Pasta alla Vodka with Penne and Crispy Pancetta
Updated: 9 hours ago
Pasta alla Vodka is a wonderful example of how a few ingredients can create a sauce that feels considerably more luxurious than the effort involved, and this penne alla vodka recipe is my favourite way to make it.
Tomato paste, vodka, cream, Parmesan, and pasta water come together to produce a silky, rosy sauce. Add crispy pancetta, and you introduce a magnificent contrast between the creamy pasta and little pieces of salty, savoury pork.
The important technique is understanding how tomato paste develops flavour, what vodka contributes, and why the sauce becomes beautifully cohesive when it's finished with starchy pasta water.
TIME 45 minutes | SERVES 4 | LEVEL Easy |
BEFORE YOU START The secret here is finishing the pasta in the sauce with a splash of its cooking water. My Kitchen School lessons explain why, and each takes about five minutes to read. |
Why You'll Love It
SILKY ROSY SAUCE Tomato and cream, balanced by a splash of vodka | CRISPY PANCETTA Salty, golden pieces in every bowl |
FINISHED IN THE PAN Glossy sauce that clings to every tube | READY IN 45 MINUTES The sauce simmers while the pasta cooks |
Tested in my kitchen · As seen on TODAY and The Tonight Show · Parade magazine's chef for 10 years · About Chef Jon → |
Pasta alla Vodka with Penne and Crispy Pancetta
Serves 4 | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 30 minutes | Total: 45 minutes
Ingredients
For the Pasta alla Vodka
1 pound (450 g) dried penne pasta
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces (115 g) pancetta, cut into small cubes
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup (120 ml) vodka
1 can (28 oz / 800 g) good quality crushed tomatoes
¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream (double cream)
2 large handfuls (about 2 oz / 55 g) baby spinach
2 ounces (60 g) freshly grated Parmesan or Grana Padano, plus extra for serving
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
Fine sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup (250 ml) reserved pasta cooking water, used as needed
Instructions
STEP 1 OF 11
Boil the pasta water
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
STEP 2 OF 11
Crisp the pancetta
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook for approximately 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and lightly crisp.
Remove approximately one third of the pancetta with a slotted spoon and set aside for garnishing.
You'll know it's right when the pancetta is golden and lightly crisp, and has released plenty of fat into the pan. |
STEP 3 OF 11
Soften the onion
Reduce the heat to medium low. Add the finely chopped onion to the pan and cook gently for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and sweet.
Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for approximately 30 seconds, until fragrant.
STEP 4 OF 11
Cook the tomato paste
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for approximately 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until it darkens slightly and develops a deeper, richer aroma.
You'll know it's right when the paste has darkened from bright red to a deeper brick colour. |
STEP 5 OF 11
Add the vodka
Remove the pan briefly from the heat. Pour in the vodka, then return the pan to medium heat, stirring and scraping the bottom to release any browned bits.
Allow the vodka to simmer for approximately 3 to 4 minutes, until reduced by about half.
Chef Jon's tip: always take the pan off the heat before pouring in the vodka, and keep your face well back. Alcohol near a flame can flare. |
STEP 6 OF 11
Simmer the tomatoes
Add the crushed tomatoes and stir thoroughly to combine.
Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for approximately 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
STEP 7 OF 11
Cook the penne
While the sauce simmers, add the penne to the boiling water. Cook for approximately 2 minutes less than the package instructions, allowing the pasta to finish cooking in the sauce.
STEP 8 OF 11
Add the cream
Reduce the heat beneath the sauce to low and stir in the heavy cream. Cook gently for approximately 2 minutes, until the sauce becomes a beautiful rosy colour.
STEP 9 OF 11
Finish the penne in the sauce
Before draining the pasta, reserve approximately 1 cup (250 ml) of the starchy cooking water.
Drain the penne and transfer it directly to the frying pan containing the sauce.
Add approximately ½ cup (120 ml) of reserved pasta water and toss gently over medium low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce clings beautifully to each piece. Add a little more pasta water if necessary.
Add the baby spinach and toss for about 30 seconds more, just until it wilts into the sauce.
You'll know it's right when the sauce is glossy and clings to every tube rather than collecting at the bottom of the pan. |
If something's off: if the sauce looks thick or dull, add another splash of pasta water and keep tossing. |
STEP 10 OF 11
Add the Parmesan and herbs
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the freshly grated Parmesan, fresh oregano, and half of the chopped parsley.
