Healthy Penne alla Vodka
While not quite as creamy and rich as the traditional vodka sauce, this healthy Penne alla Vodka gives you the same great flavor in a dish you can feel great about!
Penne alla Vodka
Penne alla VodkaA pasta sauce with vodka and heavy cream.
Delicious. Yes, dangerously delicious.
Tim has been requesting Penne alla Vodka for a couple of months now. But, with all the heavy cream called for in the classic recipe, we wanted to put some of our healthifying tricks to the test and try a lightened up version.
The problem is, anything you make with heavy cream is going to be good. It's a fact.
Finding a way to make Penne alla Vodka just as tasty without the heavy cream. That was a lofty goal.
How to make Healthy Penne alla Vodka
How to make Healthy Penne alla VodkaThis Penne alla Vodka makes use of a little trick we've taken a liking to.
Cauliflower!
Yes, indeed. Instead of heavy cream, we are using a cauliflower puree.
Many of you are probably rolling your eyes and thinking, "It will never be the same!". And, while this sauce might not have the heavy richness of a traditional vodka sauce, it does pack in all of the alcohol spice and depth of flavor.
Plus, you get the feeling that you're eating a cream sauce and the feel-good-factor that you're actually eating something that is healthy.
Healthy Penne alla Vodka
Ingredients
- 1 c cauliflower, cut into small chunks
- 12 oz whole wheat penne pasta, dry
- ½ teaspoon olive oil
- 2 oz pancetta or bacon, minced (about 2 Tbsp)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ c vodka
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ c milk
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dry)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dry)
Instructions
- Place the cauliflower in a small saucepan with ¼ cup of water. Heat the cauliflower over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes, until very soft. Set aside.
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add pasta and 1 teaspoon of salt. Simmer, uncovered, for 7-9 minutes, until the pasta is al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a deep sauté pan. Add pancetta or bacon and sauté 2 minutes. Add garlic. Sauté 1 min.
- Add vodka and stir well, letting it simmer for 1 minute.
- Add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer over medium low heat, uncovered, 5-7 min to thicken the sauce.
- While the sauce is simmering, place the cooked cauliflower into the bowl of your food processor. Add ½ c milk, slowly, and process until the mixture is smooth and creamy, with no lumps remaining.
- Add the cauliflower mixture to the simmering tomato sauce. Let the sauce return to simmer and remove from the heat.
- Add drained pasta to the sauce and mix well to coat.
- Top with parsley and basil.
Notes
Nutrition
This is one of the recipes from the early days of Curious Cuisiniere. We've updated our pictures since we first made it, but we've left the original images here as a fun throwback and shout out to how far we've come. Enjoy!
Sarah founded Curious in 2010 as a way to save her recipe creations and share culinary experiences. Her love for cultural cuisines was instilled early by her French Canadian Grandmother. Her experience in the kitchen and in recipe development comes from over 10 years working in professional kitchens. She has traveled extensively and enjoys bringing the flavors of her travels back to create easy-to-make recipes.
I love the addition of pureed cauliflower in this, definitely makes it healthier! I would love this on top of some chicken or zucchini pasta (as I'm GF)!
xoxo Sarah Grace, Fresh Fit N Healthy.
Ooh. That does sound good!
This was seriously my favorite dish as a child, thank you for making a healthy version 🙂
That's an awesome dish to have as a childhood favorite!
Brilliant alternative to cream!
Thanks Jill!
Such a creative idea, I love it! Cauliflower has so many creative uses these days.
Sounds delish! Great to know there is a cream-free alternative 🙂