Chef notes

Having grown up on Staten Island, I consider myself to be an honorary Italian-American girl. This recipe really gives one of my favorite pasta dishes, penne alla vodka, a new life — a new vegan life! Here, I've given the old-fashioned sauce a vegan makeover without losing any of the rich flavor or creamy consistency. Flavorful ingredients like oil-packed Calabrian chiles, vodka and a unique pasta shape all breathe new life into the traditional dish.

We start this sauce by sautéing chopped onions, garlic, Calabrian chiles and crushed red pepper flakes in a combination of olive oil and vegan butter (or margarine). The star ingredient (vodka) simmers for just a few seconds before the crushed tomatoes are stirred into the base of the sauce. Once the tomatoes have simmered and the sauce has thickened, it’s time to make everything nice and creamy. Vegan cream cheese and dairy-free heavy cream work wonders in this sauce, adding that familiar rich and velvety texture that you would normally get from dairy. And like any good pasta sauce, a hefty sprig of fresh basil simmers for a few minutes along with tomatoes, enhancing the flavor even further.

We’re not exaggerating when we say that these pasta noodles are about a foot long. They are a fun way to make this pasta dish even more special and unique, but we won’t fault you if you choose a slightly more manageable type of pasta like penne or fusilli. However, we will fault you if you leave off the crunchy homemade chili-flavored breadcrumbs that are sprinkled over the top.

Special Kitchen Equipment: Immersion blender

Swap Option: If you don’t have any vegan butter on hand, you can just use more oil. Swap in chickpea pasta for regular pasta for more protein.

Get Ingredients: If you don’t have everything you need on hand, you can easily purchase all of the ingredients (just click the orange button below that says ‘Get Ingredients’). You can pick and choose exactly what ingredients you need based on what’s in your pantry and they’ll be on your doorstep before you know it.

Ingredients

For the Pasta

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons vegan butter or margarine
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoons Calabrian chiles in oil
1 teaspoon (or to taste) crushed red pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 to 3 ounces good quality vodka
1 (15-ounce) can San Marzano crushed tomatoes
1 to 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup unsweetened vegan heavy cream or half and half
1/4 cup vegan cream cheese
1 sprig fresh basil, plus more for garnish
1 package large fusilli pasta

For the Crunchy Breadcrumbs

1/4 cup plain unsalted panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

pinch of nutmeg, to taste
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Fulfilled by

Preparation

Place a large pot of salted water on high heat and bring to a boil.

In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add olive oil and vegan butter. Once melted, add in onions, garlic, Calabrian chilis and crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes until onions begin to sweat. Add a pinch of kosher salt, black pepper and tomato paste and stir to combine.

Reduce heat to medium-low, add in the vodka and stir. After 30 seconds, add canned crushed tomatoes and stir. Let the tomatoes begin to slowly simmer, 3 to 4 minutes. Add in the sugar and oregano and stir to combine. Allow sauce to simmer for 3 to 4 minutes then, using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Continue to cook the sauce on a medium-low flame. Add in the vegan cream cheese, vegan creamer and basil and stir. Taste and adjust for seasoning; add salt if necessary. Allow to simmer 2 to 3 minutes, until the cream cheese has completely incorporated.

While the pasta sauce is cooking and the water comes to a boil, cook pasta according to package instructions until just before reaching al dente (the pasta will continue cooking when added to the sauce). Drain and reserve about 1/4 cup pasta water on the side.

Meanwhile, make the spicy breadcrumbs. Add all ingredients for the topping into a bowl and mix to combine. Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat and add a teaspoon of olive oil. Cook panko mixture for about 5 minutes or until golden and crisp. Set aside.

Add the cooked pasta directly to the sauce and gently stir to coat all of the pasta. Add reserved pasta water if necessary to thin out and flavor the sauce.

Place the pasta in serving dishes, garnish with spicy breadcrumbs and fresh basil leaves if desired.