Best Penne alla Vodka

Recipe View Gather all the ingredients, ensuring they are prepped and within easy reach. (Prep time: 5 minutes)

Recipe View Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Add the penne pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, approximately 11 minutes. Drain the pasta thoroughly, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta water. Set the pasta aside. (Cook time: 11 minutes)

Recipe View While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Crumble the sweet Italian sausage into the skillet. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes; sauté until the garlic is fragrant and lightly golden, about 1 minute. (Cook time: 6-8 minutes)

Recipe View Pour in the crushed tomatoes and add salt. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together beautifully. (Simmer time: 15 minutes)

Recipe View Stir in the heavy whipping cream and vodka, gently bringing the sauce back to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and add the cooked penne pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat the pasta evenly with the creamy vodka sauce, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to achieve the desired consistency. Cook for 1 minute, allowing the pasta to absorb the flavors of the sauce. (Cook time: 1 minute)

Recipe View Stir in the chopped fresh parsley. Serve the Penne alla Vodka immediately, garnished with additional parsley and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, if desired.