Done in 20 minutes this flavor packed Spicy Vodka Pasta (or Penne alla Vodka) is a delicious tomato cream sauce. Made from common ingredients such as fresh tomatoes, heavy cream, and parsley this is the best vodka pasta recipe you will find.
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I've loved a good vodka sauce since the first time I had it, and since it's so easy to make - I end up making it A LOT. This spicy vodka pasta recipe is true to its roots, with a good dose of spice and truly delicious flavors.
The secret to the spicy vodka pasta is that the vodka helps the acidic tomato sauce combine with the silky cream, to create a sauce that's acidic, silky, and full of complex flavors.
Why you will love this recipe
- It's quick and all done in 20 minutes
- It's easy to make with a few simple steps
- Perfect for busy weeknights
- Flavor packed and sure to have you coming back for seconds
- Acidic tomato flavors pair great with the creamy sauce
- A small spicy kick for extra yumminess
- Leftovers are great and perfect to reheat the next day
What you need to make it
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Penne pasta can be swapped for rigatoni or fusilli, or another type of pasta
- Tomatoes should be as ripe as possible - rather over ripe than under ripe
- Fresh parsley can be switched for frozen parsley, or dried or fresh basil, or skipped
- Cream: I recommend heavy cream
- Shallots can be swapped for red onion or yellow onion
- Chili flakes (red pepper flakes): adjust the amount depending on how spicy you like it, and how spicy your chili flakes are. The kind I use is pretty spicy and the amount here gives the sauce just a small kick of spice. They can also be omitted for a non-spicy version.
- Vodka can be swapped for another type of unflavored strong alcohol, or white wine
- Top with cheese for an even more delicious dish: I like mozzarella or burrata, or shredded pecorino or parmesan cheese
How to make it
- Melt butter in a skillet
- Sauté shallots and garlic 2 minutes
- Add tomato paste and chili flakes
- Mix & fry the tomato paste for 1 minute
- Add chopped tomatoes and vodka
- Cook for 1 minute
- Add cream and stir to mix
- Simmer 5 minutes
- Add chopped parsley
- Add cooked pasta (it should be very al dente) and pasta cooking water
- Mix well, then taste test and season with salt & ground black pepper as needed
- Simmer for 1 minute, then serve on its own or with a side of garlic bread
Tips & tricks
- Fry the tomato paste for a deeper flavor
- Undercook the pasta - it will finish cooking with the sauce
- Add salt last - after the pasta & pasta water, and taste test first
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days
- Freeze leftovers to keep them for longer
- Reheat leftovers on the stove in a pot over low heat until warmed through
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave in 1 minute increments
Recipe FAQ
What does putting vodka in pasta do?
Vodka enhances the tomato flavor and helps the sauce come together. Using it makes the sauce both creamier and more tomatoey!
When to add vodka to pasta sauce?
When to add vodka to pasta sauce depends on what type of pasta sauce you are making. For a vodka pasta like this one, you should add it with the tomatoes to allow the vodka to enhance the tomato flavors as much as possible.
How to make spicy vodka pasta without vodka?
To make a spicy vodka pasta without vodka, you can either swap it for another more neutral strong alcohol (for example, cachaca or light rum), opt for white wine instead, or use water instead.
More quick pasta recipes
Looking for more quick & easy pasta recipes like this spicy Penne alla Vodka?
- Salmon Crème Fraîche Pasta
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta
- Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
- Chicken Broccoli Pasta Bake
- Creamy Red Wine Pasta Sauce with Chicken & Mushrooms
Recipe
Spicy Vodka Pasta
Print RateServings: 4
Calories: 507kcal
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 cups dry penne pasta cooked 1 minute less than package instruction
- 2 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup shallots chopped small
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes or more or less according to taste and type of chili flakes
- 3 cups tomatoes seeds removed then chopped
- ¼ cup vodka
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup chopped parsley
- ½ cup pasta cooking water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat, then add shallots and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes, until shallots have softened. Meanwhile, salt the pasta water heavily and start cooking the pasta.3 cups dry penne pasta, ½ cup shallots, 1 garlic clove, 2 tablespoon butter
- Add tomato paste and chili flakes. Fry the tomato paste and chili flakes for 1 while mixing with the shallots & garlic.2 tablespoon tomato paste, ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- Add tomatoes and vodka. Cook for 1 minute to allow some of the alcohol to cook off.3 cups tomatoes, ¼ cup vodka
- Add cream, bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to keep that simmer and cook for 5 minutes.1 cup heavy cream
- Mix in chopped parsley.½ cup chopped parsley
- Drain the pasta and reserve some of the pasta cooking water.
- Mix in pasta and pasta cooking water with the sauce. Taste test and season with salt and pepper as needed.3 cups dry penne pasta, ½ cup pasta cooking water, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon salt
- Simmer for 1 minute, then serve.
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
- Measuring cups (metric or US)*
Video
Notes
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Penne pasta can be swapped for rigatoni or fusilli, or another type of pasta
- Tomatoes should be as ripe as possible - rather over ripe than under ripe
- Fresh parsley can be switched for frozen parsley, or dried or fresh basil, or skipped
- Cream: I recommend heavy cream
- Shallots can be swapped for red onion or yellow onion
- Chili flakes (red pepper flakes): adjust the amount depending on how spicy you like it, and how spicy your chili flakes are. The kind I use is pretty spicy and the amount here gives the sauce just a small kick of spice. They can also be omitted for a non-spicy version.
- Vodka can be swapped for another type of unflavored strong alcohol, or white wine
- Top with cheese for an even more delicious dish: I like mozzarella or burrata, or shredded pecorino or parmesan cheese
Tips & tricks
- Fry the tomato paste before mixing with the rest, for a deeper flavor
- Undercook the pasta - it will finish cooking with the sauce
- Add salt last - after the pasta & pasta water, and taste test first
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days
- Freeze leftovers to keep them for longer
- Reheat leftovers on the stove in a pot over low heat until warmed through
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave in 1 minute increments
Nutrition
Calories: 507kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 437mg | Potassium: 655mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2810IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
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Madelyn
Soooo yummy, one of the best recipes out there!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Hi Madelyn! So happy you liked it, and thanks for coming back to leave a comment! /Emmeline