This classic Penne Alla Vodka recipe is easy to make with simple ingredients and the most flavorful vodka infused tomato sauce. Prosciutto, tomato paste, simple seasonings, flavor enhancers, and cream take this over the top!
Be sure to try my Marry Me Chicken Pasta next!
Penne Alla Vodka
This Penne Alla Vodka recipe is something that I have been spending years perfecting. It’s my husband’s all-time favorite dish, and I can confidently give it the restaurant quality stamp of approval!
Prosciutto which sets the tone for optimum results by infusing flavor onto the skillet and into the sauce. It’s then deglazed with vodka which is reduced down to serve its purpose of enhancing the other flavors in the dish.
We then create a delicious tomato base which is accompanied by my favorite seasonings, flavor enhancers, and cream which counteracts the acidity of the tomatoes nicely. And finally, the penne and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Have I convinced you yet? 😉
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Sauté prosciutto in a skillet with olive oil until crisp. Set aside and roughly chop. Deglaze skillet with vodka and reduce by half. Add butter and garlic.
Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, chicken bouillon, honey, hot sauce, seasonings, cooked prosciutto, and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Simmer while you cook the pasta for 1 minute less than al dente. (Reserve some pasta water when draining.)
Add the cream and stir until combined.
Add the cooked penne and stir to combine. Add pasta water as needed to control the consistency. It will allow the pasta to cling to the sauce and adds a smooth finish.
Optional: Remove from heat and swirl in 1 tablespoon of cold butter prior to serving. This adds a sparkly finish and is a technique called “monte au beurre”.
Pro Tips
- Prosciutto: This is a great way to add “fond” to the skillet which is deglazed with vodka for superior flavor. Pancetta makes a good substitute. You could also try a little ham or bacon.
- Penne: I use Penne Lisce for this recipe simply because I like the way it looks without ridges for this recipe. Penne Rigate can be used as well, which has ridges to help grip the sauce.
- Tomato Paste: I use tomato paste tubes to measure smaller amounts, you can store the tubes in the fridge for zero waste!
- Grate the cheese from a block as it will taste much better than packaged grated cheese. I use Belgioioso Parmesan cheese.
- Hot Sauce and Honey are flavor enhancers in this sauce that you can’t taste outright. I use Frank’s hot sauce and it won’t make it spicy.
- Optional additions include: Diced tomatoes, mushrooms, basil, and spinach!
- Baked Meatballs and Garlic Bread with Cheese are a great side dish with this dish.
- Meatless: To make this meatless, omit the prosciutto and use vegetable broth/bouillon instead of chicken.
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Leftovers freeze/reheat well, just be sure not to overcook the pasta the first time around.
- For even better results, freeze the sauce by itself and boil fresh pasta for serving.
Tools For This Recipe
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- 3-Quart Stainless Steel Sauté Pan– This is the skillet pictured in the process shots of this recipe.
- Cheese Grater– Always shred your cheese from a block for soups and sauces, it melts and tastes much better than packaged shredded cheese. I use Belgioioso parmesan.
- Pasta Strainer– I have this one and love it.
- Measuring Spoons– I have these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized in my utensil drawer.
- Pinch Bowls– For measuring out seasonings ahead of time.
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Penne Alla Vodka
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ lb. Prosciutto, roughly chopped
- ¾ cup vodka
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 28 oz. crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 lb. penne
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated. For serving
Seasonings
- ¾ teaspoon basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
For Serving
- 1 tablespoon cold butter
Instructions
Prep Work
- Measure out all ingredients before beginning.
- Take a measuring cup (1 cup or larger) and place it in the colander that you’ll use to drain your pasta, this will remind you to save some of the pasta water when that step arrives.
Make the Sauce/Pasta
- Heat olive oil over medium heat and add the prosciutto. Cook until it begins to brown, 2-3 minutes, then set aside and roughly chop once cooled.
- Turn the heat off and add the vodka. Set the heat to medium and use a silicone spatula to clean the bottom and sides of the skillet (there may not be a ton of remnants from the meat, that’s okay)! Let it bubble gently and reduce by half, about 4-5 minutes (or until you can no longer smell alcohol).
- Add the butter and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, chicken bouillon, honey, hot sauce, seasonings, and cooked prosciutto. Stir to combine.
- Add the crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let it bubble gently and reduce, partially covered while you start to boil salted water for the pasta.
- Once a boil is reached, cook the penne for 1 minute less than al dente. Drain and reserve some of the pasta water.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir the cream into the sauce until combined, then add the cooked penne and stir to combine.
- Add pasta water as needed to control the consistency. It will add a creamy finish and help the pasta cling onto the sauce.
