A dreamy, creamy Italian vodka sauce recipe that's healthy and dairy-free! Easy Lightened Up Gluten-Free Penne alla Vodka that's vegan, top 8 allergy-free, and perfect for a weeknight family dinner! Comfort food that won't weigh you down so you can ask for seconds!
You may remember I was obsessed with my plans to make penne alla vodka once I turned 21 so I could go out and buy a bottle of vodka just to make this dish. Well, that was over a year ago and I never bought any vodka. I ended up just borrowing some from my brother because why wait when all I needed was ½ cup for this vodka sauce. This used to be one of my favorite Italian pasta dishes growing up (and giving me BIG tummy aches) so making a gluten-free and vegan version was more than a must! And let me tell you, this penne alla vodka was everything I dreamed it would be!
So what is "penne alla vodka" and why is it so good?
First, you have penne pasta, obviously, and any pasta dish is bound to be delicious! Now imagine a super creamy, cream-based tomato sauce with the fragrant, fruity aroma from the vodka. That distinct, slightly sweet taste forms because vodka is an "abundant source of ethyl alcohol that during cooking, can react chemically with acids in the food to form fragrant, fruity compounds called esters" (source). The unusual in Italian cooking, the specific mixture of the tomato + heavy cream + vodka allow the sauce to actually "work" even though, "the acidity of the tomatoes tends to make the oil in the cream separate" but, "the vodka serves as an emulsifier, allowing the water and lipids to remain mixed together," creating that perfect creamy and iconic, aromatic, orange colored sauce!
Penne vodka was just one of those tried-and-true Italian dishes I would always order when we went out to an Italian restaurant, had a family gathering, weddings, those types of events. It was always a safe option for this pasta loving little girl. It was always a "special occasion" dish; we never had it at home (although that's probably because my mom was not keen on cooking!) It's also not a picture of health. From the heavy cream, parmesan cheese, some versions even include prosciutto or bacon! Not a light meal to say the least (but super delicious!)
How do you lighten penne alla vodka up?
Simple! It's as easy as 1, 2, 3 and pretty close to impossible to mess up! Grab your gluten-free penne, cooked al dente. Saute a chopped shallot, garlic, pepper, and a splash of olive oil. Then add in the vodka, plain tomato sauce, coconut milk, and our obligatory nutritional yeast for that dairy-free cheesiness! Then just stir in the cooked pasta to the simmering sauce and voila! Penne alla vodka is one of the most simple, yet magically delicious pasta recipes to have ever been devised!
Hold on! Isn't vodka flavorless? And what happens to the alcohol content?
Legitimate questions I know you're wondering! Don't worry, I'm not trying to get your family drunk either! Like I mentioned earlier, "undiluted alcohol overpowers natural flavors, but smaller traces (typically achieved by “burning off” the vodka) actually release new flavors. So it’s not that vodka adds flavor, it's that it unlocks flavors already hidden in the tomato" (source). The alcohol content is mostly "burned off" through the slow simmering process of making the sauce. And as that article also point out, the minimal amount of alcohol that is left is distributed throughout the ENTIRE sauce and this recipe serves 6! As long as you simmer, you'll be fine!
More Gluten-Free Italian Pasta Recipes:
- Pasta al Limone
- Gluten-Free Fettuccine Alfredo
- Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
- Gluten-Free Farfalle Pasta with Tomato Basil Sauce
- Classic Baked Gluten-Free Vegan Manicotti
- Mom's Best Gluten-Free Vegan Baked Ziti
- Gluten-Free Stuffed Shells with Vegan Ricotta
Easy Lightened Up Gluten-Free Penne alla Vodka
Easy Lightened Up Gluten-Free Penne alla Vodka (Vegan, Allergy-Free)
A dreamy, creamy Italian vodka sauce recipe that's healthy and dairy-free! Easy Lightened Up Gluten-Free Penne alla Vodka that's vegan, top 8 allergy-free, and perfect for a weeknight family dinner! Comfort food that won't weigh you down so you can ask for seconds!
