Beet Pasta Sauce Recipe (Creamy + Delicious!)
This creamy Beet Pasta Sauce is as delicious as it is beautiful. The pretty pink hue is perfect for Valentine's Day, but also just a tasty way to use beets!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil plus more as needed
- ½ medium onion finely chopped
- ¾ lb pasta
- 1 kosher salt
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- ½ lb beets peeled and diced into 1" cubes
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more to serve
- Freshly ground black pepper for serving
Instructions
To Start:
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat.
- Prepare the sauce:
- In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion plus 1/2 tsp of salt. Sauté until the onions are translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in the broth.
- Add the beets plus 1/2 tsp more salt and the pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook for about 20-25 minutes or until the beets are tender when pierced with a fork.
Boil the Pasta:
- While the beets are simmering, cook the pasta in the boiling water according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Finish and combine:
- Once the beets are tender, use an immersion blender or transfer the mixture to a blender (carefully, as it will be hot) and puree until smooth.
- Return the pureed beet sauce to the pot over low heat. Stir in the heavy cream and grated parmesan. Cook for a few minutes until the sauce is heated through and well combined. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Toss the cooked pasta in the beet sauce until the pasta is evenly coated. Garnish with more parmesan cheese and black pepper.
Video
Notes
To use canned or pre-cooked beets:
I love to buy the cooked, peeled beets that come vacuum sealed near the boxes of salad greens in grocery stores. Here's how to adapt the recipe using cooked beets:
Start boiling the pasta right away because the sauce will be quick.
Skip the 20 minute beet-cooking in step 2
Add the beets right to the blender along with the broth and onion mixture.
Transfer sauce back to pan and continue with recipe as written.
Nutrition
Calories: 541kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 408mg | Potassium: 439mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 645IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 2mg