Creamy Beet Pasta Sauce with Feta and Walnuts
This vibrant creamy beet pasta sauce tastes as good as it looks! Made with fresh beets and cashew cream, this sauce is simple but extremely delicious! Perfect for a weeknight dinner or special occasions like Valentine’s Day.
Have you ever had pink pasta? This has become a viral trend because of it’s gorgeous, vibrant hue. This is one of my favorite pasta dishes not just because it’s a beautiful dish, but also has great nutritional benefit and flavor! This is an easy weeknight dinner that will surely impress.
Looking for more delicious pasta? My Japanese Miso Peanut Noodles have a heavenly savory peanut sauce on top of udon noodles! Or my vegan creamy sundried tomato pasta that is one of my personal faves!
This Beetroot Pasta is perfect for
- Romantic dinner with two
- Fun dinner for friends
- Valentine’s day
- A gorgeous springtime dinner
Ingredients
- Beetroot: The natural pink color in this sauce comes from the most beautiful pink/purple vegetable. You will need one large beet or two small cooked beets for this recipe. Beets are high in fiber and folate making them a great nutritious ingredient for this recipe. If you have extra beets, try out this delicious Kale beet smoothie or my Beet Salad with Feta
- Raw Cashews: Creamy, blended cashews give the sauce a smooth, dreamy texture and taste while also adding healthy fats. It’s amazing how a nut can be transformed into a creamy pasta sauce!
- Orange: Oranges and beets often taste good together because they have complementary flavors. Beets have a slightly sweet and earthy flavor, while oranges have a bright and citrusy flavor. The combination of the two creates a well-rounded and balanced taste.
- Onion: A small sauteed onion adds extra savory flavor to this sauce. It is blended with all the other ingredients in a blender.
- Fresh Garlic: Balances the orange and beet.
- Salt & Black Pepper: Compliments the citrus, sweet, and earthy flavors.
- Pasta: You can use your favorite pasta for this recipe: spaghetti, rotini, rigatoni, linguine or fusilli like I use in this recipe. Just cook to package directions. To make this gluten-free simply replace the regular wheat pasta with a gluten-free option such as Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta, Ancient Harvest Quinoa Pasta, Banza Chickpea Pasta, or DeBoles Rice Pasta.
- Vegan Feta: I love crumbled feta on top. My favorite is Violife or Follow Your Heart. Use whatever kind you like best.
- Walnuts: A nice crunch of top (with added omega benefits!)
FAQs
Equipment:
How to Cook Beets
There’s many different ways to cook beets including microwaving, roasting, boiling, and pressure cooking. The fastest in the microwave and the longest is boiling or roasting. Choose whichever method works best for you.
Microwave
- Pierce beet a few times with fork or knife.
- Place in microwave safe dish (glass, pyrex, or casserole dish).
- Add in 1 inch of water on the bottom.
- Cover bowl with damp paper towel.
- Microwave on high for about 7 minutes, turning beet halfway through. Insert fork to check doneness.
- Let cook for at least 4-5 minutes until fork tender. Beet will continue to cook as while its resting.
Instant Pot/Pressure Cook
- Rinse and scrub the beets to remove any dirt or debris. Trim off the tops and root ends, but leave the skin on.
- Place the beets in the Instant Pot and add 1 cup of water.
- Close the lid and set the valve to “sealing.” Select the “manual” or “pressure cook” setting and set the timer for 15 minutes for small to medium beets, or 20 minutes for large beets.
- When the cooking time is up, use the quick release function to release the pressure. Carefully open the lid and use tongs to remove the beets from the pot.
- Allow the beets to cool until they can be handled, then use a paring knife to slip the skin off. The skin should come off easily once the beets are cooked.
Boil
- Wash the beets thoroughly with water to remove any dirt or debris.
- Cut off the tops and tails of the beets, leaving about an inch of stem on each end.
- Place the beets in a large pot and add enough water to cover the beets by about an inch.
- Add a pinch of salt to the water, if desired.
- Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and let the beets simmer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until they are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Drain the beets in a colander or strainer and let them cool for a few minutes.
- When the beets are cool enough to handle, use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove them from the pot.
