Creamy Beet Pasta
This is a beautiful pasta recipe. It’s satisfying, simple and full of flavor! So creamy it tastes a little bit decadent, but it’s actually loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It is also vegan and can be easily made gluten-free.
Ingredients
CREAMY BEET SAUCE:
- 2 medium beets
- ⅓ cup cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight*
- 1 medium garlic clove, peeled
- 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 Tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- ½ tsp cardamom
- ¼ - ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
PASTA:
- 4 servings of whole-grain or GF pasta - (12 ounces – 320 grams)**
- ½ cup cup cooked peas, I used frozen
- ¼ cup roasted walnuts, finely chopped - pine nuts are also delicious here
- Fresh dill, to serve
Instructions
SAUCE
- Preheat the oven to 375 °F / 190 °C.
- Wrap the beet in foil and cook for 40 – 50 minutes, until tender. You know it’s ready when you can insert a knife into the center without resistance. Let it cool slightly and peel. (You can steam the beet instead, it cooks faster, but roasting enriches the flavor and color).
- Chop the beet and place it in the blender.
- Drain and rinse the cashews. Add them to the blender with the rest of the sauce ingredients.
- Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
PASTA:
- Cook the pasta according to instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining it. This is a great trick; the starchy water will add a beautiful silkiness to the sauce.
- In a large pan, heat the sauce over medium heat. It shouldn’t take longer than a minute or two.
- Add cooked pasta and peas and stir. The sauce will get a bit thick, add some of that reserved cooking pasta water, 1 - 2 Tbsps at a time, until smooth and silky (you won’t need the whole cup, just a little bit).
- Serve immediately and top with toasted walnuts or pine nuts, and fresh dill.
- Enjoy this vibrant dish!
Notes
*Soaking nuts overnight makes them a whole lot healthier (you can read more about it here). But if you are hungry and want to make this tasty treat right now, soak the cashews in boiling water for 20 - 30 minutes. This will soften them quickly.
**I’m a farro pasta fan! Never heard of it? Give farro penne a try. Spelt pasta is also really good and quite similar in taste.