Pink Pasta with Beet Cream (Print Version)

Vibrant pasta with silky beetroot cream sauce, garlic, and Parmesan. A stunning vegetarian main dish ready in 40 minutes.

# 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 oz), peeled and chopped
04 - 2 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
08 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
10 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
11 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
12 - Salt, to taste

→ Garnish

13 - Fresh basil leaves, for serving
14 - Extra grated Parmesan

# How to Prepare:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain pasta.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
03 - Add chopped beets to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Remove from heat.
04 - Transfer beet mixture to a blender. Add heavy cream, butter, lemon juice, black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Blend until completely smooth.
05 - Pour the beet cream sauce back into the skillet over low heat. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
06 - Add drained pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat. Add reserved pasta water as needed until the sauce reaches a silky consistency.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil and extra Parmesan.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The color is so vivid it feels like eating art, and it tastes as good as it looks.
  • You get a creamy, indulgent sauce without any complicated techniques or fancy equipment.
  • It uses simple ingredients you probably already have, plus a couple of beets.
  • The earthy sweetness of the beets plays beautifully against the salty Parmesan and bright lemon.
02 -
  • Do not skip reserving the pasta water, it is the secret to getting the sauce to cling perfectly without being gloppy.
  • Make sure your blender is completely smooth, any beet chunks will ruin the silky texture you are going for.
  • Add the Parmesan off the heat or on very low heat so it melts gently and does not turn grainy or clumpy.
  • Taste the sauce before tossing in the pasta, it is much easier to adjust seasoning when the sauce is on its own.
03 -
  • Use pre-cooked or vacuum-packed beets to save time, just make sure they are not pickled or flavored.
  • Add a tiny pinch of sugar if your beets taste more earthy than sweet, it will balance the sauce beautifully.
  • Blend the sauce longer than you think you need to, a truly smooth texture makes all the difference.
  • Toss the pasta in the sauce over low heat for a minute or two so the flavors meld and the sauce thickens slightly.
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