Creamy Beet Pasta

This creamy beet pasta is a bit different than a traditional pasta recipe with a pretty pink color perfect for Valentine’s day!

The flavor of this pasta is similar to that of an alfredo sauce with both gorgeous color and lovely earthy flavor from the beets.

cooked pasta in a creamy Beet Pasta

What is Beet Pasta?

Fresh beets are always in season and we’ve taken these bright red jewels and blended them with cream for a velvety smooth sauce; perfect for mixing into pasta.

The flavor (and consistency) of this sauce are similar to a fettuccine alfredo with an earthy undertone and a pretty pink color.

It’s perfect as a meatless meal or great topped with chicken or shrimp!

Ingredients and Variations

Beets, broth, cream, cheese, and a handful of fresh seasonings are basically all it takes to make beet pasta, but you can choose any pasta style you like!

BEETS We roast fresh beets, this can be done a couple of days in advance.

PASTA Use any kind of pasta. I used fettuccine but farfalle, penne or any medium-sized or long pasta will work. Use what you have!

SAUCE Heavy cream and parmesan cheese (and garlic) make this dish rich and satisfying. Switch out the chicken broth for vegetable broth if you’d like.

Time Saving Tip

Many grocery stores carry cooked beets in the produce area (or sometimes near the pre-packaged salads). They work great in this recipe and save time as they’re already cooked.

Be sure you’re not using pickled beets in this recipe, the flavor is too sweet and acidic.

How to Make Beet Pasta

Roast beets in a tightly covered dish with 1 tablespoon of water until fork-tender. Set beets aside & let cool.
Cook onion & garlic in butter until tender. Once tender blend with beets & a bit of broth.

preparing beet pasta sauce

Place beet purée in a saucepan & whisk in cream. Simmer sauce until thickened and add parmesan cheese.
Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Toss pasta with cooked sauce. Season (per recipe below).

beet pasta sauce in a skillet

What Goes with Beet Pasta?

As an entrée serve beet pasta with a side of homemade garlic bread and some roasted parmesan asparagus. This dish can be topped with shrimp or grilled chicken.
As a side dish serve beet pasta with perfect ribeye steaks, or spatchcock turkey Try it alongside some country-style ribs with a fresh tossed salad.

Tips for the Best Beet Pasta

This is a great way to enjoy leftover beets.
Beets can be cooked any way you like (more on how to cook beets).
Most grocery stores sell pre-cooked beets in the produce section (don’t use pickled beets in this recipe).
We had the best results with the beets in a blender, the food processor didn’t make them as smooth and the sauce was a bit grainy.

Best Beet Recipes

Borscht Recipe – beet soup
Beet Salad – creamy, crunchy, & tangy
Easy Roasted Beets – so easy to make
Winter Salad – with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
Sauteed Beet Greens – with simple ingredients

Did your family love this Creamy Beet Pasta? Be sure to leave a comment and a rating below!

This elegant pasta dish is creamy, cheesy, and full of delicious beet flavor!

Course Dinner, Entree, Main Course, Pasta

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 340

Author Holly Nilsson

Ingredients

4 small beets or 2 large
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt & pepper
½ cup onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon salted butter
½ cup chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 ¼ cup heavy cream
2 sprigs fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
pinch cayenne pepper
⅓ cup parmesan cheese
12 ounces fettuccine noodles

Instructions

Cook Beets

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Rinse beets and trim the top and bottom. Cut in half if they're large. Toss with olive oil, salt & pepper.
Place beets in a baking dish with 1 tablespoon water. Cover tightly and roast 45-55 minutes or until beets are fork tender. Cool until you can handle the beets.
Using rubber gloves or paper towels, rub the skin off of the beets (gloves recommended). Chop into cubes and set aside.

Sauce

In a saucepan, cook onion and garlic in butter until tender.
Add cooked onion mixture, beets, (about 2 ½ cups of chopped beets) and broth to a blender. Process until very smooth, you should have about 1 ¼ cups of puree.
Add beet puree to a saucepan and slowly whisk in the heavy cream. Add thyme and cayenne pepper, bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Once thickened, turn heat off and stir in cheese.
Meanwhile, cook pasta al dente in salted water according to package directions. Drain well, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
Toss pasta with sauce, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time if needed.

Notes

Time Saver: Many grocery stores carry cooked beets in the produce area (or sometimes near the pre-packaged salads). They work great in this recipe and save time as they're already cooked. Be sure you're not using pickled beets in this recipe, the flavor is to sweet and acidic.

Smooth Sauce: We had the best results with the beets in a blender, the food processor didn't make them as smooth and the sauce was a bit grainy.

Larger beets will make the pasta more pink and earthy, less beets (and more cream) will mellow out the color and the flavor. This recipe can easily be adjusted to your liking.

Nutrition

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