Ina vs. Giada: Who Makes the Best Penne alla Vodka?

Do you ever find yourself searching for a specific recipe, only to land on two that both sound so good that you can’t decide between them? Maybe you even read the reviews, in the hopes they’ll sway you in one direction or another.

We’ve all been there, and while I can’t stand by your side and provide my input with every recipe-related dilemma, I can help settle the score when it comes to penne alla vodka. I tried two popular versions of this vodka-infused tomato-based sauce, one from Ina Garten and one from Giada De Laurentiis. After serving them to my pasta-loving family, I proclaimed a winner.

Giada De Laurentiis’ Penne alla Vodka 

Let’s start with what I liked about De Laurentiis’ dish. First, even though it takes a bit of extra time, I appreciate that she provides instruction on making a simple tomato sauce, which is used as the base of the dish. The method to create it is straightforward, and after a few quick minutes of hands-on time sweating some vegetables, the sauce can be left alone to simmer on the stove.

From there, creating the rest of the dish is easy. She instructs blending the sauce and then adding it, along with the vodka, to a pan to simmer. Cream and Parmesan cheese are added last, then it’s time to eat. 

Now, it’s time for what I didn’t like as much. First, even though I enjoyed making the tomato sauce, I found that it wasn’t as flavorful as I would’ve liked, even after adding butter and salt. Next time, I’ll try adding a bit of tomato paste to give it some depth.

As for flavor, the dish is very vodka-forward, even with a 20-minute simmer on the stove. My husband and I didn’t mind that, but my daughter was not a fan. The sauce was rich and creamy, but would have benefited from a bit of heat. 

I don’t think this is a bad recipe at all, and could be made better with a few simple modifications. As I mentioned, I’d add a tablespoon or two of tomato paste and cook that for a few minutes with the softened vegetables before adding the crushed tomatoes to deepen the tomato flavor and provide a touch of sweetness. I’d also add the vodka and let it cook for a bit before adding the crushed tomatoes to remove the punchiness of the vodka, but not the flavor. 

Ina Garten’s Penne Alla Vodka

Garten’s version of penne alla vodka sauce was my favorite as well as my family’s. Like all of Garten’s recipes, this one is easy to follow and similar to De Laurentiis’ recipe, it doesn’t require much hands-on time. Her simple sauce starts with cooking onion and garlic—aromatics that create a flavorful base for any sauce. She also adds dried oregano and red pepper flakes and cooks those with the vodka, letting it simmer a bit before adding two cans of whole peeled plum tomatoes.

She covers the pot with a lid and moves it to the oven, where it cooks for an hour and a half—a smart move for building flavor without having to monitor the stove. After puréeing the sauce, she finished with fresh oregano, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese. The result is a rich and creamy sauce with so much body and flavor, you can’t help but grab a piece of bread to sop up any drop left in the bowl!

As for what I don’t like about the dish—not much! My biggest issue is the time it takes to create. It’s definitely not something that’s ready in 20 minutes.

That being said, there’s something lovely about taking your time when it comes to cooking. More time often means more flavor, so it’s a good lesson on patience. Plus, most if it is hands-off. Maybe it’s not a weeknight dish, but perhaps something saved for a weekend family meal. 

The Overall Favorite

In this battle between vodka sauce recipes, Garten’s recipe was the winner. Thanks to her genius method that utilizes the oven to cook the sauce, she’s able to create a dish with deep, delicious flavor. Her penne alla vodka is creamy but not heavy, and it has the perfect hint of vodka and heat.