Pink Pasta Beet Cream (Printable Version)

Silky beetroot cream coats tender pasta, enhanced by garlic and Parmesan for a flavorful dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz dried penne or rigatoni
02 - Salt, for boiling water

→ Beet Cream Sauce

03 - 2 medium cooked beets (about 8.8 oz), peeled and chopped
04 - 2 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
07 - ½ cup heavy cream
08 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
09 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
10 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
11 - ¼ tsp ground black pepper
12 - Salt, to taste

→ Garnish

13 - Fresh basil leaves
14 - Extra grated Parmesan

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne or rigatoni according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain pasta.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add finely chopped onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until translucent. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute.
03 - Add chopped cooked beets to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
04 - Transfer the beet mixture to a blender. Add heavy cream, unsalted butter, lemon juice, ground black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Blend until completely smooth.
05 - Return the beet cream sauce to the skillet over low heat. Stir in grated Parmesan until melted and smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed.
06 - Add the drained pasta to the sauce, tossing gently to coat. Incorporate reserved pasta water gradually until the sauce achieves a silky texture.
07 - Plate immediately, garnishing with fresh basil leaves and additional grated Parmesan cheese.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The sauce is naturally sweet from the beets, so you don't need much salt or heavy seasoning.
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect, making it perfect for weeknight dinners when you want something that feels special.
  • The color alone will make people think you spent hours in the kitchen when really it's just thirty minutes of actual work.
02 -
  • Don't skip blending the beets smooth—any tiny chunks will create an uneven, grainy sauce that won't cling to the pasta.
  • Add your pasta water gradually when tossing because you can always add more but you can't take it out; the sauce should move around the pasta, not pool at the bottom.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the Parmesan, because cooked beets vary in saltiness and some brands are earthier than others.
03 -
  • If your beets came vacuum-sealed, don't skip rinsing them—it removes the slightly funky storage liquid and brightens the flavor noticeably.
  • Make sure your blender is completely dry before adding the hot beet mixture, since moisture can splatter when you blend hot ingredients.
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