanhove says

      April 16, 2021 at 12:45 pm

      5 stars
      I've made this recipe several times, and always get rave reviews! DELISH!!!

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        April 21, 2021 at 9:54 am

        Thank you so much Dana!

        Reply
    2. carol Mccarthy says

      December 07, 2018 at 11:51 am

      5 stars
      IF i double the recipe should I bake for longer than 1 hr

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        December 07, 2018 at 1:26 pm

        You just want to condense everything so I wouldn't go longer than 1 hour and 30min. If you're doing 2 seperate pans, then I would stick with the hour since there is less food to condense.

        Reply
        • Doug says

          August 04, 2019 at 10:15 am

          5 stars
          not sure if people have clarified this... but you seem to have 1/2C onion and then a little later, 1/2C onion. I wondered if this was some clever textural thing... but I suspect it is simply an over sight ie 1 C onion chopped for this recipe. BTW, it tastes delicious! I use Pecorino Cheese. Top with Parmesan cheese. It really is great!

          I suspect that the vodka is helping with spice flavor absorption... since the alcohol will facilitate extraction. Otherwise, probably get a way with simmering a little longer or adding a little more.

          Thanks for sharing!
          Doug

          Reply
    3. Bob Doris says

      December 26, 2015 at 1:06 pm

      5 stars
      Just to clarify the translation, "penne" in Italian means either "pens" or a type of pasta. In this case, the type of pasta. "La Vecchia Betolla" translates as an old (vecchia) sort of restaurant, something like "The Old Dive" or "The Old Joint" (an alternate meaning of "bettolla" is "barge"....hence the use of the word to describe what we might call a "greasy spoon" in English).

      This dish is a mainstay of a great establishment in Florence, Italy, called "La Vecchia Betolla". It is defintiely NOT a greasy spoon, but a really great osteria (i.e. modest setting, and simple very tasty food). In keeping with the setting, the sauce preparation they use is more straightforward to make than the "Nick & Toni" version. Basically, the pepper flakes are sauteed for a couple of minutes in olio and then passata is added (no other ingredients; no baking in the oven), and the sauce is reduced on the stove top for about 2 hrs. Then the voldka, milk and cream, salt, parsley, and parmesan...all of this just a few minutes prior to serving on pasta just out of the pot. It produces a great result.

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        December 27, 2015 at 4:43 pm

        Hi Bob! Thank you so much for teaching me a bit more of the recipe and where it originates! It is certainly a gorgeous dish!

        Reply
      • Doug says

        August 04, 2019 at 10:19 am

        5 stars
        not sure adding vodka "just before" is such a good idea. The alcohol will help extract the essential flavors of the oregano and chili pepper. What do you think it will do when added at the very end? The 'flavor' from the vodka is not, in my opinion the key to the flavor profile, but might be worth discussion

        Reply
    4. Mollie says

      December 01, 2014 at 6:24 pm

      5 stars
      Hey, I was wondering if it was intentional to only use one can of tomatoes (28oz), the Ina recipe on the food network site says 2 (28 oz) cans. Mine was a lot lighter than your picture, (still tasted AMAZING) but I was wondering if that was an error. I didn't have another can to add even after I saw it and it was also too late (after oven time). Thanks!

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        December 01, 2014 at 7:48 pm

        Oh interesting...I believe I only add 1 large can of whole tomatoes, sometimes I use diced tomatoes if that's what I have on hand. I'll try 2 next time...sorry about the confusion 🙂

        Reply
    5. Scott says

      October 09, 2012 at 1:00 pm

      5 stars
      Pens, because the shape of the pasta is somewhat like the tip of a quill pen. And La Vecchia Bettola is the restaurant where they learned this recipe, or the restaurant where it was invented, or something along those lines.

      Also, mmmmm. Looks amazing. My wife's favorite dish. I should try this recipe!

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        October 09, 2012 at 1:16 pm

        Ahhh thank you for those great facts!

        Reply
    6. Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says

      February 02, 2012 at 5:43 pm

      5 stars
      That looks more than perfect.

      Reply
    7. dinnerordessert says

      September 13, 2011 at 3:02 pm

      5 stars
      I always order this sauce at Italian restaurants but never make it myself! It looks great, I'm going to have to try this recipe.

      Reply
    8. thesmartcookiecook.com says

      August 28, 2011 at 5:30 pm

      5 stars
      I love blush sauces like this! I saw this episode too and really wanted to try the recipe. I'm definitely gonna have to now!

      Reply
    9. Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love. says

      August 27, 2011 at 9:47 pm

      5 stars
      Mmmm, this pasta looks delicious! And you are right, you gotta mix the sauce in completely with the pasta!

      Reply
    10. Christine's Pantry says

      August 27, 2011 at 6:48 pm

      5 stars
      Love pasta.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Samantha! I started this blog for my love of world cuisine and cultural flavors! You’ll find everything here from Jewish recipes, Middle Eastern, Italian and more!

    More about me →

    Summer Recipes

    • Shish Tawook (Grilled Chicken Skewers)
    • It's Time to Grill Your Pizza
    • Mediterranean Watermelon Salad
    • Grill summers produce and make this grilled panzanella salad dressed in a tangy vinaigrette, grilled vegetables and charred bread.
      Grilled Panzanella Salad
    • Grilled Tomahawk Steak with Chimichurri Compound Butter
    • Cedar Plank Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce and Fresh Lemon
      Cedar Plank Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce

    Pre-Order My Latest Cookbook!

    One Pot Mediterranean cookbook cover
    Buy This Book Online
    Buy from Amazon Kindle
    Buy from IndieBound
    Buy from Barnes and Noble
    Buy from Amazon
    One Pot Mediterranean
    Buy now!

    Trending Recipes

    • Julia Child's Salad Nicoise
    • Creamy and easy tomato mascarpone sauce with parmesan and fresh basil.
      Creamy Tomato Mascarpone Sauce with Pasta
    • Steamed clams are cooked together with wine wine, garlic, a touch of butter and loads of fresh herbs. And have extra crusty bread ready to soak up the delicious broth.
      Steamed Clams with White Wine and Garlic
    • Pearled couscous with colorful roasted vegetables.
      Israeli Couscous Salad with Roasted Vegetables
    • Turkish Sumac Onions
    • Easy French seafood stew with shrimp, mussels, clams and halibut.
      Simple Bouillabaisse Recipe (French Seafood Stew)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Featured In

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 · Samantha Ferraro · Little Ferraro Kitchen · All Rights Reserved