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Overhead image of pink sauce pasta with beets and goat cheese

Pink Sauce Pasta with Beets and Goat Cheese

Print Recipe
This Pink Pasta Sauce blends beets and goat cheese into a beautiful creamy sauce that boasts dramatic flavors with balanced sweetness and tang.
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Diet Vegetarian
Keyword 30 Minutes or Less, Beets, Goat Cheese Pasta, Meatless Pasta, Pasta, Pasta Night, Pasta Sauce, Pink Sauce Pasta, Roasted Vegetables
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

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
  • 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
    Canned beets, garlic, and shallots prepped for the oven
  • 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
    Adding Olive Oil to Beets Shallots and Garlic on a baking sheet
  • Then, drizzle the honey on top. Roast the vegetables on the top rack for 15 minutes.
    1 tablespoon honey
    Beets, garlic, and shallots on a baking sheet after roasting
  • Meanwhile, cook the pasta al dente according to the directions on that package.
    16 ounces pasta
    Cooking Rigatoni al dente
  • 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
    All ingredients for pink sauce in the food processor
  • 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
    Creamy pink sauce for pasta just blended still in the food processor
  • Pour sauce over your al dente pasta and stir to coat. Garnish with fresh basil and serve warm.
    ½ ounce fresh basil

Notes

  • 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
  • For more hearty vegetarian pasta recipes, check out this list of Meatless Pasta Meals.