Penne Alla Vodka
Classic Penne Alla Vodka is made up of tender pasta that's tossed in a rich and creamy tomato and vodka based sauce. So easy and flavorful!
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 16 ounces dried penne pasta
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon , diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion , diced
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 cup vodka
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese , plus more for serving
- freshly chopped parsley , for garnish
- garlic bread , for serving, optional
Instructions
- Cook the penne pasta al dente, according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and set it aside.
- In the meantime, in a large nonstick saucepan, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until it's browned, about 5-7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a towel-lined plate to drain. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the grease from the pan.
- To the pan with the bit of bacon grease, add in the olive oil and onion; sauté for about 3 minutes until softened and translucent. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 20 seconds.
- Stir in the tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and half of the reserved pasta water. Allow the mixture to simmer for 2 minutes over medium-low heat.
- Add in the heavy cream, vodka, and reserved cooked bacon. Allow it to simmer for about 4 minutes. (If the sauce is too thick, you can add in some more of the pasta water.)
- Stir in the parmesan cheese until melted and incorporated. Toss with the cooked pasta until fully coated.
- Serve portions in bowls and pass some freshly grated Parmesan cheese at the table.
Nutrition
Calories: 601kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 833mg | Potassium: 609mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1389IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 181mg | Iron: 2mg