One-Pan Baked Penne alla Vodka

“What’s your favorite food?” “Penne alla vodka.” It’s a reflexive response at this point, and for good reason. The timeless pink sauce holds the perfect balance of acidity, richness, and tang. It’s comfort food and elevated Italian cuisine at the same time. 

This baked penne alla vodka takes our favorite dish and turns it into a low-lift weeknight meal with easy prep and minimal cleanup. It is made entirely in one pan (no boiling pasta separately!) and requires less than 10 minutes of preparation—freeing you up to do what you please while dinner bakes in the oven.

Since the pasta cooks directly in the pan, it absorbs tons of flavor from the sauce and seasonings. We’ve found that the whole dish feels more cohesive after hanging out in the oven together versus cooking everything separately on the stove. Convenient and tasty—it’s a win-win.

Tips and Tricks for Baked Penne alla Vodka

• Use a high-quality tomato sauce. If you’re not making your own (we didn’t), make sure you choose a fresh and flavorful tomato sauce. We like Victoria or Rao’s, both found in bulk at Costco.
• Don’t skip the vodka. We’ve done this before out of the misguided belief that the vodka was unnecessary when in fact, it is key! It provides a pleasant bite and helps emulsify the sauce into a smooth, cohesive texture. If you prefer to avoid alcohol, you can substitute water and a squeeze of lemon juice.
• Keep the pasta as submerged as possible throughout the process. There are two times to keep this advice in mind—when you first put the pasta in the oven, and when you mix it and return it to cook uncovered. A few noodles may stick out but the pasta should be as covered as possible with liquid to ensure they cook properly.

Substitutions and Variations

• Make it extra cheesy: Add extra mozzarella or dollops of ricotta for a creamier pasta.
• Add other vegetables: Green peas, roasted eggplant, sautéed mushrooms, or caramelized onions would all be delicious additions. To keep the ratio of water to pasta correct, we’d recommend mixing in cooked vegetables just before sprinkling on the shredded cheese for the final 10 minutes of baking time.
• Add protein: We like to add cooked soy curls to the meal but you could also add grilled chicken, chicken cutlet, or Italian sausage. Again, you’ll want to cook the protein separately and add them in before sprinkling on the cheese, or serve them on the side with the pasta.
• Add spice: For an arrabbiata sauce, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of red chili flakes with the rest of the seasonings.

Baked Pasta Dinners

• Cheese Stuffed Manicotti
• Baked Spaghetti
• 5-Ingredient Pasta Bake
• Baked Ziti
• Johnny Marzetti