This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Make this creamy, flavorful Penne alla Vodka for one in just 20 minutes. With a rich tomato-vodka sauce and a hint of heat, it’s satisfying and perfectly portioned.
Featured Comment
“Made this Penne alla Vodka recipe and it was extraordinary! It is better than restaurant quality.”
– Vanessa
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick & Easy Pasta for One: Ready in just 20 minutes, perfect for a fast and flavorful dinner.
- Creamy Vodka Sauce: A rich tomato and cream sauce with a splash of vodka for subtle warmth and depth.
- Simple Pantry Ingredients: No need for a special grocery trip, everything you need is likely already on hand.
- Customizable: Add shrimp, chicken, or vegetables to make it your own.
- Single Serving, No Waste: Perfectly portioned for one person, no leftovers to store or throw away.
What I love most about this Penne alla Vodka is how much flavor you can get from just a few simple ingredients.
The creamy tomato sauce with a splash of vodka has a smooth, velvety texture and just a touch of heat. It feels like something you’d order from your favorite neighborhood Italian restaurant, but it only takes about 20 minutes and comes together in one pan.
This is one of those meals I make when I want something easy that still feels a little special.
When I make this dish, I like to keep the sides simple. A crisp green salad with a tangy vinaigrette, a small loaf of French bread and sautéed green beans pair perfectly. And if you’re in the mood for dessert, a quick and creamy 10-minute Tiramisu is a great way to end the 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 the classic choice for vodka sauce because it holds the creamy sauce well, but rigatoni or other short pasta shapes work too. Use 2/3 cup (2 ounces) of dried pasta. Got extra? Use it in chicken paprika for one or single serve baked ziti.
- Canned Tomatoes: Use 1 cup (218g) of diced tomatoes with some juice – about half of a 14.5-ounce can. You can also use whole canned tomatoes (crushed by hand) or canned crushed tomatoes. Leftover tomatoes? Try them in tomato soup for one, goulash for one, or jambalaya for one.
- Vodka: A small splash adds a gentle heat and balances the sweetness of the tomatoes and richness of the cream. I use Tito’s, but any brand you like is fine. A mini bottle is perfect if you don’t normally keep vodka at home. Want to skip it? Use water and a squeeze of lemon instead. Extra vodka can go into a Moscow Mule, Bloody Mary, or Dirty Shirley.
- Red pepper flakes: Adds mild heat; leave it out for a milder sauce.
- Heavy cream: Use heavy cream or whipping cream to create a silky, rich tomato-vodka sauce. If you have leftover cream, use it in chicken tikka masala for one, lasagna soup for one, or caramelized banana pudding.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Variations
This single serving Penne alla Vodka is delicious on its own, but it’s easy to customize. Add protein or vegetables to make it even more filling:
- Pancetta or Bacon: For a smoky, savory twist, cook 1 ounce of pancetta or a strip of bacon until crisp. Crumble and stir it into the pasta before adding Parmesan.
- Italian Sausage: Brown 3 ounces of sweet or spicy Italian sausage in a skillet. Drain the excess fat, then add it to the pasta and vodka sauce before topping with cheese.
- Shredded Chicken: Stir in diced or shredded cooked chicken. Rotisserie chicken is an easy, convenient option.
- Cooked Shrimp: Toss in cooked shrimp just before serving. It pairs well with the creamy vodka sauce
- Vegetable Additions: Sauté chopped zucchini, bell peppers, or mushrooms with the onions to add color and flavor. This is a great way to turn your vodka pasta into a veggie-forward meal.
How To Make Penne alla Vodka For One
These photos and instructions help you visualize how to make pasta with vodka sauce for one person. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. 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 and Red Pepper: Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. (Reduce or skip the red pepper flakes for a milder sauce.)
- Add the Vodka: Pour in the vodka and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add Tomatoes: Stir in the diced tomatoes with some juice. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Finish the Sauce: Add the heavy cream and simmer for 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in the Parmesan.
- Combine and Serve: Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat in the sauce. Top with extra Parmesan and serve.
Expert Tips
- Cook Pasta Al Dente: Boil the pasta until tender but still slightly firm, it will finish softening in the sauce.
- Use a Skillet with Room: A 10-inch skillet works best so the sauce can reduce evenly and coat the pasta well.
- Simmer the Sauce: Let the sauce simmer until it slightly thickens. Stir often to prevent sticking.
- Taste and Season: Always taste before serving. Add salt if needed to balance the creaminess.
- Add Parmesan Last: Stir in Parmesan at the end for better melting and flavor.
- For Extra Richness: Stir in 1/2 tablespoon of butter after the sauce has thickened.
- Skip the Vodka? Replace with water and a squeeze of lemon to maintain the brightness without the alcohol.
RELATED: The Best Soup Recipes For One
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can substitute the vodka with water and a squeeze of lemon to maintain the acidity and brightness in the sauce.
Vodka helps emulsify the cream and tomatoes, creating a smooth, cohesive sauce with a subtle heat.
Penne is traditional, but rigatoni, fusilli, or any short pasta that holds sauce well will work.
Most of the alcohol cooks off during simmering, leaving just a subtle flavor behind. The finished dish contains only trace amounts, if any.
Yes, you can make the sauce in advance and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat and toss with fresh pasta.
This is a single serving recipe, but if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
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
- Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 5–7 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.
- In a 10-inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. (Reduce or skip the red pepper flakes for a milder sauce.)
- Pour in the vodka and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes with some juice. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the heavy cream and simmer for 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in the Parmesan.
- Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat in the sauce. Top with extra Parmesan and serve.
Notes
- Cook Pasta Al Dente: Boil the pasta until tender but still slightly firm, it will finish softening in the sauce.
- Use a Skillet with Room: A 10-inch skillet works best so the sauce can reduce evenly and coat the pasta well.
- Simmer the Sauce: Let the sauce simmer until it slightly thickens. Stir often to prevent sticking.
- Taste and Season: Always taste before serving. Add salt if needed to balance the creaminess.
- Add Parmesan Last: Stir in Parmesan at the end for better melting and flavor.
- For Extra Richness: Stir in 1/2 tablespoon of butter after the sauce has thickened.
- Skip the Vodka? Replace with water and a squeeze of lemon to maintain the brightness without the alcohol.
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.
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
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