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.
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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
Instructions:
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!
I can’t wait to get the cookbook – this looks delicious! I’ve got a few jars left of heirloom tomato sauce I canned from my garden last year that is calling out for a little cashew cream and vodka. For quick weeknight meals, I love hearty dinner salads with greens and homemade vegan feta.
Yum, that sounds scrumptious!! We love Dave’s Gourmet sauces as well – especially the Spicy version – it’s great for creating easy peasy dinners in a pinch!! I can’t wait to try your recipe, it sounds delicious!! Thanks so much, you really are a treasured gem Kris!! ♡♡
Sounds Yummy 🙂 I’ll try when i will have the chance to have a blender ^^
PS: It’s “bon appétit” without an “e” (I am French and lots of people do the mistake; i donno it’s on purpose or not haha)
This looks delicious. I might want to leave out the capers, as they taste a little salty to me 😉 I am soooo gonna try this. P.S. I LOVE your cookbook. I made the Coconut and Red Lentil Soup last night and it was fabulous. In fact, EVERY recipe I’ve tried thus far has been a smash! Thanks!
Yowsers. I didn’t know about the trick for making quick cashew cream sauce. I think you may have just left me dirty kiddy grateful for you and all your special magical fairy dust in the kitchen. Sigh. Hug.
Her books include lots of recipes for cooked foods, although she does emphasize the importance of fresh vegetable juice and salads. Raw foods are an important part of an overall vegan diet.
Kris, as always, this looks amazing. I will try it as soon as I’m done with your adventurous 21-day cleanse (I’m on day 4!).
I just wanted to say thank you for inspiring me to make these changes. I had my first colonic on Saturday, I’m a juicing fiend (Immune Me is my favorite), and…*drum roll*…I am down 20.5 pounds as of this morning. I have roughly another 120 pounds to go, but it’s a HUGE exciting accomplishment. I didn’t lose all 20 on the cleanse, I lost about 10 before the cleanse just prepping for it throughout the month of January. Who knew raw food could be so darn delicious and easy?!?!
But holy smokes! I have more energy than ever before, I’m exercising every day, and I move through my day with a new sense of clarity and gratitude.
So thank you. YOU gave me the confidence to dive into this beautiful adventure, and to start showering my body with love, from the inside out.
Can’t wait to try it for diner (yes, the dirty version)!! Thank you Kris! And thank you for leaving the part where you struggle to open the jar! That made me laugh!
Thanks Kris. This looks very good and super easy to make. I like that you gave options. BTW, your kitchen is lovely. Now to find the pasta you referred to.
I can’t wait to try it! I have been nervous about getting your book thinking most of it will be to complicated or have things I have never heard of in it. But this one I can definitely make. Thank you for sharing.
Pam
I turn to pasta, too, when I’m low on time and energy. Usually brown rice pasta, jarred Trader Joe’s sauce – I like the roasted garlic marinara, all the veggies I can find, and sometimes a chopped up sun-dried tomato basil tofurkey sausage. Quick, easy, relatively healthy, and my husband and kids love it. Win/win/win!
I’m so into to your recipes Kris Carr! I just made Quinoa With a Kick last night! I’ve been spreadin’ the crazy sexy revolution love with all my friends! I can’t wait to try this recipe. I’m more of a ‘mandatory dirty’ kinda girl…but hey let your followers choose right?
There are always a few nights during the week when time is scarce and we’re so tired we just want to eat, and not bother with cooking and prep. On those nights, we reach for our quesadilla maker — oddly, one of the most used appliances in our kitchen! We keep a can of good-quality refried beans on hand, as well as Food for Life brand rice tortillas (the best!). We top it with whatever veggies we have, maybe a little salsa, and perhaps some Daiya pepperjack shreds. When it’s hot and crispy, I garnish with fresh avocado, sprouts, and maybe a sprinkling of fresh cilantro and squeeze of lime. Talk about quick + delicious comfort food!
Kris, I used your ingredients, except for the pasta (substituted raw spriralized zucchini) and vodka, and made this a raw dish. Delish!!!!! Thanks. I always forget about capers.
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I can’t wait to get the cookbook – this looks delicious! I’ve got a few jars left of heirloom tomato sauce I canned from my garden last year that is calling out for a little cashew cream and vodka. For quick weeknight meals, I love hearty dinner salads with greens and homemade vegan feta.
.
