Vegan Penne Alla Vodka

Sweet, spicy, smooth, simple, & scrumptious!

The idea of using alcohol as an ingredient in a recipe always seemed very daunting and professional to me, and I thought the only way to have a good vegan vodka sauce was to buy a premade jar of it. Then, my partner made this for me on our first Valentine’s Day together, and… WOW! I halted my search for a store-bought vodka sauce and wrote this recipe down the same night. It’s creamy, flavorful, and sweet, with a nice kick of red pepper flakes. Bonus: the leftovers are just as good the rest of the week.

Ingredients:

• 12-ounce pasta of choice – I have made this with angel hair pasta before, and it was divine, but penne is always my go-to
• 1/4 cup raw, unsalted cashews
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp vegan butter
• 1/2 white onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes (or two 14-ounce)
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup good-quality vodka
• 1/2 cup vegan parmesan + more for topping – I don’t believe having too much parmesan is possible, so don’t hold back!
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley

To get this recipe nice and creamy, you’ll make a cashew cream sauce with just cashews and water. If you have a Vitamix or similar very high-powered blender – I’m jealous, and go ahead and blend the cashews & water. If not, soaking the cashews beforehand is a good idea. Either soak them for 4+ hours or if you’re not able to do that, bring the cashews and water to a boil in a small saucepan, remove from heat, and let sit while you prep everything else.

Method:

• Cook your pasta according to the al dente instructions on the box.
• Meanwhile, mince the onion, garlic, and parsley. Grate the parmesan cheese (my favorite is Violife – it’s sweet, really tastes like parmesan, and it melts in your mouth).
• -If you haven’t blended your cashew mix, go ahead and do that now. Set this aside, clean out the blender, and purée the tomatoes.

Time to make the sauce!

• In a large saucepan, heat the vegan butter. Add the onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt. Cook for about 3 minutes or until the onions are translucent (and the kitchen smells amazing).
• Add the cashew cream, vodka, and tomatoes. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Make sure you let it simmer for the entire 8 minutes because this is when the vodka will bring out all the flavors in the sauce, and the alcohol will evaporate. I’ve never wanted pasta-flavored booze, so I don’t think I’d like booze-flavored pasta!
• Combine the cooked pasta, vegan parmesan, parsley, and sauce.

That’s it! Simple and oh-so-enjoyable. This recipe holds a special place in my heart, and I hope you’ll give it a try! If you want to impress someone with your cooking skills, I highly recommend this pasta.

Vegan Penne Alla Vodka

I would pay big money for this at a nice Italian restaurant!

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Soaking time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Pasta

Servings 6

Calories 349 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 12 oz penne pasta
• 1/4 cup cashews raw, unsalted
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp vegan butter
• 1/2 white onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 28 oz whole tomatoes
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup good-quality vodka
• 1/2 cup vegan parmesan + more for topping
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley

Instructions

 

• Combine the cashews & water and let soak for at least 4 hours before blending. If you miss this step, combine them in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, remove from heat and let soak while you're prepping everything else.
• Cook your pasta according to the al dente instructions on the box.
• Mince the onion, garlic, and parsley. Grate the vegan parmesan cheese.
• Blend the cashew/water mix in a high powered blender, if possible.
• Clean out the blender, add the tomato can(s), and purée.
• In a large saucepan, heat the vegan butter. Add the onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt. Cook for about 3 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
• Add the cashew cream, vodka, and tomatoes. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Be patient! This is when the alcohol will evaporate).
• Add the cooked pasta, vegan parmesan, and parsley. Combine & enjoy! Top with more vegan parmesan cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 349kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 10gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.02gSodium: 567mgPotassium: 519mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1590IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 38mgIron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!