Easy Vegan Vodka Sauce is dreamy creamy, packed with tomato flavor, and perfect for tossing with penne pasta! Ready in 30 minutes!
Vegan Vodka Sauce, or penne alla vodka, is a rich and creamy tomato-based sauce hugging perfectly al dente noodles. It is über satisfying comfort food that is secretly good for you!
Reasons to love this recipe!
- It's rich, creamy, and so so comforting!
- An easy one pot 30 minute dinner!
- Is dairy-free, vegan, and can be gluten free!
Ingredients and Substitutions:
- Vegan butter - I use my homemade vegan butter or Miyoko's brand.
- Onion - yellow or white can be used.
- Garlic - the one and only!
- Tomato paste - adds sweetness, depth, and richness to the sauce.
- Red pepper flakes - optional for subtle heat. Feel free to use more or less to suit your desired spice level.
- Vodka - helps to balance flavor and emulsify the sauce. If you don't want to use vodka, no problem! You can substitute water or broth.
- Raw cashews - they create the signature creaminess of vodka sauce without the dairy!
- Salt - to bring out the flavors.
- Pepper
- 1 pound pasta - whole wheat, gluten free, bean-based, etc.
- Pasta water - reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking liquid to add to the sauce.
- Parmesan - optional, to garnish. I used my vegan parmesan recipe.
- Fresh basil - to garnish. You could also use parsley or skip it altogether.
How to make Vegan Vodka Sauce:
Saute onions and garlic: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the onions and cook until translucent. Add in the garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir in the tomato paste.
Add vodka: Add in the vodka, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer to cook out the alcohol.
Simmer: Stir in the raw cashews and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes to soften the cashews and bring out the flavors.
Blend: Transfer the sauce and reserved pasta water to a blender and blend until smooth.
Toss with pasta: Add the sauce and pasta back to the pot and toss until coated. Garnish with basil and vegan parmesan.
Leftovers?
Leftovers store well in the fridge for 3-5 days. Give the pasta a stir and reheat in the microwave until warm.
For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months. You can freeze the vodka sauce by itself, defrost it in the fridge overnight, and then toss it with fresh pasta. Or, you can freeze the cooked pasta tossed with the sauce.
What's the best pasta to use with Vodka Sauce?
Traditionally, vodka sauce is served with penne pasta, but it is also great with other short pasta like rigatoni, ziti, fusili, farfalle, etc. You could even use longer noodles, like these homemade gluten free egg noodles, too! Essentially, any pasta shape you like will work.
Can it be gluten free?
It sure can! You can use your favorite gluten free pasta in this recipe. We've been making it with Bionaturae Gluten Free Penne.
Can I make Vegan Vodka Sauce without Vodka?
Yes! You absolutely can. The vodka helps balance out the flavor in the sauce and aids a little bit in emulsification, but it's not necessary! To replace it, simply use the same amount of water.
More Vegan Italian Favorites!
- Pasta Con Zucchini
- Vegan Spinach Ricotta Ravioli - If you're GF use our guide for how to make Gluten Free Ravioli!
- The Best Vegan Bolognese
- Gluten Free Olive Bread
Vegan Vodka Sauce
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Easy Vegan Vodka Sauce is dreamy creamy, packed with tomato flavor, and perfect for tossing with penne pasta! Ready in 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- ¼ cup vodka
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 1 pound pasta, preferably penne
- ½ cup pasta water - reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking liquid to add to the sauce
- Parmesan, optional, to garnish
- Fresh basil, optional, to garnish
Instructions
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Before draining, reserve ½ cup of the pasta water for later. Drain the pasta and set aside.
While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper cooking until fragrant, about 60 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
Add in the vodka, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer to cook out the alcohol for 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the raw cashews and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes to soften the cashews and bring out the flavors in the sauce.
Transfer the sauce and reserved pasta water to a blender and blend until smooth.
Add the sauce and cooked pasta back to the pot and toss until coated. Garnish with basil and vegan parmesan.
Notes
Butter: I use my homemade vegan butter recipe or Miyoko's brand.
Red pepper flakes: Feel free to omit, use more or less to suit your desired spice level.
Vodka: If you don't want to use vodka, no problem! You can substitute water or broth.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅙th recipe
- Calories: 374
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 287mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 11g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: tomato, cashew, onion, garlic, vodka, red pepper flakes, gluten free, vegan, Italian, easy, 30 minute,
Seriously, this is still a processed food. Thumbs down for me
Hi Clare, thank you for sharing your opinion. I am always trying to walk the line of healthy and easy and this time I leaned a little further towards ease. I hope you have a great day!