Save to Pinterest The first time I made beet pasta, I wasn't even planning to. I'd bought beets at the farmers market because they were impossibly vibrant, and they sat in my fridge for three days while I tried to figure out what to do with them. Then one evening, stirring cream into a pan, it hit me—what if I blended them into the sauce itself? Twenty minutes later, I had this stunning pink pasta that looked like something from a magazine, except I'd made it by accident in my own kitchen.
I made this for my partner's parents on a Friday night, and I'll never forget the moment his mom took her first bite and her eyes got huge. She asked if there was beet in it, and when I nodded, she said she'd never thought to use beets this way. That one dinner turned this recipe into something I make regularly now, mostly because I love seeing that same surprised reaction on people's faces.
Ingredients
- Dried pasta (penne or rigatoni): 400g of any sturdy shape works, though tube pasta catches the sauce beautifully and holds onto every bit of creaminess.
- Cooked beets: 2 medium beets—vacuum-sealed ones from the grocery store are actually perfect here and save you the mess of roasting.
- Olive oil: 2 tablespoons, use something you actually like the taste of since it's a core flavor.
- Onion: 1 small one, finely chopped, sweetens as it cooks and becomes almost jammy in the sauce.
- Garlic cloves: 2 minced ones add depth without overpowering the delicate beet flavor.
- Heavy cream: 120ml gives you that luxurious silk without making it heavy.
- Unsalted butter: 2 tablespoons enriches the sauce and rounds out the flavors.
- Parmesan cheese: 60g grated, plus more for serving—this is what ties everything together.
- Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon cuts through the richness and brightens the earthiness of the beets.
- Black pepper and salt: Season carefully at the end since beets can be unexpectedly salty.
Instructions
- Get Your Pasta Water Ready:
- Salt your water generously—it should taste like the sea. The pasta water is your secret weapon later, so reserve about half a cup before draining.
- Build the Beet Base:
- Heat olive oil in a skillet and let your onions turn soft and golden, maybe three or four minutes. Add garlic and listen for it to smell incredible—that's your cue it's done.
- Toast the Beets:
- Add your chopped beets to the pan and let them warm through for just a couple of minutes. You're not cooking them further; you're getting them ready to blend.
- Create the Sauce:
- Transfer everything to a blender with the cream, butter, lemon juice, pepper, and a pinch of salt. Blend until the texture is completely silky and no beet chunks remain.
- Finish the Sauce:
- Pour the bright pink mixture back into your skillet over low heat and stir in the Parmesan until it melts smoothly into the sauce. Taste it here and adjust seasoning—this is your moment to make it perfect.
- Bring It Together:
- Toss your drained pasta into the sauce, adding splashes of reserved pasta water until the consistency is creamy but not thick. It should coat every piece of pasta.
- Serve with Joy:
- Plate immediately while everything is hot, then shower it with fresh basil leaves and more Parmesan. The contrast of the green basil against that pink sauce never gets old.
Save to Pinterest What I love most about this dish is how it proves that great cooking doesn't require exotic ingredients or complicated techniques. A handful of things you probably already have, a blender, and fifteen minutes of attention creates something that feels entirely new and exciting on the plate.
Why Beet Sauce Works So Well
Beets are one of those vegetables that sound like they shouldn't work in cream sauces, but they absolutely do. Their natural sweetness plays against the richness of cream and butter without making the sauce taste sugary. The earthiness stays in the background, supporting everything else rather than dominating it. When you blend them, they create this velvety texture that feels luxurious without any actual cream of mushroom soup vibes.
Making It Your Own
This recipe is flexible in ways that make it fun to play with. I've made it with walnuts stirred in for crunch, with fresh dill instead of basil when I'm feeling Scandinavian, and once even with a splash of balsamic vinegar added to the blender. The structure stays the same, but you can adapt it based on what's sitting in your pantry or what mood you're in.
- If you want vegan, swap cream for oat cream, butter for olive oil, and Parmesan for nutritional yeast without changing anything else.
- Fresh lemon zest stirred in at the very end adds a brightness that makes people ask what the secret ingredient is.
- This pairs beautifully with a crisp white wine, but honestly it's delicious on its own with just a simple green salad alongside.
The Magic of Pasta Water
One small thing that changed how I make pasta sauces entirely is taking pasta water seriously. That starchy water is what allows the sauce to really embrace the pasta, creating one unified dish instead of noodles swimming in sauce. It's the difference between a good meal and a restaurant-quality one, and it costs you nothing except remembering to scoop it out before draining.
Save to Pinterest This pink pasta somehow feels both elegant and comforting at the same time, which is probably why I keep making it. It's the kind of dish that makes a regular Tuesday night feel like something worth celebrating.
Common Recipe Questions
- → How do I achieve the vibrant pink color in the sauce?
Using cooked beets blended with cream creates a naturally bright pink hue without artificial coloring.
- → Can I use a different pasta shape for this dish?
Penne or rigatoni work well, but feel free to use any pasta that holds sauce effectively.
- → What is the best way to adjust the sauce consistency?
Reserve pasta water while cooking and add gradually to the sauce to reach the desired silky texture.
- → How can I make a dairy-free version?
Substitute heavy cream with plant-based alternatives, use vegan butter, and replace Parmesan with nutritional yeast.
- → What are good wine pairings for this dish?
Crisp white wines like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio complement the earthy beet and creamy sauce nicely.