Description
Homemade red beet pasta sauce delivers rich Mediterranean flavors with minimal ingredients. Roasted beets blend seamlessly with garlic, olive oil, and herbs, creating a delightful sauce you will crave on pasta or as a versatile spread.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 medium beets, roasted and peeled
- 12 cup (120 milliliters) heavy cream or coconut milk
- 14 cup (30 grams) Parmesan cheese
Flavor Enhancers:
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 teaspoon salt
- 14 teaspoon black pepper
- 12 teaspoon lemon juice
Herbs and Optional Ingredients:
- 12 teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F (200C) and wrap whole beets in aluminum foil, ensuring they are completely sealed.
- Roast beets for 45-50 minutes until a knife easily pierces through the center, indicating tenderness.
- Remove beets from oven and let cool completely, approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Carefully peel the roasted beets, removing the outer skin using disposable gloves to prevent staining.
- Transfer peeled beets to a high-powered blender and add minced garlic, heavy cream, grated Parmesan, olive oil, salt, black pepper, fresh lemon juice, and chopped thyme leaves.
- Blend ingredients on high speed until a silky smooth consistency is achieved, approximately 1-2 minutes.
- If sauce appears too thick, gradually incorporate reserved pasta cooking water to achieve desired texture and creaminess.
- Pour sauce into a medium saucepan and warm over low heat, stirring intermittently to prevent scorching.
- When pasta is cooked, drain and immediately combine with the warm beet sauce, ensuring even coating.
- Plate the pasta and optionally garnish with additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese for enhanced flavor.
Notes
- Roasting beets intensifies their natural sweetness and concentrates flavor, creating a more robust sauce base.
- Use gloves when peeling roasted beets to prevent staining hands with vivid magenta color.
- For dairy-free version, substitute heavy cream with coconut milk or cashew cream to maintain creamy texture.
- Add toasted pine nuts or pumpkin seeds on top for extra crunch and nutritional boost.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
- Calories: 252 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 590 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg