Hiya Gorgeous!
Today I’m going to show you how to make vegan penne alla vodka (aka Dirty Penne): a rich, creamy gluten-free vegan pasta recipe with a splash of vodka!
It’s super easy to make, and you can whip it up in a jiffy. I love keeping the ingredients on hand for when I don’t have a lot of time (or energy) to play in the kitchen. If you prefer to omit the vodka, that’s fine. The small amount of alcohol helps bring out the flavors. It also adds a bitter bite that goes well with the salty sweetness of the dish.
As always, I use recipes as guidelines–not hard-and-fast rules. So feel free to tinker, tweak and tickle ‘til your taste buds let out a genuine “Mmmm.”
I hope you enjoy! And remember to serve the dish with a big ole salad. If you need some new inspiration, we have lots of delicious recipes (and dressings) in Crazy Sexy Kitchen.
Vegan Penne alla Vodka
Ingredients
- Brown rice pasta (I like Tinkyada brand)
- 1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce (I love Dave’s Gourmet & Crazy Sexy Kitchen’s Nana’s Marinara)
- 2-3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 cup frozen organic peas
- 2 heaping tablespoons capers
- ¼ – ½ cup raw, unsalted cashews
- ½-1 cup water (to blend cashews)
- Drizzle of olive oil (optional)
- Splash of vodka (2-4 cap fulls or an ⅛ of a cup)
- Salt & pepper to taste
Directions
1. Bring water to a boil and add a dash of salt to keep the pasta from sticking. Once the water is bubbling, add the pasta. Follow the directions on the package; it should take about 12 minutes or so.
2. To make the sauce, use your favorite jarred marinara as the base. Pour into a saucepan and add the garlic, peas, capers, plus a drizzle of olive oil and splash of vodka.
3. In a high-speed blender, blend the cashews and water until they are creamy. Add more or less water to suit your desires. Pour the cashew cream into the sauce and stir.
4. Cook on medium to low heat for about 15 minutes. Bathe the sauce all over the pasta and serve with a bright and tasty salad.
Now I’d love to hear from you, what’s your go-to meal choice when you don’t have much time in the kitchen?
I’m sure we’d all love to know. Our readers love the comments as much as the blog content. Bon appetit!
Peace & dirty pasta,
Dave’s Gormet Sauce…………..hmmmm will have to find it……….sounds good!
LOVE a go-to meal! This looks delicious!
My go to meal is sauted kale & spinch in coconut butter, season with sea salt and garlic pepper. Add a big chopped portobelo mushroom and halfed cherry toms. Soften off in pan then pour over 2 whisked eggs and allow to gentle cook. Its my FAV easy meal. Nutricious & delicious!
Thanks Kris for another fab recipe! Jx
I can’t wait to tryt he Vegan Penne
I love to make this when I am in a hurry and need something to comfort and nourish me. It only takes 5 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook. It only requires one pot to clean up too, yeah!
Cauliflower Millet Mash with Arugula
4 servings
2 Tb olive oil
1 Tb extra virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, peeled and diced
1 tsp Italian seasonings
1 1/2 cup chopped cauliflower
1 cup millet
3 cups vegetable stock or water
Sea salt and pepper to taste
3 oz baby arugula torn into pieces
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
• Heat 2 Tb olive oil in pot, add shallot, sauté until soft.
• Once the shallots are softened, add the millet stir to coat with the oil.
• Add cauliflower, herbs and stock. Bring to a boil.
• Reduce flame, cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes until the grain is cooked.
• Add 1 Tb of extra virgin olive oil. Mash with a potato masher until smooth.
• Season with sea salt & pepper.
• Add the arugula, stir to allow the arugula to wilt.
Serve topped with a sprinkle of rice wine vinegar
I forgot to mention I have a video for anyone who wants to see how to make this dish. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIF8YDNx1j4&feature=share&list=UUOW_XXpTNBup5FDkfCPCnrg
Sounds delicious Ingrid! Thank you for sharing!
you just get better AND better with each video .. a shining star! thank you for all that you do to inspire .. to teach .. to share love .. you are a blessing!
Hi Kris
New to your site, loving it!
Can the cashews be sub’d with almonds or brazil nuts? The vodka for brandy?
Thanks!
Em
I made this last night and it was AWESOME! However, my blender died while making my cashew cream! So… the sauce was… textured and AWESOME! Guess its time for a VitaMix!
Thank you, Kris! You are truly inspiring!
Love this recipe can’t wait to try it. I am a pasta lover and especially that new brown rice pasta that i just newly discovered. (Tinkyada brand…) Love it!!
