Name: Easy Penne Sausage alla Vodka (30-minute)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 small onion (finely diced); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 6 chicken sausages (sliced thin); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1/2 cup vodka; 1 can (28 oz crushed tomatoes); 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (warmed); Salt and pepper to taste; 1 tablespoon fresh minced thyme; 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil; 1 lb penne pasta (cooked according to package instructions)

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Penne sausage alla vodka has never been easier to make at home! Ready in 30 minutes with minimal work and TONS of cozy, comforting flavors.

Yaaaaay! Booze and carbs hanging out in one pot! You and I so know how to tackle a Thursday the right way.

But really, guys. Is this not perfection in a pot?

Sidenote: totally loving every single thing about my new dutch oven. Thank you, Cyber Monday!! Also my wallet is crying and so am I because that is definitely not the only thing I bought. World Market is evil, guys. Just ‘sayin.

We should probably talk about the FIRST thing I christened my dutch oven with. A big pot of penne sausage alla vodka.

I mean really, even the the name sounds super-cool and fancy. Ooh la la.

So have I ever told you guys what it’s like to feed a family that’s pretty much hooked on spaghetti in all shapes and forms? And I mean seriously, it’s like a food group in itself in my family and I’m pretty sure they would lose their mind if it wasn’t on the menu weekly. Anyway, since spaghetti night is sorta a once-or-twice-a-week kind of tradition around here, I’m always racking my brain trying to think up ways to change it up a little bit.

So what you’re seeing today maaaaaay be the end result of the best spaghetti idea I’ve ever had.

Okay, granted I did NOT invent penne alla vodka, but, but! I did throw sausage into the pot making everything an entire meal-in-one. I also scaled the usual hours-of-sauce-simmering time down to only 30 minutes flat, so that’s GOTTA count for something.

Also you should probably know that the fam approves of penne sausage alla vodka. They said so somewhere between second and third servings.

And I definitely approve of the ease and all the comfort loaded inside. With finals going on both this week and next week, I definitely need TONS of easy comfort food up my sleeve. And Kleenex and coffee. Just the staples.

Who’s ready for some down-home Thursday-night comfort food? It is so on.

Last tip: Make sure you have lots of bread on standby for soaking up all the subtlety-boozy sauce with. Yeeeeees, that’s the only way to go!

…Aaaand GO!

Easy Penne Sausage alla Vodka (30-minute)

Penne sausage alla vodka has never been easier to make at home! Ready in 30 minutes with minimal work and TONS of cozy, comforting flavors.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 486 kcal

Ingredients

1 small onion finely diced
3 cloves garlic minced
6 chicken sausages sliced thin
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup vodka
1 can 28 oz crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream warmed
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh minced thyme
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
1 lb penne pasta cooked according to package instructions

Instructions

In a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium-high heat, saute onion, garlic, and sliced sausage until just tender and beginning to brown. Remove pan from heat and slowly stir in vodka, scraping to deglaze the bottom of pan. Return pan to heat and stir in crushed tomatoes. Bring sauce to a simmer then reduce heat to low, cover and let sauce simmer 20 minutes.
Once sauce has simmered, remove from heat and stir in whipping cream, salt and pepper to taste, thyme, basil, and hot cooked pasta. Enjoy pasta immediately hot.

Comfort food is totally my middle name right now. ♥

One-Pot Parmesan Risotto with Sausage + Kale