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 12oz Box Gluten-Free Penne Pasta
- Vodka Sauce:
- 1 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Large Shallot (minced)
- 1 Tsp Minced Garlic
- ½ Tsp Black Pepper
- ½ Cup Gluten-Free Vodka (Smirnoff is great!)
- 1 15oz Can Plain Unsalted Tomato Sauce
- ½ Cup Lite Unsweetened Canned Coconut Milk
- ¼ Cup Nutritional Yeast
- Fresh Parsley (to top)
Instructions
- Cook the penne, al dente, according to package directions, drain.
- In the meantime, in a large sauce pan, saute the olive oil, shallot, garlic, and pepper until fragrant.
- Now slowly pour in the vodka and allow it to simmer for 8-10 minutes before adding the tomato sauce, coconut milk, and nutritional yeast.
- Mix well and allow the sauce to continue to simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Fold in the cooked penne and serve with fresh parsley.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
You can't simmer your sauce too long. Just like a soup, a homemade sauce just gets better and better with time! So hands off, let it do it's 'thang! You'll have a delicious and healthy gluten-free Italian pasta dinner in no time. Full of flavor, aroma, and family-approved way to have "alcohol"! And if for some reason you don't want penne alla vodka, you could make some gluten-free PIZZA alla vodka? Swap that typical pizza sauce for VODKA sauce!
So tell me:
+ What's your favorite Italian pasta sauce?
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Andy Bishop
Thanks for sharing. My husband loved it!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Awesome! I'm so glad to hear you made it!
Jo
This looks absolutely delicious. But to be honest, you had me at ‘vodka’
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Too bad it's all cooked off!
Mallaury
This looks so simple yet so delicious. My fave pasta sauce is alfredo sauce!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I have a recipe for that on the blog 🙂
Adriana
Looks tasty 😋 I eat pasta way too much.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, well here is a great lightened up version!
Lora Bishop
This sounds delicious and healthy! It also looks easy enough that I can cook it - woo!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
It's simple! Just simmer that sauce well and you're golden!
Corinne
This looks so darn good I can’t wait to try it!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Let me know when you do!
Marisa Hernandez
this recipe looks like perfection!! I'm going to try it soon and definitely pinning to share with friends!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Glad to hear it! Enjoy, Marisa!
Leah Ashley
This looks amazing and sounds incredible but I have to ask. What is your trick to cooking gluten free pasta? Everytime I try it seems to fall apart.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Never over cook and it's all about the pasta you use! Some brands are terrible!
Leigh Suznovich
Love the use of the nutritional yeast here to give it that cheesy texture. Looks so wonderful!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
The one and only!
Jay | Life of Creed
Looks delicious! It's a quick and easy recipe to make. It's a dish my family would enjoy! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
It's great for a family meal!
Erin Haugerud
Oh this looks so good! I love the lightened version!! I’m gonna have to try it!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
It is just as delicious!
Briana
You had me at vegan free!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Ha, what?
Annaliese
Oh this is one of my favs! I always order this at Italian restaurants. SO smart to make a GF version!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Right? Me too! So good!
Victoria
I love penne alla vodka! This recipe is making me sooo hungry.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
It is SUCH a great classic!
Linda
This looks so good! Saving the recipe.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Glad to hear, enjoy!
Caroline Rogers
Thank you for sharing! As someone who is celiac I always love looking up gf alternatives and will have to give this a try!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I hope this can bring back the classic for you!
Sara | mshealthesteem.com
Yea... I need to make this ASAP! It looks bonkers amazing 😍. I'm a sucker for a good pasta. Can't wait to try this one. Thank you tons for sharing your recipe 😊
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
You can never go wrong with a good cozy pasta dish!
joy abou zeid
Very nice post, thanks for sharing this recipe!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Lol, glad you think so.
Chloe @callmecoco.co
I never tried pasta with a vodka sauce and I'm quite curious about the taste! Seems like a really nice recipe and your pictures made me hungry straight away!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
O my gosh!! That's not okay! You need to make this asap!