Healthy Penne Alla Vodka Recipe
This Healthy Penne Alla Vodka recipe offers a creamy, flavorful pasta dish made with a smooth blend of crushed tomatoes and cottage cheese for a lighter, nutritious twist on the classic vodka sauce. Ready in 30 minutes, it’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner with a mix of fresh herbs, garlic, and a touch of vodka to enhance the flavors, served over perfectly cooked penne pasta.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pound dry penne pasta (or rigatoni, ziti, cavatelli)
Sauce
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup cottage cheese (4% milkfat recommended)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup diced onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
- 2 tablespoons vodka (or ½ teaspoon white wine vinegar)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried basil leaves (or ¼ cup fresh chopped basil)
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Boil Pasta Water: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil to prepare for cooking the penne pasta.
- Blend Sauce: While waiting for the water to boil, blend the crushed tomatoes and cottage cheese on high speed for about 30 seconds until smooth and creamy, creating a pink sauce. Set aside.
- Preheat Pan: Add olive oil to a sauté pan and heat it over medium heat for approximately 3 minutes until hot.
- Prepare Aromatics: Finely chop the onions and garlic while the pan is heating.
- Sauté Onions and Garlic: Add the diced onions and minced garlic to the olive oil and cook on medium-low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.
- Add Vodka: Pour in 2 tablespoons of vodka and cook the mixture down for about 5 minutes, allowing the alcohol smell to dissipate and flavors to meld.
- Simmer Sauce: Stir in the blended tomato-cottage cheese mixture along with salt, pepper, and basil. Let the sauce simmer gently over medium heat.
- Cook Pasta: Add penne pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions until al dente.
- Reserve Pasta Water: Before draining the pasta, reserve ¼ cup of the hot pasta cooking water to help finish the sauce.
- Drain Pasta: Drain the pasta thoroughly once cooked.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Remove the sauce from heat. Add the drained pasta to the sauce, then stir in the grated parmesan cheese and reserved pasta water until the sauce is smooth and pasta is evenly coated.
- Serve: Serve immediately. Optionally, add cooked chicken, sausage, or shrimp for extra protein.
Notes
- You can substitute vodka with white wine vinegar if preferred.
- Use fresh basil if available for brighter flavor.
- Reserving pasta water helps to make the sauce silky and adheres better to pasta.
- Use 4% milkfat cottage cheese to maintain creaminess and texture.
- The sauce can be made ahead and reheated gently before combining with pasta.
Keywords: penne alla vodka, healthy pasta recipe, vodka sauce pasta, creamy tomato pasta, quick Italian dinner, cottage cheese pasta sauce
Find it online: https://lucabites.com/healthy-penne-alla-vodka-recipe/
