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–+ servings

Penne alla "Vodka" with Creamy Tomato Sauce

Karen Tedesco
You must try this delicious twist on a classic vodka pasta sauce! The secret to the incredibly tasty cream sauce is that it uses gin instead of vodka, along with tomato puree and fresh rosemary. This dish is makes a quick, plush-tasting pasta dinner you'll crave again and again.
4.86 from 41 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Pasta
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 servings
Calories 661 kcal

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) gin or plain vodka
  • 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
US Customary - Metric

Instructions
 

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Add the tomatoes, cream, red pepper, rosemary and ½ teaspoon salt. Simmer for 10 minutes to thicken the sauce.
  • 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.
  • If you don't have fresh rosemary, simply garnish the finished dish with fresh chopped parsley or basil leaves.
  • Non-dairy option: We successfully used creamy unsweetened oat milk instead of cream and olive oil instead of butter.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 661kcalCarbohydrates: 75gProtein: 17gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 15gSodium: 168mgPotassium: 649mgFiber: 5gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1435IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 164mgIron: 3mg