Taste and adjust the seasoning with fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Chef Jon's tip: add the Parmesan off the heat. The residual warmth melts it smoothly without it turning grainy. |
STEP 11 OF 11
Serve
Divide the pasta between four warm bowls. Scatter over the reserved crispy pancetta, remaining parsley, and a little additional Parmesan.
Serve immediately.
Tips & Chef's Notes
Give the tomato paste a few minutes in the pancetta fat until it darkens. It makes a noticeable difference.
Cook the penne 2 minutes short of the package time so it can finish in the sauce.
Reserve a generous cup of pasta water before draining.
Grate the Parmesan freshly and add it off the heat.
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The Secret to Penne alla Vodka
I've always thought Pasta alla Vodka sounds rather more extravagant than it actually is. Mention vodka in a pasta sauce, and people occasionally imagine something terribly sophisticated. Perhaps a chef dramatically pouring spirits into a saucepan while the kitchen bursts into flames.
Fortunately, none of that is necessary. The real pleasure of Penne alla Vodka lies in how a few familiar ingredients work together. Tomato. Cream. A little vodka. Parmesan. And in this version, wonderfully crisp pancetta.
The result is rich, savoury, and beautifully balanced.
Why Pancetta Should Be Cooked First
Pancetta contributes salt, fat, and a lovely savoury depth. As it cooks, some of its fat renders into the pan. The pieces gradually become firmer and more golden. And that rendered fat provides a wonderful foundation for the sauce.
I prefer to cook the pancetta gently enough that the fat has time to render before the outside becomes excessively dark. Then I lift out about a third of the crisp pieces and set them aside for the top.
This is important. Pancetta that spends the entire cooking time in the sauce gives the sauce its savoury depth, but it loses its crisp texture. Scattering those reserved pieces over the finished bowls preserves that lovely contrast.
Why Tomato Paste Needs Cooking
Tomato paste is concentrated tomato. And it can be remarkably useful. But straight from the can or tube, it may taste sharp and rather raw.
When cooked gently in fat, its flavour changes. Some moisture evaporates. The tomato becomes darker. And the flavour develops a richer, more savoury character.
I like to cook it until the colour deepens noticeably. But avoid scorching it. Burnt tomato paste can become bitter. The aim is rich and fragrant. Not blackened.
What Does Vodka Actually Do?
Now for the ingredient everyone asks about. Vodka. It contributes alcohol, which can influence the extraction and perception of certain flavour compounds. It also changes the character of the sauce as it cooks.
But here's an important detail. Not all the alcohol necessarily evaporates during cooking. The amount remaining depends on the quantity used, cooking time, temperature, and pan.
If you're avoiding alcohol, omit the vodka rather than assuming the finished sauce is alcohol free. The result will still be a delicious creamy tomato pasta. It simply won't have precisely the same flavour profile.
Why Cream Creates That Beautiful Rosy Sauce
Once the tomato sauce has simmered and developed its flavour, cream is added. And the colour changes almost immediately. The deep red tomato base becomes a warm, rosy orange.
Cream contributes fat and richness. It softens the perception of acidity. And it creates a smooth, luxurious texture.
But don't boil the sauce aggressively after adding the cream. Gentle heat is more than sufficient. We're trying to create a cohesive sauce. Not separate the dairy.
Why Pasta Water Is Essential
Now comes one of the most useful techniques in pasta cooking. Reserve some of the water before draining the penne. As pasta cooks, starch escapes into the water. That starch can help the sauce cling to the pasta.
When the penne is tossed with the tomato cream mixture, a little pasta water loosens the sauce while helping create a cohesive coating. Add it gradually. Too much water makes the sauce thin. Too little leaves it heavy.
The finished penne should glisten. Each piece should be coated. And the sauce should settle into the hollow centres of the pasta. Which is one reason penne is such a good choice.
Why Parmesan Belongs at the End
Parmesan contributes savouriness and salt. But adding it to a fiercely boiling sauce can produce an uneven texture. I prefer to take the pan off the heat before incorporating finely grated cheese.
Stir gently. Taste. And remember that pancetta is already salty. You may need less additional salt than expected.
Then scatter the reserved crisp pancetta over the top. And serve immediately.