- Remove from heat and swirl in 1 tablespoon of cold butter prior to serving. (This is optional, it adds a smooth, sparkly finish.)
- Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese!
Notes
- Prosciutto: This is a great way to add "fond" to the skillet which is deglazed with vodka for superior flavor. Pancetta makes a good substitute. You could also try a little ham or bacon.
- Penne: I use Penne Lisce for this recipe simply because I like the way it looks without ridges for this recipe. Penne Rigate can be used as well, which has ridges to help grip the sauce.
- Tomato Paste: I use tomato paste tubes to measure smaller amounts, you can store the tubes in the fridge for zero waste!
- Grate the cheese from a block as it will taste much better than packaged grated cheese. I use Belgioioso Parmesan cheese.
- Hot Sauce and Honey are flavor enhancers in this sauce that you can't taste outright. I use Frank's hot sauce and it won't make it spicy.
- Optional additions include: Diced tomatoes, mushrooms, basil, and spinach!
- Baked Meatballs and Garlic Bread with Cheese are a great side dish with this dish.
- Meatless: To make this meatless, omit the prosciutto and use vegetable broth/bouillon instead of chicken.
Storage:
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Leftovers freeze/reheat well, just be sure not to overcook the pasta the first time around.
- For even better results, freeze the sauce by itself and boil fresh pasta for serving.
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving. There are 6 servings in this recipe.
Hi Stephanie!
I’ve been wanting to make vodka sauce forever and am so glad I finally got around to it using your recipe! It was so delicious and pretty easy! I have to say that I truly appreciate all your tips and tricks and info about certain techniques; I find them so helpful and quite interesting! Thanks for another great recipe!
Thanks so much for the great comments Caroline! I love that your enjoying the recipes and find the tips helpful and interesting, yayyy! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!💖
Looking forward to trying this recipe! Which type of vodka do you use?
Hi Em! I’m excited for you to try it too! I use Tito’s Vodka!
Had to come back and share how wonderful this recipe was! So so much flavor. Thank you for sharing these with us!
That makes my day Em! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and let me know how it came out, you’re the best! 🙂 -Stephanie
I return again and again to this site to help plan my meals for the week and hands down this is my favorite so far! Such amazing flavor!
I am SOOOOO happy to hear that Mary, you made my day, thank you soooo much for taking the time to let me know how you liked this!! 🙂 -Stephanie
Made this for the family last night, it was absolutely amazing. Was a big hit with the family! Thanks for all of your great recipes.
It’s my pleasure Rob, I’m so happy it was a hit with the family! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!💖
I liked the idea of this recipe but to me it was a little bland. It didn’t taste bad and many would probably like it, but it wasn’t a personal favorite
Hi Victoria! I’m curious, did you use the prosciutto and the chicken bouillon? Those really take this over the top as far as depth of flavor goes! Just wondering if either of those were omitted. I also make sure to salt the pasta water liberally 🙂
Not sure how this will turn out but after three minutes there was nothing left of my vodka in the skillet! Had to add it again and start over. This is going to be the most expensive pasta I’ve ever made!
Hi Lori, the instruction is to reduce by half, with an approximate time limit to supplement that. If yours reduced more quickly, you didn’t have to continue to reduce it 🙁 Your heat was probably just higher, heat levels on stove tops do vary, which is why I use an eyeball amount as well. I do hope that you enjoyed it.
This was heavenly. That sauce was amazing, and the idea of adding the prosciutto was genius! It brought it to a whole different level. My family absolutely loved it. Thank you so much Stephanie!!
You’re very welcome Jenny! I’m so happy the family enjoyed it so much, thank you for taking the time to leave a review!💖
Made this tonight and the family loved it! Easy and delicious! Will definitely be adding it to our dinner rotation.
That’s so great to hear Mandy! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review💖
Delicious! Made this for the first time tonight and was impressed with the flavor. I will be trying more recipes. Easy but not lacking in flavor by any means.
I’m so happy you found it easy and flavorful Jessica! This is pretty much the only meatless meal that my husband will eat. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!💖
Hello! I do love your recipes! I have a question? What type of chicken bullion do you use? Do you use knorr? Thank you!
Hi Donna! So happy that you are enjoying the recipes! I use Better Than Bouillon, it’s great. (And it’s not a solid) – Really easy to measure customized amounts. I use this to make broth as well!
Can you please clarify how much chicken bouillon? Recipe says “1 chicken bouillon”
Thanks and looks amazing!
It’s 1 bouillon cube 🙂 (Recipe’s been updated!)
Is it ok if I only have crushed tomatoes?
Hi Alison, yes, that’s fine! 🙂