Penne Vodka Recipe

Cook pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add 12 oz penne and cook according to package instructions until al dente (usually 10–12 minutes). Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water. Drain pasta and set aside.

Finish and combine

When sauce and mushrooms are ready, add drained penne to the skillet with sauce. Toss over low heat, adding reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time to loosen the sauce and coat the pasta evenly (use about 1/2–1 cup as needed). Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan until melted and glossy. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Remove from heat and fold in chiffonaded basil or chopped parsley.

Prepare mushrooms and aromatics

Slice mushrooms about 1/4-inch thick. Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. Pat mushrooms dry with paper towel to remove excess moisture for better browning.

Sauté mushrooms

Heat 2 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter in a large wide skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add sliced mushrooms in a single layer (work in batches if necessary) and let them brown without moving for 2–3 minutes. Stir and continue to cook until golden and any liquid has evaporated, about 4–6 minutes total. Season with 1 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Remove mushrooms to a bowl and set aside.

Cook aromatics

In the same skillet over medium heat, add 1 tbs butter. Add the finely diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and soft, about 4–5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 30–45 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.

Build the sauce

With the skillet on medium heat (after cooking aromatics), add 3 tbs tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes to caramelize and deepen its flavor. If using red pepper flakes, add 1/4 tsp now and cook 20 seconds.

Deglaze with vodka

Carefully add 3 tbs vodka to the skillet (off-peak flame if using gas) to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Let the vodka cook and reduce for 1–2 minutes so the harsh alcohol smell mellows.

Finish cream sauce

Reduce heat to low and stir in 1 cup heavy cream and 1/4 cup whole milk. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer (do not boil vigorously). Taste and add 1/4 tsp sugar if the sauce tastes overly acidic. Simmer on low for 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and additional black pepper to taste.

Combine mushrooms with sauce

Return the sautéed mushrooms to the skillet and stir to combine, warming them through for 1–2 minutes so mushrooms soak up the sauce. If sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water later when tossing with pasta.