Beet Pasta Sauce Recipe
This vibrant Beet Pasta Sauce is a creamy, colorful twist on traditional pasta toppings, blending roasted or steamed beets with ricotta and Parmesan cheeses. It offers a subtly sweet and earthy flavor, enhanced by sautéed garlic and onions, making it a delightful and nutritious sauce for any pasta dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ cup finely diced onion (from 1 small onion)
- 2 cups cooked beets (steamed or roasted)
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Pasta
- 1 pound pasta
Optional Toppings
- Lemon zest
- Cracked black pepper
- Additional Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta, then set the pasta aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the minced garlic and finely diced onion. Stir and cook for 6-8 minutes or until the mixture is fragrant and the onion is very soft.
- Warm Beets: Add the cooked beets to the skillet and stir to coat them in the oil and aromatics. Cook for another 2 minutes to warm the beets through.
- Blend Sauce: Transfer the onion and beet mixture to a blender along with the ricotta cheese and grated Parmesan cheese. Blend thoroughly until very smooth. Add some reserved pasta water a little at a time as needed to achieve a smooth, creamy consistency.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce: Add as much sauce as preferred to the cooked pasta. Toss to coat evenly and season to taste with salt and pepper. Save any leftover sauce for future use, refrigerating or freezing as desired.
- Serve: Plate the pasta and garnish with additional Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and cracked black pepper if desired, for extra brightness and flavor.
Notes
- The reserved pasta water helps adjust the sauce consistency without diluting the flavor.
- Using roasted beets will add a deeper, smokier flavor compared to steamed beets.
- This sauce can be prepared ahead and stored refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
- Try serving over any type of pasta like penne, spaghetti, or fettuccine.
- For a vegan version, substitute ricotta and Parmesan with plant-based alternatives.
Keywords: beet pasta sauce, creamy beet sauce, ricotta beet sauce, beet pasta recipe, vegetarian pasta sauce, Italian beet recipe
Find it online: https://platedandproud.com/beet-pasta-sauce-recipe/
