Fall in love with this visually alluring Blushing Beet Pesto Pasta. A delightful savory main course meal of al dente pasta with beets walnut pesto is not only heart healthy but uniquely yummy too !
This stunning gourmet recipe is perfect for dinner parties as well as weeknight family dinner. Pair it with simple green salad and glass of smooth red wine for a cozy comfort meal.
And if you plan to stay home for dinner date on those special occasions like Valentine's day, ( all things pink and fuchsia) this is your marquee recipe!
What makes this beet pesto pasta special and different ? Everything 🙂 ....
I am a big fan of all things Pesto.. I often have a jar of basil pesto in my refrigerator. From pasta to sandwiches and dips to stuffing, I use it pretty extensively.
I love tweaking and adjusting recipes to make things interesting. So I decided to use beets instead of basil in my pesto... and presto !! This stunner beauty happened.
During our Gastronomy food tour in Vegas, I had a beautiful beets dish. However, it was made with beet noodles and basil pesto.
It looked beautiful but beet noodles weren't that much appealing to my taste buds. They were tough and chewy. So even though, it looked fancy, I was underwhelmed.
So one fine evening while deciding what to make for dinner, I decided to switch things around. I thought to use regular pasta with pesto made with beets and voila! A beautiful meal with perfect al dente texture and delightful sauce was served.
If you are fan of beets, you will love this recipe. If you are on fence about trying the beets, you will love this dish too..
WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS OF BEETS PESTO PASTA
Pasta : I am using gluten free penne pasta. You can use any type of pasta.
Cooked beets : I prefer to use fresh cooked beets but you can also use frozen or canned if making it in jiffy. See the detailed instructions on how to cook beets few different ways.
Walnuts : Walnuts create the base of rich , creamy and earthy pesto sauce.
Italian Seasoning : We use Italian seasoning blend to perk up any meal. You can use fresh herbs if you have them easily available.
Olive Oil : a good quality extra virgin olive oil makes a world of difference in the taste.
Garlic : for that pungent sultry flavor. Fresh blended garlic and walnuts taste uniquely addictive.
Salt, pepper, lemon juice and chili flakes - usual suspects for flavor enhancing and brightening up freshness.
Garnishes : You can add parmesan cheese ( or nutritional yeast for vegan ), fresh herbs like parsley or basil for garnish. Make it Beet Pesto Pasta Primavera by adding sautéed veggies like zucchini and carrots to the recipe.
HOW TO MAKE BEET PESTO SAUCE
To make the beets pesto, simply blend in cooked beets, walnuts, garlic, and lemon juice into the food processor. Depending upon your texture preference, blend it smooth paste or leave it coarse.
Drizzle in olive oil while blending for ultra smooth and velvety creamy feel to the pesto. Adjust the salt and pepper and your beet pesto is ready. You can use it as a sauce for variety of toppings, It can be stored in air tight mason jar for few days in the refrigerator.
For this recipe, we use 2 cups of cooked beets. There are several ways to cook beets. I often cook them in electric pressure cooker like InstantPot.
If I am baking something in the oven, I often roast the beets along as well. I can always store and use it for later.
INSTANTPOT INSTRUCTIONS TO COOK PASTA
Spray the main steel insert lightly using cooking oil. Pour the pasta in the main steel insert. Add a teaspoon of oil and salt. Pour just enough water to cover the pasta. DO NOT SUBMERGE.
Close the lid. Place the knob in SEALING position. Press MANUAL or PRESURE COOK button. Choose half the time mentioned on the pasta box minus 1 minute. Usually it is 4-5 minutes.
When InstantPot beeps after it's done cooking, wait on keep warm timer for 4 minutes and release the leftover pressure by turning the valve to VENTING. Drain excess liquid (if any) in the sink and your cooked pasta is ready.
HOW TO COOK BEETS IN INSTANTPOT
Rinse and wash the beets clean. Cut the leafy green top if any.
Pour 1 cup cold water in the steel insert of the pressure cooker. Place a trivet or steamer basket in the main steel insert.
