Name: Shrimp Penne with Vodka Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 4 ounces penne; 3/4 cup store-bought marinara sauce (see note); 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste; 1/4 cup vodka; 2 tablespoons heavy cream; 10 ounces frozen shrimp, thawed and patted dry (see note); chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

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This Shrimp Penne with Vodka Sauce is an easy dinner for two. My version uses a simple short-cut – no chopping required! – so it’s ready to serve in less than 30 minutes.

Photo of a skillet with shrimp penne with vodka sauce

I’m a sucker for easy pasta dishes and have spent the last 10ish years building my repertoire that includes delectable dishes like Fettuccine Alfredo and my long-time favorite Balsamic Mushroom Pasta which are just two in the ever-growing list. And now I’m adding Shrimp Penne with Vodka Sauce to the list. It checks all the boxes: simple ingredients, quick cook time, and just enough decadence without being over-the-top in the rich and calorific department.

overhead photo of the ingredients needed for the sauce

Vodka Sauce

As the name implies, vodka sauce has vodka in it. Unlike a Bloody Mary (another favorite vodka/tomato combo) you won’t get a buzz since a lot of the alcohol disappears as it simmers.

It’s combined with a tomato-based sauce flavored with onions, garlic and herbs. Add some spice and cream and the whole thing comes together in less than 10 minutes. I took some liberties with my version because I wanted a low-prep sauce so here’s what you need…

Store-bought marinara sauce: Instead of chopping garlic and onion I opted for a jarred sauce. These days, there are plenty of options out there that use simple ingredients and taste great. I recommend Rao’s Homemade or Bertolli because you don’t need a dictionary to understand the ingredient list.
Red pepper flakes: The amount is dependent on your heat tolerance and I find that a half a teaspoon is the perfect amount of spice.
Vodka: It’s sort of magical ingredient in the sauce because you don’t really taste it, but it brightens the flavor much like adding a squeeze of lemon or lime does for a rich sauce. If you’ve ever had a shot of vodka you are familiar with its heat and burn. Those qualities cut through the richness of the cream and tomatoes creating a well-balanced sauce. You can certainly leave it out if you are wary, but I encourage you to give it a try. Besides, you can’t call it vodka sauce without the vodka.
Heavy cream: Like I mentioned the cream adds a lot of richness which is offset by the vodka.

Four ingredients for the sauce – that’s it!

Shrimp Penne

I used penne because I like the size. The shrimp I use are small and it’s easy to get a forkful of pasta with a few shrimp in each bite. That said, any short pasta will work so use what you got.
I like to use frozen shrimp. Buying fresh shrimp stresses me out because I feel a lot of pressure to cook the shrimp the day I buy them and it’s always when there are fresh shrimp in the fridge that dinner plans get thwarted. They don’t keep long when they’re fresh, so I’ve taken to buying frozen ones.
Buying frozen ones means you have to thaw them, which requires a little advanced planning. I like to thaw them in a bowl with cold water for 20 to 30 minutes before I start cooking.
Be sure to thoroughly dry them after they’ve thawed. I scatter them in a single layer on some paper towels and top them with a few more and blot them dry.
The shrimp I use are on the smaller side and, because they cook so fast, you can add them right to the sauce towards the end. They take less than ten minutes to cook in the sauce, so I add them a few minutes before I add the cooked pasta. Depending on the size of the shrimp you use you may need to add a couple of minutes to the cooking time.

Serve it up in pasta bowls, add some crusty bread on the side and you’ll have a less-than-30-minutes-to-make dinner that’s perfect for a weeknight.

Happy Cooking,

photo of a bowl of shrimp penne with vodka sauce

More Easy Pasta Recipes

Bucatini all’ Amatriciana | Bucatini all’ Amatriciana is a delicious pasta dish that takes less than 30 minutes to make. My version for two has pancetta, tomato sauce, a splash of balsamic vinegar and a generous pinch of crushed red pepper.
5-Ingredient Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo | A simple, easy-to-make sun-dried tomato Alfredo sauce tossed with pasta. It’s a comforting dinner for two when you’re short on time.
Spicy Chicken Ragu (Instant Pot) | This spicy chicken ragu for two cooks in an Instant Pot making it an easy dinner for busy weeknights. There’s no browning or pre-cooking steps required – everything goes into the Instant Pot and in less than 30 minutes dinner is ready to go.