Make penne alla vodka with smoked salmon one of your go-to midweek meals. It’s easy to make and well tasty – the whole family will love it. This pasta all vodka recipe is quick and simple to make.
This post was first published in November 2019 and updated in September 2021 with expert tips and frequently asked questions.
It would be an understatement to say that penne alla vodka is one of my family’s favourite easy pasta recipes. We have this dish at least once each month and there are often cries for it to appear more often than it does.
My version of this dish includes smoked salmon, cherry tomatoes and roasted veggies. Classic pasta alla vodka contains none of these extras, but the additional ingredients do make this recipe extra tasty and ultra satisfying.
This recipe is one that meets my needs on many a busy weeknight but it’s flavourful enough to make it onto our weekend menu too when we fancy a dose of easy cosy food.
And talking of food that sends out warm vibes, have you tried my pasta al forno yet? It’s another family favourite.
What Does Alla Vodka Mean?
Translated from Italian alla vodka means with vodka. So when talking about penne alla vodka it means penne pasta served with a sauce that contains vodka.
Classic pasta alla vodka consists of pasta tossed in a smooth tomato and cream-based sauce that has been laced with vodka. The alcohol serves to add a peppery depth of flavour to the sauce. It also softens the sweetness of the tomatoes and the richness of the cream.
As with all good classics, various recipes exist. Some households like to add bacon to their alla vodka sauce. For others, it’s a touch of chilli to ramp up the heat that the vodka imparts into the sauce. I’ve even come across recipes incorporating peas.
Why This Recipe is Worth Making
It’s fair to say that I’ve deviated from the classic penne alla vodka significantly. But the adaption I’m presenting here really is a winning formula:
- It’s quick to make – it can be ready to serve in 30 minutes
- The salmon adds protein
- And the extra veggies boost the nutitional value of this dish
- These additions also make it a more satisfying meal with no need for a side of salad or veggies
All-in-all, pasta alla vodka with smoked salmon is an easy-to-make recipe that will soon win a regular place on your supper repertoire. It’s deeply comforting in the winter but yet manages to be light enough to carry through to summer dining. That’s a pretty magical quality for any recipe to possess.
Ingredients
As I’ve said, this is not a classic version of pasta alla vodka. To make the traditional version, leave out the cherry tomatoes, red pepper and smoked salmon.
I adore adding smoked salmon to this dish as it adds a wonderful depth of flavour for minimal effort. The salmon cooks in the sauce in a matter of minutes. There’s no need to use a fancy smoked salmon, a cheap version is perfectly adequate here.
Similarly, this is not a place to use expensive vodka. Instead go for a mainstream, affordable vodka along the lines of Absolut.
I’ve used a fresh red pepper in this recipe. However, it does require roasting in the oven for 30 minutes prior to adding to the sauce. If you are short of time jarred peppers, drained from the preserving liquid, work a treat.
Double cream is the best to use in this recipe for the full, rich flavour associated with all vodka sauce. Single cream would just about suffice in place of double, for a less rich version. But whatever you do, don’t be tempted to swap it for milk instead. The sauce will be too loose and rather insipid in comparison.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Begin by putting the pepper into the oven to roast for 30 minutes. This can be done ahead of time
- Chop and fry the shallot and garlic until soft. Add the vodka and let bubble for 1 minute
- Add the tinned tomatoes and blitz with a stick blender
- Pierce the cherry tomatoes and skin & slice the pepper. Add both to the pan and simmer for 15 minutes
- Add the cream, mix well
- Mix in the smoked salmon and half the basil. Season to taste
- Stir through cooked pasta and serve with the remaining basil leaves scattered on top
Expert Tips
- A quick taste before serving is especially important in this recipe. If using smoked salmon, bacon or pancetta, only a little – if any – extra salt will need to be added, since these proteins are renown for their saltiness. A good pinch of salt may be required if using chicken or going entirely vegetarian though
- To save time use jarred roasted peppers – just rinse and pat dry on kitchen towel before using
- Alternatively, chop a fresh pepper finely and add to the pan once the onion has softened and cook for a few minutes. The resulting sauce will have a little more texture to it, but it will still be very tasty
- Make it vegan by leaving out the salmon and swapping double cream for a suitable vegan alternative that can withstand heat without splitting
Frequently Asked Questions
Hand on heart, most of the alcohol in my recipe is burned off during the cooking phase if you follow my instructions. So yes, my penne alla vodka with smoked salmon is suitable for children.
