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Baked penne alla vodka features a rich homemade tomato vodka sauce, swirls of flavorful pesto, and lots of gooey cheese baked on top.
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Baked Penne Alla Vodka with Pesto

Baked penne alla vodka features a rich homemade tomato vodka sauce, swirls of flavorful pesto, and lots of gooey cheese baked on top.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 521kcal

Ingredients

Vodka Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small shallot, finely minced
  • 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup vodka
  • 1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes
  • 3 large whole basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Baked Penne Alla Vodka

  • 1 lb penne pasta, cooked according to package instructions
  • 1/2 cup prepared pesto (jarred or homemade)
  • 1 (8 oz) ball fresh mozzarella, cut into thin slices
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Fresh minced basil for topping

Instructions

Vodka Sauce

  • In a medium pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmery. Add shallot and saute 2-3 minutes until golden-brown. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and saute 1 additional minute until just fragrant.
  • Add tomato paste, vodka, whole tomatoes, and basil leaves to pot. Bring sauce to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and let simmer 20-30 minutes until slightly reduced.
  • Discard basil leaves, transfer sauce to a blender and blend on high speed until sauce is smooth. Pour sauce back into pot and stir in heavy cream. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

Baked Penne Alla Vodka

  • Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly grease a large baking dish.
  • Stir penne pasta into sauce until evenly combined. Scrape pasta into prepared baking dish. Drop pesto by spoonfuls over top and swirl into pasta.
  • Top pasta with fresh mozzarella slices and Parmesan. Bake penne at 400F 20-25 minutes until pasta is bubbly and cheese is lightly browned.
  • Top penne with fresh basil and serve warm. Enjoy!

Notes

Storing Instructions
Store penne in refrigerator up to 6 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 10oz | Calories: 521kcal | Carbohydrates: 50.1g | Protein: 24.2g | Fat: 22.3g | Saturated Fat: 8.1g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 662mg | Potassium: 409mg | Fiber: 1.6g | Sugar: 5g | Calcium: 176mg | Iron: 4mg