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Penne with Creamy Vodka Tomato Sauce and Roasted Red Peppers

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If possible, use premium vodka; inexpensive brands can taste harsh in this sauce.

To have a chunky sauce, blend the cashews with the unsweetened soy milk. Don’t blend the tomatoes. Add the soy cashew cream to the sauce before stirring the sauce into the pasta.

This recipe works with roasted zucchini, roasted eggplant, roasted fennel, and even roasted carrots.

  • Author: Mary Leir
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 20
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 Servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 roasted red peppers, cut into 1/2” slices
  • 4 tablespoons vegan butter
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 shallot, finely minced (or small onion)
  • 1/2 cup roasted, unsalted cashew pieces
  • 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 28-oz can whole tomatoes, crushed (or fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped)
  • 1/3 cup vodka
  • 1 cup unsweetened soy milk
  • Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
  • 1 lb. penne or other tubular pasta
  • Vegan parmesan, for serving

Instructions

  1. Melt butter with oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in cashew pieces, garlic, tomato paste, nutritional yeast, and red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  2. Remove pan from heat. Stir in tomatoes and vodka. Return to heat and simmer until alcohol cooks off, about 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Transfer sauce to a jar of a blender and puree until smooth. Add soy milk and blend until incorporated.
  4. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts salted water to boil over high heat. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.
  5. Transfer pasta back to large pot and add sauce. Toss over medium heat until pasta absorbs some of sauce, 1 to 2 minutes, adding reserved cooking water if sauce is too thick. Right before serving, stir in fresh basil.
  6. Divide among pasta bowls, top with vegan parmesan (optional) and serve immediately.

Notes

Use sauce immediately or store in refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Find it online: http://shiftycrafty.com/penne-creamy-vodka-tomato-sauce-roasted-red-peppers/