I watched this last night and today discovered Dave’s Gourmet was on sale at the Columbus Circle Whole Foods here in NYC 😀
Also, thank you for showing the struggle with the jar, it happens all the time, but is so counter-intuitive to “magical TV cooking.” I just loved it.
Great demo, Kris! Excited to give it a try! Feels like such a silly question but any tips on how to reheat the pasta without using a microwave?
sherri-
I am microwave-less, and I just put the serving in a pot on the stove over medium heat for probably about 7 minutes (it really depends on how much I’m reheating and how warm I want it). If the pasta isn’t mixed with sauce, I will add a bit of water or olive oil so it doesn’t burn.
Hope that helps!
Nice! 🙂
Question: Since I`m a cooking newbie- of any kind.. I need to be absolutely certain to follow recipes to a t; do we need to soak the cashews as is suggested in other cashews recipes?
I think anything else I say would sound verbatim, so just a HUGE THANK YOU for being you.
((((((many bear hugs to you and your loved ones in unicornlandia))))))
I made this tonight! I am on a VERY tight budget so if I didn’t totally need it, it got left out (vodka, capers). I also cannot afford an $8 jar of pasta sauce, although I am SURE Dave’s sauce is awesome. I went with Whole Foods Roasted Red Pepper sauce ($1.79), the Tinkyada penne pasta was on sale today, woot! ($3.19), and WF frozen peas ($1.29). I def recommend the Tinkyada Penne. It has a great texture that goes well with the sauce. I already had raw, unsalted cashew’s and it was my first time making the creamy goodness in my blender.
Oh goodness….I think the cashew and roasted red bell pepper totally complimented each other. And 3 cloves of garlic…yum. It was great! And this was a very fast and easy meal to make. I did try to hit up a neighbor for some vodka, but they didn’t have any. I tried! 🙂 I look forward to making it one day with the vodka to see how it changes up the flavor. Along with a BIG bowl of salad on the side, this meal was a big hit for me and I have leftover for several days (and I didn’t even cook the whole bag of pasta cuz I can always make more if I need to).
Thanks for the recipe!
Kris, this recipe looks wonderful and I can’t wait to try it. The thing I like even more is that it is quick and it has capers !!! I LOVE capers !!! I am off tomorrow to buy the pasta !! Thanks for sharing, please keep sharing new recipes.
Love your quick and easy! Can’t wait to try it. My quick and easy is a tofu dish using a pre made marinade sauce made by Whole Foods (I don’t work or endorse them) called, Thai Ginger Marinade. I cube the tofu (I use the Bridge brand) and marinade it for 5 minutes (longer is better but this is suppose to be quick!) in the sauce. I then dump the whole thing into a pan and cook for about 5 minutes. I sometimes add some broccoli into the pan if I’m too lazy to steam on the side. I have it served with brown rice.
Kris, you inspire me everyday with your healthy life style, positive energy, and beauty. Can’t wait to try this delicious dirty dish! As we say in German, guten Appetit!
THIS WAS A MOST DELICIOUS DINNER RECIPE!!! I SHOPPED FOR THE INGREDIENTS IN BETWEEN CLIENTS TODAY, FOUND THE RICE PASTA IN BOTH OUR SHAW’S MARKET AND OUR LOCAL HEALTH FOOD STORE, PURCHASED WHATEVER ELSE I NEEDED AND CAME HOME AFTER WORK TO BRING THIS TOGETHER. WOW!!! IT WAS FAST AND DELICIOUS. WHAT A TREAT!!! MANY THANKS!!!
Woot!
This looks excellent! Can’t wait to try the cashew cream out. Our favorite go to is a black bean chili. Lots of tomatoes, corn and peppers! Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful recipes and information. Crazy Sexy Kitchen has motivated my husband and I to move closer and closer to a vegan diet and we feel great!
OM to the G! So delicious and so simple and affordable! Even my picky ate 8 year old devoured it and he supposedly hates peas! Thank Kris Carr, you rockin Crazy Sexy Kitchen goddess.
OM to the G re: your 8 yr old! NICE. 🙂
Wow! Sounds so yummy. Can’t wait to try it. Thanks so much for sharing another great recipe!
Thank you Kris! Love this recipe!
Kris,
I felt like crying for happiness when I watch this, having read all your books and following this journey of yours. I feel like you’re my daughter or sister or soul something, not to sound too weird. I’m just comforted to know that you’re out there!
Thank you for being YOU!!!
Sending you love and happiness.
Lorig : )
XOXO!!!