In a 6-8 quart soup pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the garlic for a few minutes, until it’s slightly browned.
Add the penne, vodka, tomatoes, 2 cups of water, and soy or oat milk to the pot, and turn the heat up to high. Bring to a boil, then simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until the pasta is tender, about 9-12 minutes. Add water, ¼ cup at a time, as needed. The amount of times you'll have to do this during the cooking process will vary, so have that water handy, and keep an eye on the pot! The resulting pasta should have a thick, clingy sauce.
Drizzle the remaining oil into the pot, add the parsley, and stir in the nutritional yeast. Season with the salt and hot sauce or lemon juice just before serving.
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Notes
It's crucial that you keep a close eye on the pot, stirring and adding water as needed. During the last few minutes, I'd recommend stirring almost constantly, since the less liquid in the pan, the more likely the pasta is to stick to the bottom. Both stirring and adding water, as needed, prevent the pasta from sticking together and from burning during cooking, so make sure you're checking in often!The variation in cooking times for the pasta depends on a few things. Older pasta will need more time (and water) to cook. If your kitchen is cold, that ups the cooking time, too, because it will take longer for the liquid to boil.Hot sauce or lemon juice might seem like a strange choice, but it's all about that acid. If you like spicy, go with a vinegar-based hot sauce, like Tabasco or my raw hot sauce. If heat isn't your thing, lemon juice will bring the acid without the spiciness.Leftovers will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Reheat in the microwave for a minute or two.