Penne alla Vodka was one of the first recipes I ever made in my first apartment, around 5 years ago. Mind you, I wasn’t vegan at the time so I didn’t know about the wonders of cashew cream. But now I do and here we are.

This dish is simple, creamy, hearty, and delicious – what more could you want?

So why vodka?

“Along with the penne pasta, this dish generally contains cream sauce mixed with marinara sauce or tomato paste, which are a combination unusual in Italian cooking because the acidity of the tomatoes tends to make the oil in the cream separate. The ethanol (vodka) serves as an emulsifier, allowing the water and lipids to remain mixed together.”

“Ethanol is also thought to solvate certain flavors from the tomato that would otherwise be inaccessible in water. This is seen in other vodka sauces, as well.”

Pretty neat! Read more about the origins of the dish here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penne_alla_vodka

Prep time: 5 minutes – Cook time: 35 minutes – Serves about 4

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight*
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 3 tablespoons vegan butter
• 1/2 a large yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• A generous pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1/2 cup vodka
• 1 (28 oz) can of crushed or petite diced tomatoes (sometimes I’ll do a 15 oz can of each for a more interesting texture)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Penne, cooked according to box instructions
• Fresh parsley or basil for serving (optional)

Instructions:

1. Add the cashews to a blender along with the nutritional yeast and water, and blend until very smooth.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté onion in butter for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and sauté another 2 minutes until the onions are soft and slightly browned, and the mixture is very fragrant.
3. Pour in the vodka and let cook for about 5 minutes, until the alcohol has cooked off.
4. Add the tomatoes, stir, and let the mixture simmer for 10-15 minutes until thickened – you may need to lower the heat some.
5. Stir in the cashew cream and cook for about 10 more minutes, until the sauce is thick and creamy.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste (I usually end up not needing any), and mix well.
7. Serve over penne cooked according to box instructions, top with parsley or basil, and enjoy!

Notes:

*If using a high powered blender, you don’t need to pre-soak your cashews to soften them. If you’re short on time, you can immerse the cashews in boiling hot water for 15 minutes (don’t keep the water boiling, just make sure it’s very hot when you put the cashews in, and then let them sit)