Yum, that sounds scrumptious!! We love Dave’s Gourmet sauces as well – especially the Spicy version – it’s great for creating easy peasy dinners in a pinch!! I can’t wait to try your recipe, it sounds delicious!! Thanks so much, you really are a treasured gem Kris!! ♡♡
Sounds Yummy 🙂 I’ll try when i will have the chance to have a blender ^^
PS: It’s “bon appétit” without an “e” (I am French and lots of people do the mistake; i donno it’s on purpose or not haha)
This looks delicious. I might want to leave out the capers, as they taste a little salty to me 😉 I am soooo gonna try this. P.S. I LOVE your cookbook. I made the Coconut and Red Lentil Soup last night and it was fabulous. In fact, EVERY recipe I’ve tried thus far has been a smash! Thanks!
Yowsers. I didn’t know about the trick for making quick cashew cream sauce. I think you may have just left me dirty kiddy grateful for you and all your special magical fairy dust in the kitchen. Sigh. Hug.
🙂
Well that’s nice, but I thought you were a raw vegan?
Nope, not 100%.
Her books include lots of recipes for cooked foods, although she does emphasize the importance of fresh vegetable juice and salads. Raw foods are an important part of an overall vegan diet.
I can’t wait to try it this week!
Thanks so much Kris
I love you!
I love it! You are so inspiring! The cooking videos are my favorites. Have a great day!
Thanks Stephanie!
Good morning, beautiful succulent goddesses!
Kris, as always, this looks amazing. I will try it as soon as I’m done with your adventurous 21-day cleanse (I’m on day 4!).
I just wanted to say thank you for inspiring me to make these changes. I had my first colonic on Saturday, I’m a juicing fiend (Immune Me is my favorite), and…*drum roll*…I am down 20.5 pounds as of this morning. I have roughly another 120 pounds to go, but it’s a HUGE exciting accomplishment. I didn’t lose all 20 on the cleanse, I lost about 10 before the cleanse just prepping for it throughout the month of January. Who knew raw food could be so darn delicious and easy?!?!
But holy smokes! I have more energy than ever before, I’m exercising every day, and I move through my day with a new sense of clarity and gratitude.
So thank you. YOU gave me the confidence to dive into this beautiful adventure, and to start showering my body with love, from the inside out.
Big hugs,
Dawn
Dawn!!!! Congrats! I am so happy for you and proud of you. 🙂 xo
Dawn that’s amazing!! Sooo – how was the colonic???
Yay Dawn!! Woohoo!!
Can’t wait to try it for diner (yes, the dirty version)!! Thank you Kris! And thank you for leaving the part where you struggle to open the jar! That made me laugh!
Us too! 🙂
Funny and delicious! I will try this but first have to eat the huge amounts of CS Kitchen bean chili that I made yesterday!
Thanks Kris. This looks very good and super easy to make. I like that you gave options. BTW, your kitchen is lovely. Now to find the pasta you referred to.
I can’t wait to try it! I have been nervous about getting your book thinking most of it will be to complicated or have things I have never heard of in it. But this one I can definitely make. Thank you for sharing.
Pam
I turn to pasta, too, when I’m low on time and energy. Usually brown rice pasta, jarred Trader Joe’s sauce – I like the roasted garlic marinara, all the veggies I can find, and sometimes a chopped up sun-dried tomato basil tofurkey sausage. Quick, easy, relatively healthy, and my husband and kids love it. Win/win/win!
I’m so into to your recipes Kris Carr! I just made Quinoa With a Kick last night! I’ve been spreadin’ the crazy sexy revolution love with all my friends! I can’t wait to try this recipe. I’m more of a ‘mandatory dirty’ kinda girl…but hey let your followers choose right?
Ha! Thanks for sharing Tanya. 🙂
I can’t wait to try this! Thanks, Kris!
There are always a few nights during the week when time is scarce and we’re so tired we just want to eat, and not bother with cooking and prep. On those nights, we reach for our quesadilla maker — oddly, one of the most used appliances in our kitchen! We keep a can of good-quality refried beans on hand, as well as Food for Life brand rice tortillas (the best!). We top it with whatever veggies we have, maybe a little salsa, and perhaps some Daiya pepperjack shreds. When it’s hot and crispy, I garnish with fresh avocado, sprouts, and maybe a sprinkling of fresh cilantro and squeeze of lime. Talk about quick + delicious comfort food!
Ooh! I don’t have a quesadilla maker… Hmmm… do I need to get one?
Kris, I used your ingredients, except for the pasta (substituted raw spriralized zucchini) and vodka, and made this a raw dish. Delish!!!!! Thanks. I always forget about capers.
Great idea with the zucchini as i am not a big pasta fan……any tips on spiraling it??
Also don’t forget spaghetti squash.
Such a SMART idea…
I can’t wait to make this!! Thanks Kris!
Hi Kris,
This is what I am making for dinner. Thank You for thinking of us gluten free people.
Diana in Maine
p.s. I think you should have a contest where the winner gets a chance to come hang out with you for a weekend and learn all your health secrets.
Oh, I totally second this!!