Getting the Balance Right
A good Penne alla Vodka shouldn't taste like cream with a little tomato added for colour. Nor should it taste like ordinary tomato sauce with a spoonful of dairy.
The tomato should remain present. The cream should provide richness. The vodka should contribute without dominating. And the pancetta should offer little bursts of savoury crunch.
Finish with Parmesan. A little fresh parsley. And bring it straight to the table. Because creamy pasta is at its best when the sauce is still silky and the pancetta retains a little crispness.
And if someone asks whether the vodka makes this a cocktail or a dinner, I would suggest handing them a fork. That should settle the matter.
Key Ingredients
Penne: The little tubes catch the sauce, and the ridges hold onto the Parmesan and pancetta.
Pancetta: Its rendered fat is the foundation of the sauce, and the crisp pieces add salty contrast.
Tomato Paste: Cooked until brick red, for a richer, rounder tomato flavour.
Vodka: Not for flavour, but to lift the aroma of the tomatoes and balance the cream.
Crushed Tomatoes: Sweetness and acidity to stand up to the cream.
Heavy Cream: Softens the acidity and gives the sauce its silky, rosy finish.
Parmesan: Freshly grated, for savoury depth.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Rushing the tomato paste: give it 2 to 3 minutes to darken, or the sauce tastes flat.
Adding vodka over the flame: take the pan off the heat first.
Fully cooking the pasta in the water: it turns soft once it goes into the sauce.
Forgetting the pasta water: without it, the sauce won't turn glossy or cling.
Adding Parmesan to a boiling sauce: it clumps and turns grainy.
Twists to Try
Rigatoni: use the same quantity if you'd like a larger tube.
Vegetarian: leave out the pancetta, add an extra tablespoon of olive oil, and use a vegetarian hard cheese.
Without alcohol: simply leave out the vodka.
Add chicken: stir in sliced, cooked chicken breast when you add the pasta.
What to Serve with Pasta alla Vodka
It's the sort of supper that doesn't require much ceremony. A fork, a napkin, and perhaps a piece of bread to gather up the last of the sauce.
Crusty bread, or a tray of Tomato Focaccia
A crisp Greek Salad or simple green salad
Extra freshly grated Parmesan at the table
How to Store
Make ahead: The sauce can be prepared up to three days in advance and refrigerated promptly in an airtight container. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring occasionally. If it has thickened in the refrigerator, add a small splash of water or cream to loosen it.
Pasta: I prefer to cook the pasta shortly before serving. Once the penne is cooked, toss it directly into the warm sauce and finish with Parmesan and fresh herbs.
Freezer: Freeze the sauce before adding the cream, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat gently, then stir in the cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does vodka do in pasta sauce?
It influences the flavour profile and can affect how certain aromatic compounds are carried and perceived.
Does all the alcohol cook off?
No. Some alcohol may remain, depending on how the sauce is prepared.
Can you make vodka sauce without vodka?
Yes. The sauce will still be delicious, although its flavour will differ.
Why cook tomato paste before adding cream?
Cooking develops its flavour and reduces the raw tomato taste.
Can you use bacon instead of pancetta?
Yes, although bacon may add a smokier flavour. Thick-cut bacon, diced, works well.
Why is my vodka sauce grainy?
Excessive heat, poorly incorporated cheese, or dairy separation may contribute. Stir the Parmesan in off the heat.
What pasta works best?
Penne and rigatoni are excellent because the sauce collects in their hollow centres. Use the same quantity and cook it 2 minutes short of the package time.
Can you make vodka sauce ahead?
Yes. Prepare the sauce up to three days ahead and cook the pasta shortly before serving. Reheat gently and loosen with a splash of water or cream.
Can you taste the vodka in penne alla vodka?
No. The vodka simmers until reduced by about half. It lifts the aroma of the tomatoes and balances the cream without tasting of alcohol.
Can I make penne alla vodka vegetarian?
Yes. Omit the pancetta, use an extra tablespoon of olive oil, and choose a vegetarian hard cheese in place of Parmesan or Grana Padano.
Why finish the pasta in the sauce?
The starch from the pasta and its cooking water helps the sauce turn glossy and cling to every tube.
Recommended Equipment
Make this recipe easier with the right tools: Saute Pan, Stock Pot for the pasta, Rasp Grater for the Parmesan, Silicone Spatula, and a Chef's Knife.
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