Penna Alla Vodka with Ground Beef
Penne alla vodka with ground beef is the grown up, homemade version of Hamburger Helper. This delicious pasta takes pasta with vodka sauce and adds ground beef for a hearty comforting dish with minimal fuss. This cozy dish makes the perfect cold weather 30 meal.
Servings: 6
Calories: 359kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large white onion diced
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 1/4 tsp red chili flakes
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 cups cooked penne pasta
- shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onions to the pot, and saute until soft. Add the beef to the hot oil. Season with salt & pepper, to taste.2 tbsp olive oil, 1 large white onion, 1 lb lean ground beef, salt & pepper
- Cook the beef, stirring and crumbling as it cooks, until it's completely browned- no pink remaining. Strain the meat, removing all excess grease, and return it to the pot.
- Stir in the tomatoes, vodka, and chili flakes until evenly incorporated. Turn the heat to high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir the sauce until it's reduced by half, and slightly thickened.1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, 1/2 cup vodka, 1/4 tsp red chili flakes
- Whisk in the cream until the sauce is smooth & it's evenly combined. Remove the pot from heat.1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- Stir the cooked pasta into the pot and toss it in the sauce until the sauce has thickened slightly and begins to stick to the pasta.4 cups cooked penne pasta
- Sprinkle the still hot pasta dish with the shredded Parmesan cheese, and allow it to melt slightly. Ladle the pasta onto plates and serve immediately.shredded Parmesan cheese
Notes
- First and foremost, make sure you aren't using flavored vodka! You want regular old vodka, not something with a fancy flavor like caramel or whatever else. Just plain vodka!
- You can use whatever vodka is in your liquor cabinet, but if you're adding it to the grocery list- it doesn't need to be the expensive, top shelf stuff.
- Make sure to strain the meat and use lean ground beef. Otherwise, the dish will feel very greasy and heavy because you will have both the beef fat and the heavy cream.
- Don't skip letting the sauce cook down. The flavor will intensify and the texture of the sauce will be much better.
- Not into heat? Skip the red pepper flakes for a more mild flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 359kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 61mg | Potassium: 338mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 316IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 3mg