Lightened-Up Penne a la Vodka

Level: Easy
Yield: 4 servings
Nutritional Analysis Per Serving Calories 560 calorie Total Fat 14 grams Saturated Fat 6 grams Cholesterol 30 milligrams Sodium 1010 milligrams Carbohydrates 79 grams Dietary Fiber 5 grams Protein 19 grams Sugar 4 grams
Total: 45 min
Prep: 10 min
Inactive: 10 min
Cook: 25 min

Craving creamy vodka pasta without the guilt? Swap heavy cream for 2% Greek yogurt in this lighter takesilky, satisfying, and ready to wow your taste buds!

Kosher salt
12 ounces whole-wheat penne
1/4 cup 2-percent Greek yogurt
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/3 cup vodka
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup loosely packed Italian flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

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Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the penne and cook until al dente according to the package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
In a measuring cup, whisk together the Greek yogurt and heavy cream; set aside.
While the pasta cooks, warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot with 1/2 teaspoon salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until it softens, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds more. Remove the pan from the heat and add the crushed tomatoes and vodka, then return to medium. Simmer, stirring frequently, until most of the alcohol has evaporated and the sauce thickens, about 7 minutes. Whisk in the yogurt-cream mixture and continue cooking until the sauce slightly thickens, about 3 minutes.
Add the drained pasta, Parmesan, parsley and another 1/2 teaspoon salt to the skillet and toss to coat evenly. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce if necessary.