Penne alla vodka is an Italian-American restaurant classic. Vodka and heavy cream turn a simple tomato sauce into a beautifully emulsified, rich, creamy sauce that’s honestly kind of addictive. In recent years, “spicy vodka pasta” has become the most mainstream recipe variation, which made me realize how amazing this sauce would be with chili oil, rather than just red pepper flakes straight from the pantry.

Enter: Chili Oil Penne alla Vodka. This tried-and-true chili oil recipe from my Aunt Lily brings just the right amount of heat and complexity to each bite, and takes an already incredible dish to the next level. I always keep a big jar of this in my fridge, so I don’t think I’ll ever make vodka pasta without it again. It’s super easy to whip up a batch, and it elevates any dish with a touch of spice. Don’t worry, I’m sharing the recipe for Aunt Lily’s Chili Oil here too!

This dish comes together in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner, but it’ll also look amazing served up on a platter for your next dinner party (just make sure you have the recipe link ready to share with your friends).

Why You’ll Love this Recipe:

• Restaurant Quality at Home: This pasta feels like something you’f order at your fav Italian restaurant, but it comes together perfectly at home.
• Just a Few Ingredients: This recipe uses mostly pantry staples so you won’t have to add much to your grocery list.
• Customizable Spice: Use more or less chili oil depending on your heat preference—or skip the homemade version and use your favourite store-bought jar in a pinch (I won’t tell my Aunt Lily).
• Quick & Easy: From start to finish, this recipe takes under 30 minutes. It’s weeknight-friendly, but still delivers big flavour and an impressive finish.
• Dinner Party-Friendly: Just scale the recipe up to serve more guests. As written it makes two generous bowls of pasta!

Ingredients for Chili Oil Penne alla Vodka:

Chili Oil: Instead of going in with dried red pepper flakes from a jar, we’re going to be using homemade chili oil as the spicy base of this recipe. Chili oil adds SO much depth to a basic vodka pasta. I always have a batch of my Aunt Lily’s Chili Oil in the fridge, and it’s truly the only chili oil recipe you’ll ever need. It’s super quick and easy to make, I’ll have the full ingredients + steps below!

Pasta: I went with classic penne for this recipe, but any short pasta shape will work here. Just pick something tube-shaped so that you get plenty of the sauce in every bite!

Onion: I used white onion to build flavour in the sauce, but yellow onion or a large shallot would also work well for a slightly milder taste.

Tomato Paste: This brings deep, concentrated tomato flavour. Cooking it down until it caramelizes a bit is key for a rich, restaurant-style sauce.

Vodka: Any unflavoured vodka works—I used a Texas-based brand called Dripping Springs. Want to keep it alcohol-free? You can skip it! Just be sure to cook in a non-stick pan since you won’t have the vodka to deglaze the tomato paste.

Heavy Cream: Gives the sauce that signature silky texture. Light cream works too, but full-fat cream gives the best richness and finish.

Pasta Water: Starchy pasta water is essential to the success of this recipe, don’t forget this step! Just before draining your pasta, scoop out about 1/2 cup of pasta water and set aside to use in the sauce. Wait until your pasta is just about done cooking to maximize the amount of starch in the water, as this will give you the creamiest, glossiest sauce.

Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated is best. I like using it as a finishing touch, but you can also stir some directly into the sauce if you want extra cheesiness.

How to Prep for this Recipe:

There’s really not much to prep at all, but once you start cooking it’ll move fast, so make sure you have all of your ingredients ready!

Gather your ingredients: Make sure you have everything on hand before starting, and you can even measure things out to make assembly super easy.

Make the Chili Oil: If you don’t already have a batch of chili oil on hand, it can be made ahead of time for convenience and then stored in the fridge. If you’re making it fresh for this dish, it’s best to make it before the pasta starts boiling so that you’re not juggling too many pans!

How to Make Chili Oil Penne alla Vodka:

Step One: Make the Chili Oil

Combine chili flakes, sesame seeds, garlic, ginger, sugar, salt, and a cinnamon stick in a heat-safe bowl. Heat the neutral oil in a small pan until hot (test by adding a small piece of garlic—if it sizzles, it’s ready). Carefully pour the hot oil over the chili mixture and stir. Set aside to infuse. Check out the original Aunt Lily’s Chili Oil blog post for more detailed steps.

Skip this step if you already have chili oil on hand!

Step Two:

Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt it generously, and cook your pasta until just al dente—it’ll finish cooking in the sauce. Before draining, reserve ½ cup of the starchy pasta water.

Step Three:

While the pasta cooks, sauté half an onion in a bit of olive oil until softened.

Step Four:

Stir in the tomato paste. Let it cook down for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it deepens in colour and looks a bit caramelized.

Step Five:

Pour in the vodka to deglaze the pan, letting it reduce for a minute or two to cook off the alcohol.

Step Six:

Add a drizzle (or more) of chili oil, depending on your spice preference, and stir to combine.

Step Seven:

Stir in the heavy cream and cook until lightly bubbling.

Step Eight:

Add the cooked pasta and reserved pasta water to the sauce. Stir everything together until glossy and fully coated.

Step Nine:

Serve it up with another drizzle of chili oil and some freshly grated parmesan!

Storing Chili Oil Penne alla Vodka:

• Transfer to an airtight container once it has cooled to room temperature.
• Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheat the pasta on the stove over low to medium heat, adding a splash of broth or cream to the sauce if needed. Remember to give it a taste and adjust seasoning as desired before serving.

Substitutions + Additions for Chili Oil Penne alla Vodka:

• Penne: I used penne in my recipe, but any short noodle will work well here, such as rigatoni, cavatelli, or shells.
• Protein: Try topping with grilled chicken, sautéed shrimp, or crispy bacon if you want to add some protein to the dish.
• Vodka: Out of vodka? You can skip it entirely or use a splash of white wine instead. 
• Heavy Cream: I like the indulgence of heavy cream in this recipe, but you can also grab light cream for a slightly lighter taste.
• Parmesan: I just used cheese as a garnish here, but you can also add some into the sauce after you add the pasta water for richer flavour.

If you try out this vodka pasta, tag me on social (@britacooks)! I’d love to see your take! xx