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Penne Alla Vodka

By Lena Abraham
May 19, 2020
Vodka Sauce Is Even Better With Rigatoni
by Delish US
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True story: This is the best vodka sauce any of us in the test kitchen have ever had. It's creamy
but bright. The secret: tomato paste. Yep, the lack of canned (crushed, pureed, or
whole) tomatoes is no mistake. Tomato paste has a more concentrated flavor, and texture-wise, it
makes for a smoother, almost velvety sauce. To make sure that each piece of pasta is coated, we
like to stir the pasta directly into the sauce while it's still in the skillet before adding the last bit of
Parmesan. 

A note about pasta:  As you can see from the picture, you don't need to use penne. In fact, we
prefer the fatter rigatoni tubes because the middles catch more sauce. Rigatoni alla vodka just
doesn't have the same ring to it, ya know? 

Need more inspo? Check out our 15+ Homemade Pasta Sauces. 

Made this yet? Let us know how it went in the comments below! 

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Yields: 4 servings
Prep Time: 0 hours 5 mins
Total Time: 0 hours 35 mins
Ingredients
3 tbsp.

butter

shallot, minced

cloves garlic, minced 

1/2 c.

tomato paste
1/2 tsp.

crushed red pepper flakes

2 tbsp.

vodka

Kosher salt

1 lb.

tubed pasta, such as penne or rigatoni

1/2 c.

heavy cream

1/2 c.

freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Basil, for serving

Directions

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add shallot and garlic and cook, stirring
frequently, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Add tomato paste and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring frequently, until paste has
coated shallots and garlic and is beginning to darken, 5 minutes. 
3. Add vodka to pot and stir to incorporate, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom
of the pot. Turn off heat.
4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 2 cups of
pasta water before draining.
5. Return sauce to medium heat and add 1/4 cup of pasta water and heavy cream, stirring to
combine. Add half the Parmesan and stir until melted. Turn off heat and stir in cooked
pasta. Fold in remaining Parmesan, adding more pasta water (about a tablespoon at a
time) if the sauce is looking dry. Season with salt if needed. Serve topped with more
Parmesan and torn basil leaves.

Parker Feierbach
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Lena Abraham Food Editor Lena Abraham is the Food Editor at Delish, where she develops and
styles recipes for video and photo, and also stays on top of current food trends.
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