- Peel the beets by slipping the skin off with your fingers or using a paring knife.
How to Make This Beet Pasta Sauce
Follow these steps to make this easy recipe.
Soak your cashews in hot water for at least 10 minutes. This will help soften them to make an even creamier sauce. If you are using a food processor you may want to soak for 30 minutes.
Cook your pasta to package instructions. Begin to sauté your onion in a pan for a little water. Cook for 2-3 minutes just until onions are soft.
In a high speed blender add cashews with water.
Blend on high for 1 minute until creamy, smooth, and not grainey.
Zest orange and squeeze juice.
Add your orange zest, juice, cooked beet, garlic, salt, sautéed onions, and pasta water to blender. Blend for 1- 2 minutes until smooth and it has a creamy consistency. If you are using a food processor this may take a little longer. Make sure to scrape down edges.
Pour creamy beet sauce over cooked pasta and gently stir until combined.
Serve in a shallow bowl or serving dish. Sprinkle with fresh chopped dill, chopped walnuts, and vegan feta.
How to Serve Beet Pasta Sauce
Garnishes
- Vegan feta: I love Violife or Follow Your Heart
- Chopped Walnuts
- Chopped Fresh Dill
- Vegan parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
- Freshly ground black pepper
You could also serve this with a side salad for added greens.
Other additions to this beet pasta:
- Spinach
- Diced peppers
- Pine nuts
- Vegan chicken or plant-based meat
Storage
Store the beet pasta in the fridge in airtight container for up 4 days.
I do not recommend freezing this recipe.
PRO TIPS
- To make this beet pasta sauce super quick, pre-cook your beets. Microwaving is the fastest! (See above tips on microwaving your beet). Also soak your cashews beforehand. This will help you whip up this recipe in less than 20 minutes!
- Do not use a pre-packaged beet. Your sauce will be a grey pink color and not vibrant like in this recipe.
- If you don’t have orange you can use lemon but I love the combination of citrusy orange and beets.
- Swap out cashews with silken tofu, coconut milk or a white beans (cannellini or great northern) for a creamy flavor without nuts. You can also add a splash of unsweetened almond milk.
- Try out other nuts on top: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and more!
Pasta lovers need to try out:
Want another vibrant pink recipe? Check out this Šaltibarščiai, a Lithuanian pink soup that is gorgeous and tastes delicious!!
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Creamy Beet Pasta Sauce
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Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked in hot water for at least 10 minutes
- 8 oz pasta of choice I used fusilli, can sub for gluten-free pasta
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 small onion diced
- 1-2 tbsp water
- 1 large cooked beet or 2 small beets, peeled *
- 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1/2 tsp orange zest
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup pasta water
Optional Toppings
- 1/4 cup chopped dill
- 1/3 cup crumbled vegan feta I used Violife
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- If you haven't yet soaked your cashews, start by soaking them in hot water for at least 10 minutes.1 cup raw cashews
- Cook your pasta to package instructions and save 1/4 cup pasta water.8 oz pasta of choice
- Sauté your diced onion with some water in a small saucepan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until onion is soft.1 small onion, 1-2 tbsp water
- Create your cashew cream. In a high speed blender combine cashews with water. Blend for around 1 minute until smooth and not grainy. If you are using a food processor you may have to scrape down the edges intermittently and blend longer.1/2 cup water
- To your cashew cream, add your cooked beet, cooked onion, orange juice, orange zest, salt, minced garlic, and pasta water. Blend for 1 minute until smooth.1 large cooked beet, 2 tbsp fresh orange juice, 1/2 tsp orange zest, 2 cloves garlic, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/4 cup pasta water
- Pour pink sauce over pasta and gently combine.
- Serve immediately and top with vegan feta, fresh dill, and/or walnuts. You can also sprinkle on some vegan parmesan, nutritional yeast, or freshly ground black pepper.1/4 cup chopped dill, 1/3 cup crumbled vegan feta, 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
I love this! Pink pasta is such a show stopper 🖤🖤🖤
Thanks Courtney! I love the vibrant color too!
Really creamy sauce. Loved this pasta dish.