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30 Minute Penne alla Vodka

By: Tawnie Graham, excerpted from Italian Cooking in Your Instant Pot
30 Minute Penne alla Vodka

Extra creamy, saucy penne alla vodka is a 30-minute pasta made with minimal effort and simple ingredients. The vodka adds depth, flavor and helps to balance out the sweetness of the tomatoes and heavy cream. Finish off the penne with some cracked black pepper, freshly torn basil leaves and a generous amount of Parmigiano-Reggiano and devour!

Total time: 30 minutes

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Yields6 - 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoon (42 g) unsalted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 clove garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper chili flakes
  • 1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) vodka
  • 1 pound (454 g) penne pasta, uncooked
  • 2 1/2 cup (600 ml) filtered water
  • 24 ounce (680 g) jarred marinara sauce
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
  • 2 ounce (55 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated

  • Garnish
  • Cracked black pepper
  • Fresh basil
  • Additional Parmigiano-Reggiano

DIRECTIONS

  1. Press “Sauté” and choose the less mode on the Instant Pot and melt the butter, moving it around the pot to melt evenly. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is fragrant and translucent, for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Season with salt and chili flakes.
     

  2. Add the tomato paste and stir to coat the onion. Pour the vodka in and combine, cook for 2 minutes and then press the “Cancel” button to turn the sauté function off.
     

  3. Pour in the penne noodles, followed by the water. Press the noodles down gently, making sure most of the pasta is covered by water.
     

  4. Pour the marinara sauce on top and DO NOT STIR. Secure the lid. Press the “Pressure Cook” button until the display light is under “HIGH” and use the “-/+” button to adjust the time to 4 minutes. Be sure the valve on top is set to sealing. Once the penne is done, quick release the steam. Once the pin drops, remove the lid.
     

  5. Stir the pasta. Add in the heavy cream and Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir again. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired and serve with cracked black pepper, freshly torn basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano on top.
     

Tawnie's Tips:

  • While this pasta is delicious on its own, I also love adding chicken or shrimp! Just pan fry 8 ounces (227 g) of chicken or shrimp, season with some salt and pepper and stir into the pasta with the heavy cream and Parmigiano-Reggiano.
  • Feel free to add in a couple generous handfuls of fresh baby spinach at the end before serving.

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