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    Home » Recipes » Mains

    Vegan Vodka Sauce

    Published: Apr 28, 2022 by Ayeh Manfre 18 Comments

    JUMP TO RECIPE

    This Vegan Vodka Sauce makes delicious creamy pasta without using any cream. It's vegan, it's spicy, and the perfect comfort food!

    Penne Alla Vodka served in a bowl

    This Vegan Vodka Sauce is deliciously creamy without having to use any cream!

    It's used to make one of my favourite comfort foods, vegan Penne Alla Vodka pasta. In this recipe, I will show you how to make the ever so popular dish with of course putting my own healthy twist.

    Traditionally it's made with cream, tomatoes, and of course vodka. You don't have to use the vodka though so not to worry if you prefer to omit this.

    Some more tasty vegan recipes you must try are my Vegan Bolognese, Rice Paper Dumplings and Cauliflower Steaks.

    To keep it healthy, I'll show you how to make cashew cream which is also dairy-free rather than using heavy cream.

    This delicious and creamy vegan vodka pasta sauce includes 9 ingredients and takes less than 30 minutes to make.

    This is will pair perfectly with some delicious Bruschetta as an appetizer.

    Jump to:
    • What is Penne Alla Vodka?
    • Ingredients to make Vegan Vodka Sauce
    • How to make Vegan Vodka Sauce
    • FAQs
    • Tips for Vegan Penne Alla Vodka Pasta
    • More Pasta Recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    What is Penne Alla Vodka?

    Penne Alla Vodka originated in Italy back in the 80s, how exactly is unclear but there have been multiple claims of how the dish was invented. The popularity of the dish took off in the United States and there are many different versions today.

    The famous and gorgeous Gigi Hadid shared her take on the classic dish, which made headlines, making Penne Alla Vodka a must try.

    Penne Alla Vodka Ingredients

    Ingredients to make Vegan Vodka Sauce

    • Pasta, the classic pasta shape to use is of course Penne. In saying so, it works perfectly with any other short pasta such as Rigatoni, Cavatelli, Orecchiette and even Casarecce or gluten-free pasta. This recipe works best with a short pasta so that the creamy sauce coats all the grooves and shapes
    • Vodka, given vodka is in the name of the dish, you will need ⅓ of a cup for this recipe. It might not sound like much, but a little goes a long way. You can leave the vodka out and use water or vegetable stock instead too
    • Cashews are used to create cashew cream which is a vegan and much healthier substitute than using heavy cream. Its made by soaking raw cashews in boiling water whilst your sauce starts to cook before blending with water to create cashew cream. To make this dish nut free, a great substitute for the cashew cream is coconut cream or coconut milk
    • Tomato paste is used instead of fresh or canned tomatoes. Tomato paste is concentrated tomatoes and brings a deeper flavour and darker colour in a short amount of cooking time. If you prefer to use canned or fresh tomatoes, the sauce will need to be cooked for longer
    • Onion, brown onion is a better choice rather than using red onion in this dish, as the tomatoes with the vodka create a sweet sauce so white onion balances these flavours
    • Garlic, well it can't be a tasty pasta without garlic right! Just make sure not to cut the garlic too small as garlic can burn easily when being sautéed. Small cubes work best so that they can be cooked with the onion
    • Cheese, nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan are a great options to give your vegan penne alla vodka a cheesy taste as a substitution for using Parmigiano Reggiano (parmesan cheese)
    • Chilli, red pepper flakes are added to the dish for a subtle spicy hit. You can add as little or as much as you like depending on preference. If serving young children, they can easily be left out
    Penne Alla Vodka on a pan

    How to make Vegan Vodka Sauce

    Time needed: 30 minutes.

    1. Soak cashews

      Soak cashews in a bowl with boiling water for 20 minutes

    2. Prepare sauce

      Sauté diced onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until translucent.

      Add tomato paste and fry together for 5-8 minutes to release all the beautiful flavor.