I’ll caveat this by saying that I have seen a few recipes that add the vodka at the end of the cooking process. Clearly, this is an entirely different approach to creating alla vodka sauce and I would be much more cautious of serving this to children.
There are just as many pasta alla vodka recipes that advocate adding the vodka at the end of the cooking process as there are that insist it should be added partway through.
For me, the best way to draw out that peppery taste and balance the sauce is to add the vodka partway through the cooking process. This enables the alcohol to burn off – rather like the addition of wine to a risotto. For this reason, I like to add my vodka after frying the shallot but before adding the tomatoes.
It’s really a matter of personal preference, so if you lean towards enjoying a more pronounced hit of alcohol in your pasta, then by all means stir it in at the ned.
Yes you can. Any mid-large sized pasta that is designed for a robust sauce works well, but I do think tubes, such as penne, rigatoni or paccheri work particularly well. You could even get away with pasta shells (conchiglie) but do avoid smaller styles of pasta such as macaroni as they will get lost in the sauce. Take a look at this guide for inspiration.
Variations
This is a very adaptable pasta alla vodka recipe. Try out the following changes:
- Use cooked fresh salmon in place of the smoked salmon
- Alternatively, use bacon, pancetta or even chicken instead of the salmon – chop it into small pieces and fry with the onions
- Or turn the meal vegetarian by leaving out all fish/ meat options. In this instance, add a scattering of parmesan cheese right before serving to add a little extra oomph to the final dish
- Make the alla vodka sauce without any meat or fish and pour it over salmon fillets or chicken breasts. Serve with pasta, rice or potatoes
Find More Supper Recipes:
Recipe
Penne Alla Vodka with Smoked Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 Red pepper
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 Echalion (banana) shallot or ½ mild white onion
- 1 Garlic clove
- 30 ml Vodka
- 400 g Tin chopped tomatoes
- 16 Cherry tomatoes
- Pinch chilli flakes
- 20 g Fresh basil
- 100 g Smoked salmon
- 2 tablespoon Double (heavy) cream
- 300 g Penne pasta (dried)
Instructions
- Begin by putting the pepper into the oven to roast for 30 minutes at 200C/ 400F/ GM6. This can be done ahead of time or use a jar to save time (see notes)
- Chop and fry the shallot and garlic in 1 tablespoon olive oil until soft
- Add the vodka and let bubble for 1 minute, then add the tinned tomatoes. Blitz using a stick blender until smooth
- Pierce the cherry tomatoes and skin & slice the pepper. Add both to the pan and simmer for 15 minutes
- Meanwhile cook 300g dried penne pasta – when al-dente, drain and set aside
- Add the cream, smoked salmon and half the basil. Season to taste
- Stir the cooked pasta through the sauce, heat until piping hot and serve with the remaining basil scattered on top
Notes
- A quick taste before serving is especially important in this recipe. If using smoked salmon, bacon or pancetta, only a little – if any – extra salt will need to be added, since these proteins are renown for their saltiness. A good pinch of salt may be required if using chicken or going entirely vegetarian though
- To save time use jarred roasted peppers – just rinse and pat dry on kitchen towel before using
- Alternatively, fresh red pepper can be used in this recipe. Deseed and dice it finely, then add to the pan with the cherry tomatoes. Expect the sauce to have more texture than it would do were a roasted pepper used
- Substitute the smoked salmon for a cooked fillet of salmon or chicken breast. Flake/ chop before adding to the pan in step 6
- Or replace the salmon with bacon/ pancetta by frying it in a small pan and stirring through the sauce in step 6
- Any mid-large sized pasta that is designed for a robust sauce works well, but I do think tubes, such as penne, rigatoni or paccheri work particularly well. You could even get away with pasta shells (conchiglie)
- Avoid smaller styles of pasta such as macaroni as they will get lost in the sauce
Tamara Andersen
Wow! One of my concerns with vegetarian pasta dishes – though I love them – is the lack of protein. The addition of smoked salmon is genius! I’m looking forward to giving this lovely recipe a try Jane!