Creamy Penne alla Vodka with Roasted Tomatoes

Ditch the jar and skip the dairy. This Dairy-Free Penne alla Vodka is about to become your new any-night obsession. We trade heavy cream for a natural, velvety base and swap canned sauce for fresh, oven-roasted tomatoes that bring a deep, caramelized sweetness to every bite. It’s smoky, savory, impossibly creamy, and utterly impressive. Grab your pasta – dinner is served!

Why You’ll Love this Dairy-Free Penne alla Vodka

• Deep Flavor Profile: Roasting fresh tomatoes builds a natural, caramelized sweetness that makes the sauce incredibly rich.
• Perfectly Creamy: We skip the heavy cream but keep the luxury. Quick cashew cream lends full-bodied flavor, a silky finish, and it clings to the pasta just like the classic Italian version.
• Restaurant Quality: As a chef would know, the vodka unlocks hidden flavors in the tomatoes and herbs that you literally cannot taste otherwise.
• Clean Ingredients: This from-scratch dish is also highly nutritious!
• Easy for Entertaining: It has make-ahead elements and can suit a variety of special diet requests, including gluten-free, soy-free, vegan, and paleo.

Expert Tips for Roasting the Tomatoes

• Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: If your tomatoes are touching, they will steam instead of roast. Give them space to ensure they get those delicious charred skins.
• Keep the Skins On: There is a massive amount of flavor in the tomato skins! When you blend the sauce, the skins will disappear into the smooth puree, but will still add a little texture and nutrients.
• Choose Ripe, Sweet Tomatoes: We use cherry or grape tomatoes for maximum sweetness and flavor intensity. Plus, you don’t need to cut them – simply roast them whole. Plum tomatoes or tomatoes on the vine are a second tier option, but you’ll want to chop them into large chunks for roasting.
• Roast at Moderate Heat: We use a slightly lower roasting heat with cherry and grape tomatoes, since they are a bit more delicate. If using “meatier” tomatoes, 400°F is a more common roasting temperature, with a time of 25 to 35 minutes.

Vodka Notes & Substitutions

Despite what the name implies, dairy-free penne alla vodka doesn’t taste overtly vodka. Simmering the sauce cooks off the harsh alcohol “bite,” leaving behind only a warm, savory depth. And you don’t need top-shelf liquor for dairy-free penne alla vodka. A standard, neutral vodka (no flavors) like Tito’s or Smirnoff works perfectly. Any nuances of expensive varieties will also cook off as the sauce simmers, so I’d save them for drinks.

If you don’t have any vodka on hand, a dry white wine can work as a substitute, but it will lend a little more flavor to the sauce. For alcohol-free, you can substitute vegetable broth with a squeeze of lemon juice to mimic the acidity. The flavor profile will be a little different but still delicious.

More Recipe FAQs

Do I need to soak the cashews?

No, you do not. In the recipe, you’ll finely grind the cashews, which then blend seamlessly into the sauce. With this method, the cashews also act as a thickener, allowing you to use richer milk alternative for the added liquid rather than adding more water from pre-saturated cashews. If you prefer to soak the cashews, start with less milk alternative, and add only as needed.

What milk alternative should I use?

I use coconut milk beverage or cashew milk. Your favorite type should work fine, but these are my personal favorites for taste and richness. Avoid using a type that tastes sweet at all (like most oat milks) or has added flavors. You can just use water, but if possible, increase the cashews to 2/3 cup or 3/4 cup to maintain the richness.

Can I make this dairy-free penne alla vodka ahead?

Yes, you have a couple options. You can make the whole sauce ahead, and store it in an airtight container your your refrigerator. It will thicken as it sits, so you’ll need to stir in more water or milk alternative as your reheat it to get the right consistency. Another option is to simply roast the tomatoes (and garlic) and blend the cashew cream ahead. This allows you to have all sauce components ready in advance. I always recommend making the pasta fresh, just before serving.

How do I store leftovers?

This sauce stores beautifully! Keep it in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 5 days. When reheating, stir in water or unsweetened milk alternative as needed. It will thicken as it sits.

Serving Suggestions

The versatility of this dairy-free penne alla vodka is unbelievable. These are just some of the foods that pair very well.

Sides:

• Green Salad with Vinaigrette
• Steamed Broccoli
• Roasted Asparagus
• Focaccia
• Crusty Bread

Add-Ins:

• Diced Bacon or Pancetta
• Cooked Shrimp
• Shopped Cooked Chicken
• Cubed Roasted Extra-Firm Tofu
• Cubed Cooked Tempeh
• Cooked Chickpeas (optionally roasted)
• Baby Spinach Leaves
• Steamed Cauliflower Florets
• Roasted or Sauteed Eggplant

Special Diet Notes: Dairy-Free Penne alla Vodka

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, optionally gluten-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian. It can be served over your favorite spiralized “noodles” for paleo.

Alisa Fleming

Dairy-Free Penne alla Vodka

4.93 from 13 votes

This creamy vodka sauce pasta is delicious, impressive, and fulfilling on its own. But see my tips in the post above for tasty dairy-free add-in options.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 617

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 2 pounds cherry or grape tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 1 ¼ teaspoons salt divided, plus additional to taste
• 1 to 2 garlic cloves whole, unpeeled (optional)
• 1 shallots thinly sliced or minced (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• ½ cup vodka
• ½ cup raw cashew pieces
• ¾ to 1 cup unsweetened dairy-free milk alternative (see post above for recommendations)
• 4 large basil leaves minced
• 12 ounces dry penne (can use gluten-free, if needed)

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 375ºF.
2. Place the tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place the garlic, if using, on the baking sheet. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the tomato skins have "popped" and are starting to brown in spots.
3. Let the tomatoes cool 10 minutes, then add tomatoes with juices to a blender. Squeeze garlic pulp, if using, into the blender and add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Puree until smooth.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add shallots, if using, and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add red pepper and continue to saute 30 seconds.
5. Remove from heat, whisk in tomato puree and vodka. Return to the heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
6. While the sauce simmers, grind the cashews in a spice grinder until powdered.
7. Add the cashew flour, 3/4 cup milk alternative, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to your blender, and whiz until smooth and creamy. If desired, strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove any remaining nut bits.
8. Cook pasta according to package directions.
9. Whisk the cashew cream into the tomato sauce, and continue to simmer for a few minutes, or until thickened. Add more cashew milk beverage if the sauce thickens too much. Taste test, and sprinkle in more salt, to taste (we use another 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon)
10. Stir penne into sauce. Serve topped with fresh basil.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 servingCalories: 617kcalCarbohydrates: 78.1gProtein: 15.7gFat: 20.1gSaturated Fat: 3.3gSodium: 782mgPotassium: 852mgFiber: 6gSugar: 9.4gVitamin A: 1758IUVitamin C: 31mgCalcium: 141mg

Notes

Preparation Timing: I typically start cooking the pasta around the time that I add the cashew cream to the tomato sauce. You want the sauce to be ready as the pasta finishes. 

Cheesiness: This sauce is also delicious with 1 to 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast blended with the cashew cream. It offers a light cheesy flavor in this amount, without overpowering.

Acidity: If the sauce tastes a bit too acidic (can depend on your tomatoes), add a dash of sugar or a pinch of baking soda.

Vodka Tip: Each 50 mL mini bottle is 1/4 cup. 

Noodles: You can make this vodka pasta with any type of noodle. It also pairs very well with bowties, angel hair, or fettuccine in my opinion.

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