Want a unique sauce for pasta night? This Pink Sauce Pasta uses bright and subtly sweet beets and tangy goat cheese as a base to a one-of-a-kind, delicious, and vibrant homemade veggie-based pasta sauce.
I love using unexpected vegetables to whip up a unique sauce (my Sweet Potato Pasta Sauce is one of my all-time most popular recipes!), and this one is no exception.
Not only is this plant-forward pasta sauce hearty and delicious, but it’s easy to make. Plus, this whole meal comes together in about 30 minutes. Something I really appreciate as a busy mom who loves bold flavors.
In this recipe, you will learn how to prep garlic and shallots for roasting. You will also learn how to use broth to turn roasted veggies into a creamy sauce in a food processor or blender.
Pink Sauce Pasta Ingredient Highlights
This recipe works with any shape of pasta, long or short. In the dish pictured, I used Rigatoni.
This recipe calls for canned beets mostly because they are easier to find, available year-round, affordable, and easier to work with.
Canned beets are pre-peeled, cooked and sliced. They can be eaten just as they are, or easily roasted. They also boast the same flavor and nutrients as fresh beets.
If you want to use fresh beets in this recipe, you absolutely can! Just cut off their greens and ends, peel them, and slice them into chunks.
Beet and Goat Cheese Pink Sauce Pasta Tips and Tricks
How to Make Pink Sauce Pasta
Using fresh cloves of garlic goes a long way in this homemade pink pasta sauce recipe.
My go-to technique for easily peeling off the outer layer of garlic is by crushing it first. Just place your cloves on your cutting board and use the flat end of your knife to push down on the garlic, one at a time, until you hear them crunch.
This will crack open the outer layer, making it much easier for you to peel it off. Once peeled, you can keep the cloves whole to roast them.
Just like other onions, shallots have many layers, making them very easy to peel. Start by chopping both ends off of the shallots and slicing them in half lengthwise.
At this point, you should be able to easily peel off and discard the outer, paper-thin layer of the shallot. You can save the ends and peels to make your own veggie scrap broth or compost them!
Add the prepped shallots and garlic to a baking sheet with the drained and rinsed canned beets. For less clean up, you can opt to line your baking sheet pan with aluminum foil.
Then, drizzle the extra virgin olive oil and honey on top and sprinkle on the salt and pepper. Use clean hands or kitchen tongs to toss the beets, shallots, and garlic in the oil, salt, and pepper.
Then, spread the vegetables out in a single layer, ensuring that nothing is overlapping, and roast until tender.
While the veggies are roasting, follow the directions on the packaging to cool the pasta al dente. Over-cooked, mushy pasta will do this vibrant sauce a disservice!
Once the veggies are tender, carefully add them to a food processor or high-powered blender with the lemon juice and goat cheese.
Turn your food processor or blender on high and leave it to blend for about 3-5 minutes until the sauce is completely smooth and there are no solid chunks left.
You may need to use a spatula to scrape down any pieces of roasted vegetable or chunks of goat cheese that get stuck to the sides.
In this step, there is no such thing as too much blending, so just keep blending until your confident that it is completely smooth.
Continue to blend as you slowly add the milk, just until combined, careful not to over-blend at this stage. You should be left with a smooth and creamy, vibrant pink sauce.
Serving Your Pink Sauce Pasta
This Pink Sauce Pasta was designed to be filling and flavorful enough to eat on its own but is also a super versatile pasta dish that works well with a number of different proteins.
My favorite fish recipes to serve this Pink Sauce Pasta with are:
My favorite side dishes to serve up with this Pink Sauce Pasta are:
How I Store and Reheat Pink Sauce Pasta
This pink pasta will last in an airtight container when stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also safely freeze it for up to 4 months.
The easiest way to reheat this pasta sauce pasta is in a pot or saucepan over the stove on medium heat. Cover your pot and stir frequently until thoroughly heated. Asses the consistency—you may want to add a little extra milk to loosen it.
Otherwise, you can reheat leftover carrot pasta in the microwave or oven.
For the microwave method, add about 1/4 cup of extra milk on top. Then, cover and microwave on high for 3-5 minutes, stopping and stirring every couple of minutes, until heated all the way through.
In the oven, add the pasta and beet goat cheese sauce to a baking dish, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15-20 minutes until heated thoroughly.
Pink Sauce Pasta with Beets and Goat Cheese
SAVE RECIPE TO COLLECTION PIN PRINT RATEEquipment
- Food Processor * or *
Ingredients
- 16 ounces pasta (any shape works, I used Rigatoni)
- 15 ounces canned beetroot (original cut)
- 2 large shallots
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (2 tablespoons juice = ½ lemon)
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- ¼ cup milk (dairy or unsweetened nondairy)
- ½ ounce fresh basil (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F and bring 10 cups of water to a boil for your pasta.
- Prep your ingredients by draining and rinsing your canned beetroot, peeling the garlic and shallots. Slice your shallots in half lengthwise but keep your garlic cloves whole.15 ounces canned beetroot, 2 large shallots, 3 cloves garlic
- Add the prepped beets, garlic, and shallots to a large baking sheet and add the olive oil, salt and pepper. Use clean hands to toss, evenly coating the vegetables in the oil and seasoning.1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- Then, drizzle the honey on top. Roast the vegetables on the top rack for 15 minutes.1 tablespoon honey
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta al dente according to the directions on that package.16 ounces pasta
- Transfer the roasted vegetables to a high-powered blender or food processor with the lemon juice and goat cheese.2 tablespoons lemon juice, 4 ounces goat cheese
- Blend until smooth. With your blender or food processor still on, slowly add the milk, about 1 tablespoon at a time until the milk is integrated.¼ cup milk
- Pour sauce over your al dente pasta and stir to coat. Garnish with fresh basil and serve warm.½ ounce fresh basil
Pro Tips
- This recipe uses canned beets because they are easier to both find and work with. If you want to use fresh beets, you absolutely can! Just chop off the ends, peel them, and chop them into chunks.
- Consider saving your veggie peels and scraps to make your own vegetable broth.
Video
Support directly <b>HERE</b> or leave a rating and comment to help others find this recipe!
2 thoughts on “Pink Sauce Pasta with Beets and Goat Cheese”
This like looks another brilliant recipe – just before we try it, can you recommend a satisfactory to alternative to goat’s cheese?
(Review provided by a family/friend of marleysmenu.com)
Absolutely!! Both cream cheese and ricotta will work in place of goat cheese here, ricotta being the lightest and most mild! Cream cheese will give it a slight tang and be a little heavier.