Pink Pasta Beet Cream (Printable)

Creamy pasta coated in roasted beet sauce with garlic, shallot, Parmesan, and lemon zest for vibrant flavor.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 medium beets, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 2 cloves garlic, peeled
03 - 1 small shallot, peeled and quartered

→ Pasta

04 - 12 oz penne or rigatoni pasta

→ Dairy

05 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
06 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Seasonings

08 - 2 tbsp olive oil
09 - 1/2 tsp salt, plus additional for pasta water
10 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
11 - 1/2 tsp lemon zest
12 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
13 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F for roasting the vegetables.
02 - Place beet cubes, garlic, and shallot on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt. Toss thoroughly to coat all pieces evenly.
03 - Roast in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes, or until beets are fork-tender and easily pierced.
04 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water before draining. Set pasta aside.
05 - Combine roasted beets, garlic, shallot, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve silky consistency. Season with remaining salt and black pepper to taste.
06 - Return drained pasta to the pot. Pour beet cream sauce over pasta and toss gently to coat evenly. Warm over low heat for 1–2 minutes if needed before serving.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil leaves and additional Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The color alone makes it worth it, but the flavor is what keeps people coming back for seconds
  • Roasting the beets first transforms them into something deeply sweet and savory
  • It comes together faster than you would expect from something so impressive looking
02 -
  • Let the roasted vegetables cool slightly before blending, otherwise the heat can cause the cream to separate
  • Adding pasta water a tablespoon at a time gives you control over the sauce consistency
  • The sauce keeps thickening as it sits, so err on the slightly thinner side when blending
03 -
  • Wear gloves when peeling and chopping raw beets unless you want pink hands for days
  • A high speed blender gives the silkiest results, but a regular one works fine with a little more patience

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