Vegan Beans Alla Vodka

You’ve probably heard of penne alla vodka, the hugely popular pasta dish that uses vodka to enhance its flavor. This dish is easily made plant-based and can be given an extra protein boost by using butter beans instead of pasta.

Read more: 17 Protein-Packed Vegan Bean Recipes

This Romy London recipe does just that. It’s perfect served with crusty sourdough bread or roasted vegetables, along with a good helping of vegan parmesan.

Penne alla vodka (or beans alla vodka) is a dish made with a creamy tomato-based vodka sauce. The sauce typically includes ingredients such as tomatoes, heavy cream, vodka, garlic, onions, and seasonings like chili flakes and basil. Romy London’s version uses vegan cream and butter to make it entirely dairy-free.

The dish is believed to have originated in Italy or possibly Italian-American cuisine during the mid-20th century. If the idea of adding vodka to sauce sounds disgusting, there’s no need to worry. You can’t actually taste the spirit, it’s just used to enhance the flavor and emulsify the sauce, creating a smooth consistency.

Read more: Butter Beans Are Having A Moment – Here Are 8 Recipes To Try

Vegan beans alla vodka

This recipe is a vegan version of the popular dish "penne alla vodka" with a twist, as we've swapped pasta for butter beans! It features a creamy tomato sauce rich in flavor and with a hint of heat, and is topped with vegan parmesan for added flavor. Perfect for serving alongside roasted sourdough or roasted vegetables.

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Cook Time20 minutes mins

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Servings2 people

Ingredients

• 40 g vegan butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 100 ml vodka
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 100 ml tomato passata
• 250 ml vegan double cream or coconut cream
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 1/4 tsp chili flakes (optional)
• 1 tin butter beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast

Instructions

• Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat, then add the olive oil and red onion. C ook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the onions are softened, then add the garlic. After a minute pour in the vodka. Bring to a summer and cook for a few minutes until the liquid has reduced.
• Stir in the tomato puree and passata and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Stir through the vegan cream and butter beans, and once heated all the way through, season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes.
• Remove from the heat and serve with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast.
• The beans are fantastic on their own, or you can serve them alongside freshly toasted bread, or roasted vegetables.

This recipe was republished with permission from Romy London.

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