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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.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
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.
Made this Penne ala Vodka recipe and it was extraordinary! It is better than restaurant quality. I have told everyone about this recipe and website (YouTube videos too). I’m newly single again and found myself eating takeout or frozen meals. After gaining 10 lbs (!!!) I decided I needed to explore a new way of cooking. I’d tried making family favorites but after two days of leftovers I was over it. No I’m cooking and enjoying it. Thank you, Joanie, for making good meals accessible again.
I’m so happy you’re finding our recipes helpful! Thank you.
what a wonderful recipe! Thank you for this. Used one whole can (the smaller can) of diced tomatoes and have enough for a second serving…. Holding myself back LOL
Highly recommended!
I absolutely love this recipe, it is delicious. I have made it many times now, and have sent the recipe on to my sister and friend. I recommend it to everyone.
I just cooked this recipe for my dinner, it was absolutely delicious. I didn’t have any leftovers as I loved it so much. Cooked as per the recipe, next time I might add extra vegetables, I guess that would mean extra vodka 😜 😋😋
Help! I am an inexperienced cook, but all of the recipes I have tried from your site have worked out just great. I clearly did something wrong here.
I followed the recipe basically exactly and everything was going fine until the end when I added 1/3 cup grated (not shredded) Parmesan cheese that I purchased already grated. The sauce began to clump and became stringy, stocking to the bottom of the skillet, and the cheese ruined the sauce and I had no idea how to fix the problem. I did use nonfat milk instead of cream so perhaps I should have just skipped the cheese at the end or used shredded cheese or shredded it myself (which I would prefer not to do)?
If the nonfat milk was a problem, do you have a work-around for that? I have had penne a la vodka with nonfat milk many times at a restaurant (now gone) that I used to frequent and it was delicious.
Thx in advance for the response.
I’m so glad you are enjoying our recipes. It sounds like the issue was with the pre-grated cheese. Packaged grated Parmesan cheese contains preservatives and does not melt well. I always recommend using freshly grated (or shredded) cheese because it melts better and makes sauces creamy and smooth. I mention this in the Ingredient Notes section of the post. The nonfat milk should not have been a problem. Using cream will make the sauce more rich, creamy, and thick. Since nonfat milk does not contain any fat, the sauce will be much thinner and less rich.
Thanks so much for the prompt and very clear response (just like all the communication on your site). As I am inexperienced in the kitchen, I read your recipes very carefully and I did see your comment about the benefits of grating/shedding the cheese yourself, but I thought I could work around it. I won’t try that again in any recipe, and thank you for explaining that it is because of the preservatives in pre-grated/shredded cheeses.
You and other readers may be interested to read that I was looking for a 5”x5” ceramic baking dish similar to the quality of the Le Creuset dish, which as we know is no longer sold individually, featured on your site. My local hardware store stocks Peugeot, a heritage French brand apparently famous for pepper mills, that makes an individual size that is still made in France ($25.00). Below is a link to the American distributor of that product. The size is listed as “18 cm – 7”, but that includes the handles. The inside is 5” x 5”. It appears to be only available in matte grey (the color I purchased) at the moment, but previously it was available in red and ecru (there may be an error on the website as it lists the red and ecru as “18 cm – 8.6”, which is an incorrect conversion – there is a toll-free number). There is also an individual loaf pan (7” long inside/$25.00) that I purchased in a glossy red/orange.
Again, thank you, for such a prompt, thorough response. Much appreciated.
Great recipe.
You do a fantastic service to we who live alone, but like to live we! BIG, BIG THANKS TO YOU JOANIE! Best wishes, Ann Thornton, Victoria, Australia.
I made this dish with shrimp and light cream. It was AMAZINGLY simple and delicious. I’ve tried five of Joanie’s recipes. ALL 5 were delicious. This is definitely a keeper!
Another favorite, so good!! Never had it before until I came across this recipe and made it, so glad I did!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I’m glad I found your page. Life saver!!
Hi Diane,
I’m glad you found us too! Welcome!!
Joanie