My vegan penne alla vodka recipe stars perfectly al dente penne pasta tossed in a creamy tomato sauce flavored with vodka! It takes just 30 minutes and nine pantry ingredients to make this weeknight-friendly pasta dinner.
Table of Contents
Vegan Penne alla vodka
Penne alla vodka is a treat for the tastebuds: tubes of penne pasta draped in a silky, spicy tomato, cream and vodka sauce. I created a vegan version of this much-loved Italian American pasta (without the cream but with the vodka, thank you) back in 2019, and here it is, in all its glory, with some small tweaks.
Wait! Did you call this an Italian American pasta?
I did, and here's why. Some accounts say that penne alla vodka originated in Italy in the 1970s - created by chefs hired to promote Russian vodka to the Italians. Others say it was invented by an Italian chef at a New York restaurant (or a Columbia University graduate) who thought a splash of vodka would just add that bit of oomph to a plain-Jane tomato pasta sauce. Given that penne alla vodka has never been wildly popular in Italy but is so beloved stateside, I'm going with the American story.
But why vodka?
Because unlike wine, which is often used in pasta sauces, vodka doesn't have a strong flavor and is therefore perfect for a delicate cream sauce. It also enhances the aroma of the pasta. And like wine the vodka works as an emulsifier - perfect to bring the tomatoes and cream together into one big, dreamy, red-and-gold bath for the penne.
Now that we've got that squared away, can we take a moment to sing the praises of this divine vegan penne alla vodka? It is so, so plate-licking good and it is one of my go-to dinners on weeknights - one I always look forward to. Everyone in the family loves it, and it's easy to adjust the heat down if I am serving it to kids (the alcohol cooks out).
You, the cook, will love it because it's so pantry-friendly, just like pasta puttanesca or spaghetti aglio e olio. There's very little work to do, except chop an onion and mince two cloves of garlic. The recipe is soy-free and can be made with gluten-free pasta.
In other words, if you need a delicious meal in minutes, you no longer have an excuse to order takeout.
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.
-DJay
Recipe card
Vegan penne alla vodka
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne pasta
- ¼ cup raw cashews
- 1½ cups water
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
- ¼ cup vodka
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano (or 1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano)
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust up or down to your taste)
- 28 oz canned plum tomatoes
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
For serving
- vegan parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta until al dente-- firm but tender.
- Place the canned plum 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 is cooking, heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic followed by the onions. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until the onions have softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the vodka to the pot and mix. When the moisture has evaporated, add the oregano and red pepper flakes.
- Stir in the tomatoes and add a cup of water. Mix, 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.
- Drain the cooked pasta and mix it into the sauce. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Garnish, if you wish, with fresh parsley or oregano.
Notes
- (Anytime you add alcohol to a pot that's on the stove, make sure you either turn the heat off or very low).
Nutrition Information
To print recipe card without images, uncheck "instruction images" after clicking the "print recipe" button.
Vegan penne alla vodka FAQs
Most vodka is vegan, including popular brands like Absolut, Skyy and some varieties of Smirnoff. Check Barnivore for a complete list of vegan-friendly vodkas.
You can, but I don't recommend it. Coconut milk has a strong flavor that's wonderful in some recipes, like Indian curries, but it simply doesn't work if you want to seamlessly veganize dishes that contain cream. If you are nut-free, use pumpkin seeds or melon seeds instead of cashews to make a dairy-free cream.
You can, but the vodka does enhance the flavor of the tomato sauce and helps the fat and tomatoes emulsify. If you'd like to skip it, deglaze the pan with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, which would help with the emulsification.
Serve the penne alla vodka with a crisp, fresh salad like vegan Caesar salad or a beet salad.
Refrigerate the vegan vodka pasta for up to four days in an airtight container. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw completely and reheat on stovetop or in microwave until warmed through.
Recipe first posted on Feb. 22, 2019. Updated and re-published on July 23, 2025.
Sally Reed says
Holy Cow! Best pasta sauce ever and so easy! This is one of my company recipes because it's always a huge hit with vegans and omnivores alike.
Emily Ann May says
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 says
Do I need to soak the cashews ahead of time?
Lesly says
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 says
This came out amazing! Will be making this much more often. Thanks for sharing!!:)
Vaishali says
So happy to hear!
Marci says
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 says
Awesome! So happy you liked it.
Heather L says
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 says
So happy to hear!
DJay says
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 says
Couldn't agree more! 🙂