Description
Create a romantic meal with our Colorful Valentine’s Day Pink Pasta recipe, featuring a vibrant, creamy beet sauce. This guide offers step-by-step instructions for the best flavor your loved ones will adore.
Ingredients
- 12 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, rotini)
- 1 cup cooked beets (raw, boiled, roasted, or pre-cooked), chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream (or full-fat canned coconut milk for dairy-free)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or 2 tbsp nutritional yeast for dairy-free)
- 1/4 cup reserved pasta water (plus more as needed)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley or chives, chopped, for garnish
- Optional: lemon juice, red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Prep Beets: If using raw beets, peel, dice, and boil or roast until tender. Blend cooked beets with a splash of liquid until very smooth. Set aside.
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 to 1.5 cups starchy pasta water before draining.
- Make Sauce: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Sauté minced garlic until fragrant (about 1 minute). Pour in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add Pink: Stir in the beet purée until combined and the sauce is a beautiful pink. Add Parmesan cheese, stirring until melted and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
- Combine: Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss to coat evenly. Gradually add reserved pasta water to achieve desired sauce consistency.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley or chives, additional Parmesan, and serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins