This penne alla vodka delivers everything you want from a classic vodka pasta — a rich, creamy tomato sauce with just enough heat from crushed red chili, and it cooks in 20 minutes on a weeknight. The recipe works beautifully with plain vodka, but if you have gin on hand, use it! The botanical notes pair with the fresh rosemary in a way that plain vodka doesn’t.

A bowl of penne alla vodka coated in creamy tomato sauce, garnished with grated cheese and fresh rosemary, with a fork resting on the side. A sprig of rosemary and a dish of chili flakes are nearby.

Penne alla vodka has stayed on restaurant menus and home dinner tables since the 1980s, and for good reason. The creamy pink sauce has a perfect balance of tangy tomato, sweet cream, and pasta. I make this with chopped onion, fresh rosemary and a splash of vodka — or gin — and it comes together in one pan while the pasta cooks.

In other words, it’s the ultimate comfort food recipe that tastes like something you’d order at your favorite Italian restaurant along with a big bowl of spaghetti amatriciana.

Three ingredients that make or break this sauce

Overhead view of penne alla vodka ingredients: dry penne in a colander, chopped onion on a board, grated cheese, tomato sauce, butter, cream, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and a small dish of vodka.
  • Vodka or gin: Both are clear spirits, so neither changes the color of the sauce. The real difference is flavor: Vodka is neutral and lets the tomato and cream shine, while gin adds a layer of botanical complexity that works surprisingly well with the rosemary. If you go the gin route, a basic London dry is all you need — nothing too floral. And yes, the alcohol cooks off during the simmer, so the sauce won’t taste boozy.
  • Tomato passata or puree: Because this sauce only simmers for 10 minutes, you need to start with something already thick and smooth. Passata, bottled tomato puree or well-pureed canned crushed tomatoes all work — but skip whole peeled or diced tomatoes unless you blend them first. There isn’t enough cook time to break them down.
  • Heavy cream: Don’t substitute half-and-half here. It doesn’t reduce properly, and you’ll end up with a thin, watery sauce instead of the thick, coating consistency you’re after. Full-fat cream only.
Image of a skillet filled with penne alla vodka pasta in a creamy tomato sauce, with a spoon dipping into the pan for serving and fresh rosemary on top.
Creamy penne with vodka sauce is a classic for good reason.

Alcohol-free penne vodka sauce

If you’re avoiding alcohol, substitute an equal amount of vegetable or chicken broth. The sauce will still be rich and creamy — just know that you’ll lose a little of the depth that the spirit adds, so taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.

Penne pasta with creamy tomato-vodka gin sauce in a white skillet.
4.89 from 53 ratings

Creamy Tomato Penne alla Vodka

Karen Tedesco
A creamy tomato sauce with crushed red chili and fresh rosemary, tossed with penne and ready in 20 minutes. Use vodka, or swap in gin — the botanical notes make it even better.
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Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 12 ounces (350 g) dried penne, ziti or other tubular shaped pasta
  • 3 tablespoons (45 g) butter
  • ½ cup finely chopped onion or shallot
  • ½ cup (125 ml) plain vodka, or gin
  • 1 ¼ cups (300 g) tomato passata or puree
  • 1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
  • ½-1 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper, to your taste
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary, plus more for garnish
  • Salt
  • ¼ cup (25 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese , plus more for serving

Instructions
 

  1. Bring 5-6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot along with 3 tablespoons salt. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente, about 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium-high heat in a wide pan large enough to hold the pasta. Add the onion and cook 1 minute, or until softened.  Pour in the gin and lower the heat to medium-low. Gently simmer for 3 minutes.
  3. Add the tomatoes, cream, red pepper, rosemary and ½ teaspoon salt. Simmer for 10 minutes to thicken the sauce.
  4. When the pasta is done, drain it and add to the pan. Reduce heat to low, add the cheese and stir until pasta is coated with the sauce. Serve with additional cheese and rosemary on top.

Notes

  • Make the sauce 1-3 days ahead. Reheat it in a small pan, adding 1-2 tablespoons water or broth as needed if has thickened too much. Cook the pasta and immediately toss with the sauce.
  • I love to add chopped fresh rosemary to the sauce. It’s not authentic in vodka sauce, but rosemary is an herb that has a piney-fresh juniper scent. Feel free to omit it, or simply garnish the finished dish with fresh chopped parsley or basil leaves.
  • Non-dairy option: I’ve successfully used creamy unsweetened oat milk instead of cream and olive oil instead of butter.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 661kcal Carbohydrates: 75g Protein: 17g Fat: 26g Sodium: 168mg Fiber: 5g Sugar: 8g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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