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

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

preparing beet pasta sauce

  1. Place beet purée in a saucepan & whisk in cream. Simmer sauce until thickened and add parmesan cheese.
  2. 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?

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

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

cooked pasta in a creamy Beet Pasta
5 from 4 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
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Creamy Beet Pasta

This elegant pasta dish is creamy, cheesy, and full of delicious beet flavor!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 4

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
  • 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.
5 from 4 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 340 | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 348mg | Potassium: 362mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1077IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Dinner, Entree, Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine American

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About the author

Holly is a wine and cheese lover, recipe creator, shopping enthusiast and self appointed foodie. Her greatest passion is creating in the kitchen and making deliciously comforting recipes for the everyday home cook!
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