Place the beets on the trivet or steam basket. Close the lid , valve at SEALING. Press MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK at High Pressure for 20 minutes (firm and a little crunchy) - 28 minutes (soft with some chew)
Use QPR - Quick Release by turning the valve from SEALING to VENTING. Carefully open the lid. Allow beets to cool completely. Remove the peel ( which slides off easily ) before using.
These cooking times are for medium ( tennis ball ) sized beets. For smaller beets, choose 15 minute cooking time. For larger beets, cut them in quarters and choose same cooking time as medium size.
HOW TO ROAST BEETS IN THE OVEN
Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Wash and scrub the beet and pat it dry. Chop them into bite size cubes. Place the pieces on a large sheet of parchment paper and aluminum foil. Wrap the chopped beet in foil, making a foil packet.
Place the packet on a baking sheet.
Roast in the oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until beets are soft and juices are seeping out.
Allow beets to cool completely before using. Remove the peel ( which slides off easily ) before using.
Big flavors, incredible looks and heart healthy! What’s not to love? It’s one of those dishes that is just so good that you’ll find yourself craving it.
Your heart will “beet” for this rich and hearty Beet Pesto Pasta. This wholesome pasta is full of omega 3, antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. All good for brain health and cardiovascular function.
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📖 Recipe
Blushing Beet Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 oz. pasta I used gluten free penne variety
- 2 medium red beets steamed or roasted and peeled
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts or almonds or pine nuts
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
Optional Garnishes :
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese nutritional yeast if vegan ,
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup fresh chopped basil or parsley
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions.
- While the pasta is cooking, pulse the beets, walnuts, garlic, and lemon juice in food processor. Slowly drizzle in olive oil until fully blended. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Your beets pesto is ready.
- Add beets pesto to cooked pasta, and lightly mix.
- Garnish with parmesan cheese, chopped basil and red pepper flakes and serve. Bon Appetit!!
Notes
Spray the main steel insert lightly using cooking oil. Pour the pasta in the main steel insert. Add a teaspoon of oil and salt. Pour just enough water to cover the pasta. DO NOT SUBMERGE. Close the lid. Place the knob in SEALING position. Press MANUAL or PRESURE COOK button. Choose half the time mentioned on the pasta box minus 1 minute. Usually it is 4-5 minutes. When InstantPot beeps after it's done cooking, wait on keep warm timer for 4 minutes and release the leftover pressure by turning the valve to VENTING. Drain excess liquid (if any) in the sink and your cooked pasta is ready. INSTANTPOT INSTRUCTIONS TO STEAM BEETS Rinse and wash the beets clean. Cut the top of the green if any. Pour 1 cup cold water in the steel insert of the pressure cooker. Place a trivet or steamer basket in the main steel insert. Place the beets on the trivet or steam basket. Close the lid , valve at SEALING. Press MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK at High Pressure for 20 minutes (firm and a little crunchy) - 28 minutes (soft with some chew) Use QPR - Quick Release by turning the valve from SEALING to VENTING. Carefully open the lid. Allow beets to cool completely. Remove the peel ( which slides off easily ) before using. These cooking times are for medium ( tennis ball ) sized beets. For smaller beets, choose 15 minute. For larger beets, cut them in quarters and choose same cooking time as medium size. HOW TO ROAST BEETS IN THE OVEN Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Wash and scrub the beet and pat it dry. Peel and chop it into ½” cubes and place the pieces on a large sheet of foil. Wrap the chopped beet in foil, making a foil packet. Place the packet on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until beets are soft and juices are seeping out. Allow beets to cool completely before using. Remove the peel ( which slides off easily ) before using.
Nutrition
Our Favorite Pasta Recipes
- Creamy Mushroom Pasta
- Pasta Fresca - Noodles and Company copycat
- Penne Rosa - Pasta in creamy tomato sauce
- Penne Pesto Primavera
Scarlet | Family Focus Blog
I have never tried beet pesto pasta but it is such a pretty color. I think it is perfect for Valentine’s Day dinner!