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    Penne Pasta in Creamy Vodka Tomato Sauce with Mushrooms

    By Julia | Updated: Mar 08, 2018 | Published: Mar 21, 2015 | 53 Comments

    151.2K shares
    • Facebook2.1K
    Jump to Recipe Print SaveSaved!
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.

    Penne Pasta in Creamy Vodka Tomato Sauce with Mushrooms - make your own vodka sauce from scratch! Easy, delicious, and so Italian! Perfect weeknight dinner!

    mushroom pasta, tomato cream pasta, mushroom penne, Italian pasta dinner

     

    Want to make an easy Italian dish at home and impress your family, your friends, or your date? Then, this creamy vodka tomato sauce pasta is the right recipe for you!

    mushrooms and pasta in a creamy sauce, tomato pasta, creamy vegetable pasta

    This pasta dish is packed with flavors (tomatoes, mushrooms, spices, and don't forget vodka!), it's very creamy, with just the right amount of "kick" (spiciness), topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese! The creamy vodka and tomato pasta sauce will please everyone!

    gluten free pasta recipe, gluten free Italian dish, mushroom pasta

    Because the sauce is made completely from scratch (no packaged sauces), you can easily convert this recipe to a gluten free one, just by using gluten-free brown-rice penne pasta (I used Tinkyada brand).

    make vodka sauce from scratch, pasta with vodka sauce

    Step-by-step photos to illustrate the cooking process:
    In a large skillet, saute onion and garlic in olive oil on medium heat, until onion softens. Add tomatoes, vodka, crushed red pepper, basil, oregano - break tomatoes if necessary.  Bring the mixture to boil. Reduce to simmer and simmer, covered, occasionally stirring, for about 20 minutes or until sauce thickens. During the last 10 minutes, add mushrooms, and continue to simmer.

    making creamy tomato sauce with mushrooms

    At the end of 20 minutes of simmering, mushrooms should be cooked through, and sauce will thicken:

    making tomato pasta sauce with mushrooms

    While on low heat, add heavy cream and half & half to the sauce:

    adding cream to the tomato pasta sauce - making pasta sauce from scratch

    Stir everything to ensure even consistency. Add ¾ teaspoon of salt or more to season the sauce. At this point, your sauce will acquire a nice color just like that:

    how to make vodka sauce from scratch

    In the mean time, cook pasta according to package instructions - add cooked and rinsed pasta to the sauce. Reheat the sauce on low heat to heat everything through:

    adding pasta to the vodka sauce

    4.75 from 58 votes

    Penne Pasta in Creamy Vodka Tomato Sauce with Mushrooms

    Mushroom Pasta in Creamy Vodka Tomato Sauce - make your own vodka sauce from scratch! Easy, delicious, and so Italian! Perfect weeknight dinner!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories per serving 560 kcal
    Author: Julia

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • ½ onion , medium, diced
    • 4 garlic cloves , minced
    • 14 oz canned tomatoes
    • ¾ cup vodka
    • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
    • 1 teaspoon basil , if you have fresh basil - use more
    • ½ teaspoon oregano
    • 1 cup mushrooms , sliced
    • ½ cup heavy cream
    • ½ cup Half and Half
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • 8 oz penne pasta (for gluten free version, use gluten-free brown-rice penne)
    • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese , freshly shredded

    Instructions 

    • In a large skillet, saute onion and garlic in olive oil on medium heat, until onion softens.
    • Off heat, add tomatoes, vodka, crushed red pepper, basil, oregano - break tomatoes if necessary, and mix everything.
    • Bring the mixture gently to medium heat. Reduce to simmer and simmer, on low heat, covered, occasionally stirring, for about 20 minutes or until the sauce thickens. During the last 10 minutes, add mushrooms, and continue to simmer for 10 minutes.
    • While on low heat, add heavy cream and half & half to the sauce and stir everything to ensure even consistency. Add ¾ teaspoon of salt or more to season the sauce.
    • In the mean time, cook pasta according to package instructions. Rinse cooked pasta with cold water and drain (this stops pasta from cooking and prevents it from being too mushy). Add cooked and rinsed pasta to the sauce. Reheat the sauce on low heat to heat everything through.
    • Serve each plate topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Information
    Penne Pasta in Creamy Vodka Tomato Sauce with Mushrooms
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    560
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    20
    g
    31
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    10
    g
    63
    %
    Cholesterol
     
    56
    mg
    19
    %
    Sodium
     
    701
    mg
    30
    %
    Potassium
     
    587
    mg
    17
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    55
    g
    18
    %
    Fiber
     
    4
    g
    17
    %
    Sugar
     
    7
    g
    8
    %
    Protein
     
    13
    g
    26
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    880
    IU
    18
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    11.9
    mg
    14
    %
    Calcium
     
    183
    mg
    18
    %
    Iron
     
    2.3
    mg
    13
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutrition Disclaimer:

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Tried this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment and provide a Star Rating below - I love your feedback and try to respond to every comment!
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    151.2K shares
    • Facebook2.1K

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Ronnie G

      June 02, 2024 at 7:43 pm

      Delicious. Next time I will saute the mushrooms with the onions and garlic and let the cream sauce thicken longer or use all heavy cream.

      Reply
      • Julia

        June 06, 2024 at 1:48 pm

        Thank you, Ronnie, for trying this recipe - glad you liked it! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Melanie

      May 28, 2024 at 2:07 pm

      I made the sauce a day in advance and the sauce got even tastier and the vodka flavour mellowed out. I served on potato gnocchi and topped with goat cheese. Super tasty!

      Reply
      • Julia

        May 29, 2024 at 10:20 am

        Wow, you turned this recipe into a wonderful meal by serving it with gnocchi and goat cheese. YUM! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Julia

      February 01, 2023 at 7:08 pm

      I’ve made this a few times now and it continues to be amazing! I have a hard time holding myself back because it is addictive! The tomato, cream, and vodka make it really zing.

      Reply
      • Julia

        February 13, 2023 at 7:37 pm

        Julia, thank you for your raving review! 🙂 So glad you love this recipe and took the time to share this comment. 🙂

        Reply
    4. Dunia

      December 29, 2021 at 9:12 pm

      Was very good. I added some veggies to use up in the sauce.
      We did not taste the vodka in the sauce. I'll make this again!
      Thank you for your recipe!

      Reply
      • Julia

        February 12, 2022 at 12:02 am

        Dunia, thank you for such a wonderful comment! Glad you gave this recipe a try and enjoyed it!

        Reply
    5. Karen Slater

      April 24, 2021 at 11:08 pm

      Too much vodka!! The sauce was runny and very strong vodka taste. I'm going to try to add tomato paste to salvage the rest of the dish.

      Reply
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    Hi, I'm Julia!

    I am a full-time food blogger living in beautiful Colorado. I focus primarily on savory recipes (protein-based & fiber-rich main dishes, pasta, salads) using fresh & seasonal ingredients. A food blogger since 2012, I help home cooks create well-balanced and visually appealing dinners (many of which are 30-minute ONE-PAN meals). Find out more about me and my cooking philosophy. 

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