Valentine Pink Pasta Beet (Printable Version)

A creamy beet sauce coats tender pasta, accented with fresh basil and Parmesan for elegant dining.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz dried fettuccine or linguine

→ Beet Sauce

02 - 2 medium beets, peeled and diced
03 - 1 small onion, chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 tbsp olive oil
06 - ½ cup heavy cream
07 - ¼ cup cream cheese, softened
08 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
09 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
10 - ½ tsp salt
11 - ¼ tsp black pepper

→ Garnish

12 - Fresh basil leaves
13 - Extra Parmesan cheese

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the beets and cook until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the beets and set aside. Reserve the boiling water for the pasta.
02 - In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
03 - In a blender or food processor, combine cooked beets, sautéed onion and garlic, cream, cream cheese, Parmesan, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Blend until completely smooth.
04 - Cook the pasta in the reserved boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.
05 - Return the beet sauce to the skillet and heat gently over low heat. Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky sauce. Divide among plates, top with extra Parmesan and fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately.

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • The color alone makes it unforgettable—people literally gasp when you set it down
  • It tastes far more sophisticated than the simple ingredient list suggests
02 -
  • The sauce stains everything it touches—wear an apron and maybe avoid your favorite white shirt
  • Blending hot beet mixture can cause pressure buildup, so vent your blender carefully
03 -
  • Use a high-speed blender for the silkiest sauce texture—lumps will ruin the magic
  • Reserve more pasta water than you think you need—it is your insurance policy

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