Description
This vibrant Beet Pasta dish combines roasted red beets, garlic, shallots, and tangy feta to create a creamy, colorful sauce that perfectly coats rigatoni pasta. Roasting the beets brings out their natural sweetness, which balances beautifully with lemon juice and fresh herbs. This recipe is a delightful, hearty vegetarian meal that’s perfect for any occasion and can be prepared in under an hour.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1 pound short-cut pasta, such as rigatoni
Roasted Beet Sauce
- 1 pound red beets (about 2 large beets)
- 1 shallot, or small onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 ounces feta (about 1 cup crumbled)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
To Serve
- Fresh herbs, finely chopped, for garnish
- Additional feta or parmesan cheese (optional)
- Lemon zest (optional)
- Parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Beets: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Wash the beets thoroughly to remove any dirt. Peel the beets using a kitchen peeler, trim the ends, and slice them into 1/4 to 1/2 inch wedges. Peel and halve the shallot lengthwise.
- Roast Vegetables: In a casserole dish or on a baking sheet, combine the sliced beets, shallot halves, and garlic cloves (with skins on). Drizzle with olive oil, season generously with salt and black pepper, and toss everything until well coated. Place the dish in the oven and roast for 40–45 minutes, or until the beets are tender and easily pierced with a fork.
- Cook Pasta: When there are about 10 minutes left on the beets, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente.
- Reserve Pasta Water: While the pasta is cooking, scoop out 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and set it aside for thinning the sauce.
- Prepare Sauce: After roasting, remove the casserole dish from the oven and let it cool slightly for a minute or two. Trim the shallot ends and press the garlic cloves out of their skins. In a high-speed blender, add the roasted beets, shallot, peeled garlic, crumbled feta, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Purée until smooth, adding more pasta water as needed to reach desired sauce consistency.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Drain the cooked pasta and return it to the pot. Pour the beet sauce over the pasta and gently toss or stir to coat each piece evenly with the sauce.
- Serve: Serve the pasta immediately. Garnish with additional feta or parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and fresh chopped parsley or herbs as desired. Store any leftovers in an airtight container; refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- To peel beets easily, you can also roast them whole, cool, and then rub off the skins before slicing.
- If you don’t have a high-speed blender, use a food processor or immersion blender for the sauce.
- Adjust the sauce thickness with reserved pasta water to your preference.
- This pasta pairs well with a crisp green salad for a complete meal.
- Use gluten-free pasta to make this dish gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