      Then add vodka, cook the alcohol down in the sauce, season with salt and pepper and chill flakes

    3. Cook pasta

      At the same time, add the pasta to a pot with heavily salted boiling water and cook until al dente. Make sure not to overcook as pasta will need to finish cooking in the sauce

    4. Make cashew cream

      Drain cashews and add to a food processer or blender with 1 cup of warm water. Blend until smooth to create cashew cream

      Pour cashew cream into the sauce, stir together and season with salt and pepper.
      Add a good splash of pasta water to the sauce, tear in the basil leaves and let it simmer

    5. Cook it all together

      Add the cooked pasta along with the nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan cheese. Stir and cook together on medium heat for a few minutes until pasta is cooked and nicely coated in the creamy sauce. If sauce is too thick, add another splash of pasta water.

    6. Serve it up

      Serve with some extra basil leaves on top and enjoy your creamy bowl of goodness!

    Penne Alla Vodka being served with spoon

    FAQs

    What can I use instead of heavy cream in vodka sauce?

    Here I've made cashew cream to make a vegan vodka sauce. You can also use coconut cream, coconut milk or even soy milk.

    Is there a substitute for vodka in vodka sauce

    You don't need to use vodka. Simply omit and add water or vegetable stock instead

    What does the vodka do to the sauce?

    The vodka enhances the sauce and provides richness as it releases flavour in the tomato.
    Typically, alcohol such as wine is used in Italian sauces for this reason

    Is Penne Alla Vodka healthy?

    This recipe eliminates heavy cream and instead substitutes for cashew cream being a much healthier alternative. This is also a vegan pasta

    Tips for Vegan Penne Alla Vodka Pasta

    1. Always save some pasta water as the pasta water will help create a glossy creamy sauce. Without it, it can be quite thick due to the cashew cream
    2. Don't cook the onion or chilli on a high heat as it can burn easily
    3. No vodka no worries, you can substitute it with water or vegetable stock
    4. Don't overcook the pasta when boiling as it needs to finish cooking in the sauce for the best flavour
    Penne Alla Vodka served in a bowl

    Simply serve the dish into your bowl and devour your rich and creamy pasta without any guilt or a touch of cream. Ah the ultimate comfort food!

    More Pasta Recipes

    • Pappardelle Pasta with Mushrooms
    • Mushroom Carbonara
    • Baked Feta Pasta
    • Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca
    • Superfood Pesto Pasta

    I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to tag @cookingwithayeh and share a photo of your Vegan Vodka Sauce on Instagram so I can share the love.

    Recipe

    Penne All Vodka serve in a bowl
    4.80 from 10 votes

    Vegan Vodka Sauce

    This Vegan Vodka Sauce makes delicious creamy pasta without using any cream. It's vegan, it's spicy, and the perfect comfort food
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time25 mins
    Total Time30 mins
    Course: Main Course, Vegan
    Cuisine: American, Italian
    Keyword: healthy, Pasta, vegan, vodka
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 651kcal
    Author: Ayeh
    Pin Print Rate

    Ingredients

    • 350 g penne pasta
    • 1 cup raw cashews
    • 7 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 1 onion
    • 5 garlic cloves
    • 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • ⅓ cup vodka (or vegetable stock or water)
    • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (add more or less depending on how spicy you like it)
    • Nutritional yeast or Vegan parmesan cheese
    • Handful fresh basil leaves
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • Extra basil leaves or fresh parsley

    Instructions

    • Soak cashews in a bowl with boiling water for 20 minutes
    • Dice onion and garlic into small cubes and sauté in olive oil over medium heat until translucent
    • Add tomato paste and fry together for 5-8 minutes to release all the beautiful flavor. Then add vodka, cook the alcohol down in the sauce, season with salt and pepper and chill flakes
    • At the same time, add the pasta to a pot with heavily salted boiling water and cook until al dente. Make sure not to overcook as pasta will need to finish cooking in the sauce
    • Drain cashews, add to a food processer or blender with 1 cup of warm water. Blend until smooth to create cashew cream
    • Pour cashew cream into the sauce, stir together and season with salt and pepper
      Add a good splash of pasta water to the sauce, tear in the basil leaves and let it simmer
    • Add the cooked pasta along with the nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan cheese. Stir and cook together on medium heat for a few minutes until pasta is cooked and nicely coated in the creamy sauce. If sauce is too thick, add another splash of pasta water
    • Serve with some extra basil leaves on top and enjoy your creamy bowl of goodness 🙂

