Creamy Beet Pasta
User Reviews
5
-
Prep Time
15 mins
-
Cook Time
1 hr 10 mins
-
Total Time
1 hr 25 mins
-
Servings
4
-
Calories
340 kcal
-
Course
Main Course, Dinner
-
Cuisine
American
Creamy Beet Pasta
Description
Creamy Beet Pasta begins with roasting whole small beets (or halved large ones) tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper until tender. After cooling and peeling, the beets are chopped and blended with sautéed onion and garlic, chicken or vegetable broth, creating a smooth puree. This puree is gently heated with heavy cream, fresh or dried thyme, and a pinch of cayenne pepper, then simmered until slightly thickened to develop a velvety sauce.
Parmesan cheese is stirred in last to add umami and richness. The sauce is combined with al dente fettuccine pasta, with reserved pasta water used to adjust consistency if needed, resulting in a creamy coating that clings to the noodles. The roasted beets give the dish an earthy sweetness balanced by herbs and a hint of spice from cayenne.
This pasta is suitable as a colorful main course, with the beet sauce offering both unique flavor and vibrant color. It pairs well with simple sides or a green salad.
Using pre-cooked beets can save preparation time, but be sure to avoid pickled varieties to prevent unwanted acidity. Blending in a high-speed blender yields a smoother sauce texture than a food processor, avoiding any graininess.
Ingredients
- 4 small beet or 2 large
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
- ½ cup onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon butter salted
- ½ cup chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 prigs thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves, fresh
- pinch cayenne pepper
- ⅓ cup Parmesan Cheese shredded
- 12 ounces Fettuccine pasta plus 1 cup of the pasta water
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
- Pre-cooked beets from grocery stores are a convenient time saver; avoid pickled beets as their flavor is too sweet and acidic for this sauce.
- Using a blender for the beet puree results in a smoother sauce compared to a food processor, which may create a grainy texture.
- Adjust the amount of beets to cream ratio to vary the color intensity and earthy flavor: more beets give a deeper pink color and earthiness, while more cream mellows both color and flavor.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 340 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 340 | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 12g | 4% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 31g | 48% |
| Saturated Fat | 17g | 85% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 95mg | 32% |
| Sodium | 348mg | 15% |
| Potassium | 362mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 1077IU | 22% |
| Vitamin C | 9mg | 10% |
| Calcium | 163mg | 16% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
