“What’s your favorite meals?” “Penne alla vodka.” It’s a reflexive response at this degree, and for good trigger. The timeless pink sauce holds the correct steadiness of acidity, richness, and tang. It’s comfort meals and elevated Italian delicacies on the an identical time.
This baked penne alla vodka takes our favorite dish and turns it proper right into a low-lift weeknight meal with easy prep and minimal cleanup. It is made fully in a single pan (no boiling pasta individually!) and requires decrease than 10 minutes of preparation—releasing you as a lot as do what you please whereas dinner bakes throughout the oven.
As a result of the pasta cooks instantly throughout the pan, it absorbs tons of style from the sauce and seasonings. We’ve found that your complete dish feels additional cohesive after hanging out throughout the oven collectively versus cooking each factor individually on the vary. Helpful and tasty—it’s a win-win.
Recommendations and Ideas for Baked Penne alla Vodka
- Use a high-quality tomato sauce. Within the occasion you’re not making your particular person (we didn’t), make sure you choose a up to date and flavorful tomato sauce. We like Victoria or Rao’s, every current in bulk at Costco.
- Don’t skip the vodka. We’ve carried out this sooner than out of the misguided notion that the vodka was pointless when really, it is key! It affords a pleasant chew and helps emulsify the sauce proper right into a clear, cohesive texture. Within the occasion you want to stay away from alcohol, you can substitute water and a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Preserve the pasta as submerged as doable all by the strategy. There are two events to take care of this advice in ideas—when you first put the pasta throughout the oven, and when you mix it and return it to prepare dinner dinner uncovered. Numerous noodles may stick out nevertheless the pasta must be as lined as doable with liquid to verify they prepare dinner dinner accurately.
Substitutions and Variations
- Make it further cheesy: Add further mozzarella or dollops of ricotta for a creamier pasta.
- Add totally different greens: Inexperienced peas, roasted eggplant, sautéed mushrooms, or caramelized onions would all be delicious additions. To keep up the ratio of water to pasta acceptable, we’d advocate mixing in cooked greens merely sooner than sprinkling on the shredded cheese for the last word 10 minutes of baking time.
- Add protein: We like in order so as to add cooked soy curls to the meal nevertheless you may also add grilled rooster, rooster cutlet, or Italian sausage. As soon as extra, you’ll must prepare dinner dinner the protein individually and add them in sooner than sprinkling on the cheese, or serve them on the facet with the pasta.
- Add spice: For an arrabbiata sauce, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of purple chili flakes with the rest of the seasonings.
Baked Pasta Dinners
Within the occasion you stay away from alcohol, substitute 1/4 cup water and a tablespoon of lemon juice for the vodka.
To make it dairy-free, use coconut cream and vegan shredded mozzarella.
Add salt to fashion, given that saltiness of assorted marinara sauces can vary.
Put together dinner Mode
(Preserve show awake)
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3 cups marinara saucejarred or do-it-yourself
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1/3 cup vodka
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2 cups water
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3/4 cup heavy cream or coconut cream
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1 teaspoon freshly flooring black pepper
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1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or dried oregano
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1 pound penne pasta
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2 cups baby spinach
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Saltto fashion
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1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
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1/4 cup chopped modern basil or parsleyoptionally accessible
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Preheat the oven to 350°F.
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Combine the liquids and seasonings:
In a 9×13 baking pan, add the marinara, vodka, water, heavy cream, black pepper, and Italian seasoning. Whisk to combine.
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Add the pasta, then spinach:
Gently pour the penne throughout the pan (to stay away from splatters) and mix until the pasta is coated in liquid. Use a spatula to scrub out the best so the pasta is mainly submerged. Place the spinach in a wonderful layer on excessive.
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Cowl and bake:
Cowl the pan with tin foil and bake for 40 minutes.
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Excessive with cheese:
Take away the pan from the oven and uncover. Gently stir the spinach into the pasta. Cool a bit of pasta and magnificence, together with salt as wished. Stir and clear it out as soon as extra, defending the pasta coated in sauce. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese on excessive.
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Put together dinner uncovered:
Put together dinner for 10 additional minutes, uncovered. The cheese will soften and the sauce will thicken. Excessive with modern basil or parsley and serve.
Retailer any leftovers in an airtight container throughout the fridge for 5 to 6 days. Reheat lined with tinfoil in a 350°F oven, in a small saucepan, or throughout the microwave.
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Weight loss plan Particulars (per serving) | |
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256 | Vitality |
6g | Fat |
35g | Carbs |
8g | Protein |
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Weight loss plan Particulars | |
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Servings: 4 to 6 |
|
Amount per serving | |
Vitality | 256 |
% Every day Price* | |
6g | 8% |
Saturated Fat 2g | 12% |
13mg | 4% |
736mg | 32% |
35g | 13% |
Dietary Fiber 4g | 15% |
Full Sugars 7g | |
8g | |
Vitamin C 5mg | 27% |
Calcium 112mg | 9% |
Iron 2mg | 13% |
Potassium 533mg | 11% |
*The % Every day Price (DV) tells you the way in which lots a nutrient in a meals serving contributes to a every day weight reduction program. 2,000 vitality a day is used for regular vitamin advice. |
Weight loss plan information is calculated using an ingredient database and must be considered an estimate. In circumstances the place a variety of ingredient choices are given, the first listed is calculated for vitamin. Garnishes and optionally accessible elements is not going to be included.