Penne Alla Vodka (Vodka Pink Sauce Recipe)
Vodka pink sauce is a creamy and decadent pasta sauce layered with fresh oregano and a healthy dusting of Parmigiano.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 376kcal
Cost: $8
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne or rigatoni pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil + more for garnish
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional, for heat
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ cup vodka
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup Freshly grated Parmesan cheese + more for garnish
- 2 sprigs of fresh oregano leaves chopped + more for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Before draining, save about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.
- Heat a wide skillet over medium-heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chopped garlic, dried oregano and the optional red pepper flakes and sauce for another minute.
- Pour in the vodka and bring to a strong simmer and reduce. Use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan and if you see the bottom of the pan easily, the vodka has reduced enough.
- Add the tomato sauce and season with salt and pepper and simmer the sauce for 15-20 minutes.
- Over low heat, stir in heavy cream, fresh oregano and freshly grated Parmigiano and taste for seasoning. Add the cooked pasta to pink sauce and stir to combine so all of the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce. *Add ½ cup of the starchy pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
- Serve the vodka pink sauce in wide bowls and garnish with, fresh oregano, an extra grating of Parmigiano and drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
- Reduce Vodka: When reducing the vodka, use a spatula to slide the spatula down the middle. If you see the bottom of the skillet, the vodka has reduced enough.
- Pasta Water: Once the pasta is cooked, save about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water to add to the pink sauce if it's too thick and helps the sauce cling to the pasta.
- Adding Cream: Add the heavy cream at the end of cooking and over low heat to avoid curdling and to achieve a smooth, creamy texture.
- Toss Pasta with the Sauce: Once the pasta is cooked, add it directly into the sauce so all of the noodles are evenly coated.
Nutrition
Calories: 376kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 454mg | Potassium: 488mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 819IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 3mg