You’ll be feeling “in the pink” when you enjoy this one. Beets aren’t shy when it comes to sharing their colorful vibes with whatever else is going on in a dish, and their soft, earthy sweetness pairs beautifully with the saltiness of cheese and crunch of toasted nuts.
Ingredients
- 1 lb spaghetti or other pasta of your choice
- 3 medium-large sized beets (about 1 ½ – 2 lbs), washed/peeled/quartered
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 3 oz goat cheese
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup toasted nuts, chopped – walnuts, hazelnuts
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan, Pecorino Romano or Asiago
- Pinch of smoked paprika
- Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°. Place beets in a baking dish and toss with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle on salt and pepper and cover with foil. Bake 25 minutes or until a knife inserted in a piece comes out easily. Remove from oven/baking dish and allow to cool.
- Cook pasta according to package directions in a pot of salted water. Drain pasta, reserving a little pasta water to use in loosening up the sauce as needed.
- Once beets are cooled, add to a blender with goat cheese, garlic, 1 Tbsp olive oil, pinches of salt and smoked paprika and 1-2 Tbsp pasta water. Blend until smooth.
- Toss pasta with the sauce, adding more pasta water as needed. Adjust salt/pepper to taste. Serve topped with shredded cheese and toasted nuts.