This tasty and elegant dish of vegan Penne alla Vodka, or pasta with vegan vodka sauce, is full of flavor from garlic, oregano and, of course, vodka. It takes just 30 minutes to make, but it is classy and delicious enough for a special family dinner or a party with friends.
Easy but delicious pasta dishes like vegan Pasta e Fagioli, vegan Pasta Puttanesca and this Vegan Instant Pot Pasta Bake are among my go-to dinners on weeknights when I want to get something together in a hurry. This gorgeous vegan Penne alla Vodka is just as easy and tasty, with a dash of extra elegance.
There are just nine ingredients needed for this recipe (and salt and ground black pepper) and you can put it together in no more than 30 minutes. But it's good enough to serve to guests at a fancy dinner party. You don't even need to sprinkle on any vegan cheese, because the "cream" in the sauce makes that completely unnecessary.
For recipes that are as simple as this, you want to use the best ingredients you can possibly get your hands on for the most flavor. So while a can of plum tomatoes would work well, a can of San Marzano tomatoes is even better.
The sauce itself is worthy of an ode. It's creamy and a pretty orange-red, and it tastes so good, you might find yourself shoveling it into your mouth with the ladle. You don't have to limit yourself to pouring it over pasta. Drizzle it over crepes or over a chunk of baked tofu or tempeh, or even roasted mushrooms. The possibilities are endless and each is delicious.
The vodka is a key ingredient in the recipe, so don't skip it. The alcohol cooks out so your kid -- or you -- won't be tipsy after you've eaten it (good for the kid but not so good for you, huh?) I serve it to Jay who loves this dish, and I've never had to deal with slurred sentences or seeing four instead of two. 😉
Although this superficially appears to be an Italian recipe, and it is often called a modern Italian classic, the origins of Penne alla Vodka are a topic of hot debate. Some believe it was invented right here in the United States, making it more American-Italian than Italian-American. Yet others believe it was the invention of vodka importers because vodka in an Italian recipe does sound a little weird, doesn't it?
But whatever its origins, who cares when this dish itself is so delicious. Serve this vegan vodka pasta with a salad of leafy greens for a fabulous meal. It is a hot favorite in our home, and I hope you will try and enjoy it too.
Looking for more vegan pasta recipes?
- Instant Pot Spaghetti with "Meaty" Marinara
- Garlicky Asparagus Pasta with Cashew Parmesan
- Creamy Tahini Butternut Squash Pasta
- Classic Vegan Lasagna
- Vegan Mushroom Bourguignon
Vegan Penne alla Vodka recipe:
Vegan Penne alla Vodka
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
- 2 large cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 ½ teaspoon dry oregano (In summer, you might try using fresh oregano or fresh basil for a wonderful flavor)
- 1 28-oz can San Marzano tomatoes (Plum tomatoes make an okay substitute)
- ¼ cup vodka
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust up or down to your taste)
- ¼ cup raw cashews
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
For serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta until al dente-- firm but tender.
- Place the tomatoes in a bowl and squish them with your fingers to break them down. Set aside.
- Blend the cashews with ½ cup of water until very smooth. Set aside.
- While the pasta water is boiling, heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions, season with some salt and pepper, and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook another minute. Add the tomatoes, vodka, oregano and red pepper flakes. (Anytime you add alcohol to a pot that's on the stove, make sure you either turn the heat off or very low).
- Stir, bring the sauce to a boil, then turn down the heat and let it continue to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the cashew cream and let it all warm through. Turn off the heat. Drain the cooked pasta and add it the sauce and mix well. Check for salt and pepper and add more if needed. Garnish, if you wish, with fresh parsley or oregano. Serve hot.
Emily Ann May
I made this sauce for Christmas Day, 2022. It was too thin for my liking so I added 3 ounces of tomato paste. That made it just the right consistency for me. The sauce was very light and sweet. I used red hot cayenne pepper instead of red pepper flakes. Your suggestion to use fresh oregano was genius. It made such a difference to the flavor experience. This is an easy recipe to prepare and I appreciated that. For the cashew cream, I soaked the nuts for two days in the refrigerator and changed water each day. This made them break down very well in the blender. First time users who make cashew cream for the first time will do well to get a muslin nut bag for straining the cream after blending. I give this 5 stars. Great flavor.
Kenna
Do I need to soak the cashews ahead of time?
Lesly
I made this for dinner for me and my BF earlier tonight. I'd never had penne alla vodka before but the recipe was easy and the sauce was delicious. I will make it again.
Kelsie
This came out amazing! Will be making this much more often. Thanks for sharing!!:)
Vaishali
So happy to hear!
Marci
This is the perfect pantry recipe. I used canned roma tomatoes which I had and followed the recipe exactly. It was amazing. Everyone enjoyed it.
Vaishali
Awesome! So happy you liked it.
Heather L
Great recipe, thank you. Used Roma tomatoes & basil straight from from the garden, and the meal was yum! Will definitely be making this again soon.
Vaishali Honawar
So happy to hear!
DJay
Another knock out recipe! Thank you. I'm studying with my cohort tomorrow and taking it. Studying with a delicious vegan dish makes life better.
Vaishali
Couldn't agree more! 🙂