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 651kcal | Carbohydrates: 84g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Sodium: 242mg | Potassium: 748mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 441IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 4mg

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Sookieandfood

      March 30, 2021 at 2:52 pm

      5 stars
      This was so easy to follow and delicious! I loved the cashew cream substitute for regular cream, it was the perfect consistency!

      Reply
      • Johanne

        April 05, 2021 at 9:48 pm

        Delicious! Simply amazing how rich and creamy the homemade cashew cream was as a replacement for regular cream. I used a full teaspoon of chilli flakes as I love a spicey tang. I also made this pasta and froze portions for lunch prep and it's just as delicious after defrost and reheat! I actually do this with all Ayeh's simple to make pasta recipes and always look forward to lunch each day! Thank you Ayeh ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

        Reply
        • Ayeh

          April 07, 2021 at 5:41 pm

          So happy to hear that lovely, its crazy how simple cashew cream is to make 🙂
          You're most welcome xxx

          Reply
      • Ayeh

        April 07, 2021 at 5:25 pm

        Yay so glad to hear that! xxx

        Reply
      • Neha

        June 09, 2021 at 9:09 pm

        5 stars
        This is by far the best pasta recipe that I have ever made. The creaminess from cashew paste was so beautiful . I can have this dish everyday . Thanks Ayeh for introducing me to this dish ❤️

        Reply
        • Ayeh

          June 24, 2021 at 7:35 pm

          What a beautiful compliment, thank you so much!

          Reply
          • Sarah

            October 11, 2021 at 8:00 pm

            5 stars
            So easy to make and absolutely delicious!
            One of my favorites!
            I love making the cashew cream as a healthier option!

            Reply
            • Ayeh

              October 14, 2021 at 11:11 am

              Yes! you cant even taste the cashews right 🙂

    2. Muskan Mantry

      April 18, 2021 at 6:38 pm

      5 stars
      By far one of the best pastas i have ever had!! Thanks for the recipe Ayeh...you make my Saturday night study breaks amazing with all these easy and delicious recipes ❤️❤️

      Reply
      • Ayeh

        April 27, 2021 at 5:06 pm

        Its one of my favs too! You're most welcome lovely x

        Reply
    3. Asha

      August 08, 2021 at 8:54 am

      Another mouth watering recipe by Ayeh!!
      We tried this for the first time last night (although didn’t add the vodka and swapped the tomato paste for a can of tinned tomatoes). IT WAS INCREDIBLE!!!

      Definitely a fave in our household and 100% making this again 🙂

      Thanks for another delicious meal Ayeh!!

      Reply
      • Ayeh

        August 12, 2021 at 11:00 am

        Awwww so happy you loved it so much!! x

        Reply
    4. Asha

      August 08, 2021 at 8:55 am

      5 stars
      Forgot to add my 5 star rating when leaving my comment on here. If I could do 10 stars, I would - YUM!!

      Reply
      • Ayeh

        August 12, 2021 at 11:00 am

        Thats so sweet thank you lovely!

        Reply
    5. Lovissa

      April 22, 2022 at 10:50 pm

      5 stars
      It’s one of the most easiest but best tasting pasta I have ever made with least ingredients… my go to pasta these days .. thank u for this receipe Ayeh

      Reply
      • Ayeh

        April 23, 2022 at 11:38 am

        Oh yayy so lovely to hear this Lovissa 🙂 xxx

        Reply
    6. Simona

      January 11, 2023 at 1:17 pm

      4 stars
      I literally just made this tonight. Delicious! I'm not a cashew person so I didn't add that but easy recipe. Thank you

      Reply
      • Ayeh Manfre

        January 16, 2023 at 9:25 pm

        So happy you loved this one!

        Reply

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