Creamy Beet Pasta
Creamy Beet Pasta
This pasta dish not only has a strikingly gorgeous ruby color but it’s also deliciously rich, earthy and creamy. It’s made with roasted beets and a bit of unsweetened plant based yogurt. It’s easy to make and is served with chopped pistachios, vegan feta and fresh herbs for even more flavor and texture. If you happen to buy your beets with their greens still attached, make sure to save them. They’re delicious gently sautéd with garlic, oil, salt & pepper.
Serves 3-4
Ingredients
16oz (454g) Rigatoni Pasta or other short pasta
1/3 cup (113g) Unsweetened Plain Plant Based Yogurt (you can also use silken tofu or soaked cashews)
1/2-3/4 cup (118ml-177ml) Water
1 cup (236ml) reserved Pasta Water
3 small or 1 large (350g) Red Beet
1 small (175g) Onion, chopped
small head of Garlic
2 Tbsp (30ml) Avocado Oil or other neutral Oil
2 tsp (10ml) good Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Toppings
fresh Dill lightly chopped
fresh Mint leaves, torn
Chopped Pistachios
crumbled Vegan Feta
Directions
1.Peel the beets and cut them into roughly 1” pieces. Place onto a lined baking sheet along with the chopped onion. Drizzle with oil and season with salt & pepper.
2.Cut off the very top the garlic bulb to expose the inside of the cloves. Drizzle with oil and season with salt & pepper. Place the garlic either into a ceramic baker or wrap with aluminum foil. Place on the same baking sheet as the beets and onions. Bake at 425 for 35-40 minutes or until the beets are fork tender. Allow everything to cool.
3.Squeeze the garlic from the head and add it to a blender along with the roasted beets, onions, yogurt, olive oil, salt, pepper and about 1/2 cup water. Blend until creamy. Add the remaining water if needed to loosen.
4.Cook the pasta according to package directions. Make sure to reserve a cup of the pasta water.
5.Add the blended beet mixture to a large pot on low heat. Add 1/4 cup of the pasta water at a time to thin the sauce. Mix well and heat through. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and mix untill completely coated. Add more water if needed.
6.Serve immediately with chopped pistachios, crumbled vegan feta, torn mint and chopped dill.
