Pink Pasta with Beet Cream (Printable Version)

Vibrant penne in silky beetroot cream sauce with garlic and Parmesan. A stunning vegetarian main dish that's both elegant and easy.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

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

→ Beet Cream Sauce

03 - 2 medium cooked beets (about 9 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, for serving
14 - Extra grated Parmesan

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
03 - Add chopped beets to skillet and cook 2 minutes, stirring. Remove from heat.
04 - Transfer beet mixture to blender. Add heavy cream, butter, lemon juice, black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Blend until completely smooth.
05 - Pour beet cream back into skillet over low heat. Stir in grated Parmesan until melted and smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
06 - Add drained pasta to sauce, tossing to coat. Add reserved pasta water as needed until sauce reaches silky consistency. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil and extra Parmesan.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The color alone will make you feel like youre serving a gourmet restaurant dish, but its actually quite simple to pull together on a weeknight.
  • It transforms humble beets into something so luscious and velvety that even vegetable skeptics clean their plates.
02 -
  • Dont skip reserving some pasta water before draining, as I once did, or youll miss out on the magical starchy liquid that helps the sauce cling perfectly to every bite.
  • The sauce may look thin when first blended but thickens considerably once you add the cheese and as it cools slightly, so err on the side of keeping it loose.
03 -
  • Pre-roast your beets on the weekend when you have time, then store them in the refrigerator to make this weeknight-friendly without the long roasting time.
  • For the silkiest possible sauce, use a high-powered blender and let it run for at least 60 seconds to break down every last fibrous bit of beetroot.
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