Hello, lovely readers! I have got the coolest recipe for y'all today. Do you see this HOT PINK pasta?! It's seriously my childhood dream come true {because it's two of my favorite things put together, of course}. To achieve this, I tossed some spaghetti with a super easy, delicious beet pesto, and topped the whole thing with some tasty goat cheese. This meal altogether takes less than 30 minutes, but it will totally impress the pants off of anybody! It would be a perfect dish for Valentine's Day if you're wanting to incorporate pink without food coloring or artificial ingredients, or just a fun weekday dinner for when you're in a hurry and want something yummy and unexpected!
The best part about this dish, besides the gorgeous color, is that it's super cheap and easy to make! For the pesto, you just need some canned beets, parmesan cheese, garlic, nuts {I used walnuts but pretty much anything will work}, and just a bit of olive oil. You throw everything in your food processor until smooth and creamy, then you can use it for pasta, top zoodles with it if you're on the low-carb train, or you could honestly even use it as a dip for raw veggies! The surprising thing is that even though the color is definitely unexpected, the flavor is actually not as strong than traditional basil pesto. Who knew, right? Beets are slightly earthy and sweet, so the sauce comes out as mild with a little tasty kick of garlic! Make this on Valentine's to impress your special someone, and while you're at it, be sure to whip up some of these Chocolate-Strawberry Cupcakes. The recipe is perfectly portioned to make just two cupcakes, and they're topped with chocolate-covered strawberries! Nobody could resist that. Or, make this dish for a fun girl's night in and surprise your friends! Whatever you do, just make this pasta. It's pretty much the best thing ever. Happy cooking!
- 1 can {about 14 oz} sliced canned beets
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup walnuts {other nuts work too, just not peanuts!}
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt, pepper, and crushed chili flakes to taste
- 1 lb spaghetti
- ¼ cup goat cheese
- First, bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook spaghetti according to package directions.
- While the pasta cooks, combine the beets {no liquid}, parmesan, nuts, garlic, olive oil, and seasonings to a food processor, and blend until smooth. Add in a little bit of the liquid from the beets or some additional olive oil if it's too thick or grainy.
- When the pasta is cooked, drain, keeping a little bit of the pasta water just in case, and transfer to a large bowl. Add in the pesto, and toss everything together until the sauce is evenly coating the pasta. If it's too thick, add a little bit of the reserved cooking water and toss some more.
- When ready to serve, divide into plates, top with goat cheese, and enjoy!
Megan - The Emotional Baker says
This is so genius! I seriously thought you made homemade pink pasta! Pesto is so versatile! I know I'll be trying this soon!
Jess @ Flying on Jess Fuel says
This is so pretty!! Hot pink pasta is where it's at!! This is a great way to trick kiddos into getting some superfood beets in! LOVE!
Trisha says
Oh, that sounds dleuciois!! I love basil pesto...I have never made my own, though...just picked it up at the store 🙂 I got tagged for that Alexa "train" thingy and saw your name on the list, so I thought I'd come visit, and I'm glad I did...lovely place you have here 🙂
Kat says
I made this with roasted garlic and more parmesan because I didn't have goat (next time!). The only thing I needed to add to the sauce was a big pinch of salt. Fabulous recipe, and so quick! Had to race to get the sauce done before the pasta was cooked. I tried with a sprinkle of dukkah on top too, went really well so I'll do that again. I'd happily eat this every week.