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This single serving Penne alla Vodka is a rich, creamy pasta dish with a hint of spice and a smooth, velvety sauce. Made with tomatoes, cream, onions, and a splash of vodka, it’s packed with flavor and comes together in less than 30 minutes. Perfectly portioned for one, it’s a quick and satisfying meal that feels special without the extra effort.
Serve your Penne alla Vodka with a crisp green salad and tangy vinaigrette, a slice of homemade French bread and sautéed green beans. For dessert, try a quick and creamy 10-minute Tiramisu.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fast & Simple: Ready in under 30 minutes, perfect for a quick, satisfying meal.
- Made with Pantry Staples: No special ingredients needed.
- Rich & Flavorful: Creamy tomato sauce with a touch of vodka adds a subtle warmth.
- Easy to Customize: Add chicken, shrimp, or vegetables to make it your own.
- Perfectly Portioned: Just the right amount for one, so no leftovers to store.
This single serving vodka sauce is one of my favorite quick pasta sauces. It’s rich, creamy, and has just the right amount of heat. The vodka gives it a smooth texture without being overpowering. Best of all, the meal comes together fast and makes just enough for one—no leftovers, just a perfectly satisfying meal.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this single serving pasta with vodka sauce recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Pasta: Penne is traditional, but any pasta works. Shapes like rigatoni or penne hold sauce well. Use 2/3 cup (2 ounces) of dried pasta. Leftover pasta? Try it in Chicken Paprika or Baked Ziti.
- Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil for its rich flavor, but light olive oil works too.
- Onions and garlic: These build flavor in the sauce, so don’t skip them.
- Tomatoes: Use 1 cup (218g) of canned diced tomatoes with some juice—about half a 14.5-ounce can. You can also use canned whole tomatoes (crushed by hand) or canned crushed tomatoes. Leftovers? Use them in Tomato Soup, Goulash, or Jambalaya.
- Vodka: Adds subtle heat and sharpness, helping to cut through the richness of the cream and the sweetness of the tomatoes. Use a brand you like—I prefer Tito’s. A mini bottle works if you don’t keep vodka on hand. Want to skip it? Substitute with water and a squeeze of lemon. Use extra vodka in a Moscow Mule, Bloody Mary, or a Dirty Shirley.
- Red pepper flakes: Adds mild heat; leave it out for a milder sauce.
- Heavy cream: Creates a smooth, rich sauce. Heavy or whipping cream works. Leftovers? Use it in Chicken Tikka Masala, Lasagna Soup, or Caramelized Banana Pudding.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated melts best. Asiago is a good substitute
Recipe Variations
This Penne alla Vodka is delicious on its own, but you can easily add protein or vegetables to make it more filling. Try these simple variations:
- Pancetta or Bacon: Cook 1 ounce of pancetta or a strip of bacon until crisp, then crumble and stir it into the pasta before adding Parmesan.
- Italian Sausage: Brown 3 ounces of crumbled spicy or sweet Italian sausage, drain, and mix it into the pasta before adding Parmesan.
- Rotisserie Chicken: Stir in shredded or diced cooked chicken.
- Shrimp: Toss in cooked shrimp just before serving.
- Vegetables: Sauté zucchini, bell peppers, or mushrooms with the onions for a vegetable version.
How To Make Penne alla Vodka
These photos and instructions help you visualize how to make this easy pasta with vodka sauce recipe. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and cook for 5-7 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté the Onions: In a 10-inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add Garlic & Spice: Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. (For a milder sauce, reduce or skip the red pepper flakes.)
- Deglaze with Vodka: Pour in the vodka and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cook the Tomatoes: Add diced tomatoes with some juice, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Finish the Sauce: Stir in the heavy cream and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Mix in the Parmesan.
- Combine & Serve: Toss in the cooked pasta and coat it well in the sauce. Serve with extra Parmesan on top.
Expert Tips
- Cook Pasta Al Dente: Avoid overcooking—pasta should be tender but still firm to the bite.
- Control the Sauce: Simmer until it thickens to your liking.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste and add salt as needed.
- Finish with Parmesan: Sprinkle Parmesan just before serving for the best flavor.
- Make It Richer: Stir in 1/2 tablespoon of butter for a silkier sauce.
RELATED: The Best Soup Recipes For One
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can substitute the vodka with water and a squeeze of lemon instead.
The sauce can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently before tossing with freshly cooked pasta.
This recipe is portioned for one, but if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Yes, to make Pasta alla Vodka for two, double the ingredients and use a larger saucepan.
RELATED: Single Serving Comfort Food Recipes
More Single Serving Pasta Sauce Recipes
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
RELATED: 20 Single Serving Meatless Recipes
If you’ve tried this single serve Pasta alla Vodka or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
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Penne alla Vodka For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ounces uncooked penne pasta (⅔ cup dry penne pasta = 1 ¼ cup cooked pasta)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 1 clove garlic -minced
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons vodka
- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes *see notes below
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- ⅓ cup shredded parmesan cheese -plus more for topping
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and cook for 5-7 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté the Onions: In a 10-inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add Garlic & Spice: Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. (For a milder sauce, reduce or skip the red pepper flakes.)
- Deglaze with Vodka: Pour in the vodka and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cook the Tomatoes: Add diced tomatoes with some juice, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Finish the Sauce: Stir in the heavy cream and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Mix in the Parmesan.
- Combine & Serve: Toss in the cooked pasta and coat it well in the sauce. Serve with extra Parmesan on top.
Notes
- Cook Pasta Al Dente: Avoid overcooking—pasta should be tender but still firm to the bite.
- Control the Sauce: Simmer until it thickens to your liking.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste and add salt as needed.
- Finish with Parmesan: Sprinkle Parmesan just before serving for the best flavor.
- Make It Richer: Stir in 1/2 tablespoon of butter for a silkier sauce.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Love this recipe! I use chickpea penne for some protein & don’t need to change anything! Thank you!!
PS I have your cookbook & print recipes from your site to stick in the pages so I remember where they are. Is there a way to remove the QR Codes from the printed page? They gobble ink.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipe, and I love that chickpea penne works well for you!
We appreciate your feedback on the QR codes. Removing them is something we’re looking into as part of our planned website updates, but it requires some changes on the backend. Thanks again for your support—I love hearing that you’re using both the cookbook and the site!
I made this pasta dish tonight and this recipe is super easy to make, with many ingredients already on hand. I will definitely make it again, but will add shrimps just like Ray suggested.
I made this recipe for dinner today. It was easy and tasted great. I did double the recipe so I could have leftovers. I might add shrimp next time for an uptick. Keep the recipes coming.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Shrimp would be a delicious addition to this dish.
So happy that I found this site. Having cooked for a family for so many years cooking for 1 has been a struggle. I’ve never been able to successfully downgrade a family size meal to a meal for 1. This site has all my favorites and some I haven’t tried yet so I’m looking forward to cooking again!
Hi Karen, I’m so happy you found us and hope you find many new recipes you love.
Delicious and easy to make. I’ve made it several times now and it is a favorite. I love Joanie’s recipes because it helps me cook dinner for myself but sometimes, like this one, I double the recipe to make enough to share!
Thanks Joanie