Save The first time I made beet pasta, I stood in my kitchen with stained hands and a sort of awe at how something so ordinary could look so extraordinary. My friend Sarah had brought over this shocking pink dough from her Italian grandmother's recipe collection, and we spent the entire evening laughing at our temporary crime scene of a kitchen. The pasta cooked up tender and sweet, nothing like the earthy canned beets I'd grown up avoiding. That dinner changed everything I thought I knew about beets.
Last winter during that dinner party where everything went wrong, I somehow remembered I had beet puree in the freezer. The main dish burned, but this pasta saved the night. Everyone leaned over their bowls asking how on earth I'd achieved such vibrant color, and I felt like a kitchen magician who'd accidentally pulled off something brilliant. Sometimes the best menu items are the ones you improvise when all else fails.
Ingredients
- 1 medium beet: Roasting concentrates the natural sweetness and gives you that stunning puree
- 2 cups all-purpose flour: Dont be tempted to use whole wheat here or youll lose the tender texture
- 2 large eggs: Room temperature eggs incorporate better into the dough for easier kneading
- 1/4 cup beet puree: Any extra puree freezes beautifully for future batches or smoothies
Instructions
- Roast your beet to perfection:
- Wrap that scrubbed beet in foil with olive oil and salt, then let it roast at 400°F for about an hour until it yields easily to a fork.
- Create the vibrant puree:
- Peel the cooled beet and blend it silky smooth, measuring out exactly 1/4 cup for your dough while marveling at the color intensity.
- Build your well:
- Mound the flour on your counter and create a deep well in the center, cracking in those eggs and adding your salt and beet puree.
- Work the dough:
- Gradually incorporate flour from the edges with a fork until shaggy, then get your hands in there and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Let it rest:
- Wrap your gorgeous pink dough tightly and let it relax at room temperature for 30 minutes, which makes rolling much easier.
- Roll and cut:
- Divide into 4 pieces and roll each through your pasta machine or with a rolling pin until thin, then cut into your favorite noodle shape.
- Cook quickly:
- Drop those fresh noodles into salted boiling water for just 2 to 3 minutes until al dente, then drain immediately.
Save My aunt still talks about the Valentine's Day dinner where I served this with brown butter and sage. She kept taking pictures of her plate and sending them to everyone she knew, saying I'd outdone myself. Honestly, it was just a Tuesday night experiment, but sometimes those simple attempts become the memories people hold onto longest.
Making It Ahead
The beet puree keeps in the refrigerator for up to five days, so I often roast a few beets on Sunday and have enough for pasta throughout the week. The dough itself rests beautifully for several hours wrapped tightly, which means you can prepare it in the afternoon and simply roll and cook when guests arrive.
Sauce Pairings That Work
Keep your sauces simple because this pasta deserves to shine on its own merits. Brown butter with fresh sage creates those crispy brown bits everyone fights over, while a lemon cream sauce adds brightness without overwhelming the subtle beet sweetness. Sometimes I just toss it with excellent olive oil and lots of cracked pepper.
Getting The Most Vibrant Color
Your pasta might cook up slightly less vibrant than the raw dough appears, which is completely normal. The cooking process softens that intense magenta into a beautiful deep pink that photographs gorgeously on the plate. For an extra color boost, add a teaspoon of the beet puree to your sauce as well.
- Roll the dough slightly thinner than you think you need it
- Have your boiling water ready before you finish cutting the noodles
- Dont let the pasta sit in the colander or it will stick together
Save There's something genuinely joyful about cooking with ingredients that transform so dramatically from their original state. This beet pasta turns an ordinary weeknight into something worth celebrating, no special occasion required.
Recipe FAQs
- → What gives the pasta its magenta color?
The vibrant magenta hue comes entirely from roasted beet puree blended into the fresh dough. No artificial coloring or additives are needed—the natural pigments in beets create the stunning color while adding subtle earthy sweetness to the finished noodles.
- → Can I taste the beet flavor?
The beet flavor remains quite subtle in the finished pasta, providing gentle earthy undertones rather than overwhelming vegetable taste. The roasted puree primarily contributes color and moisture. For stronger beet presence, increase the puree quantity and adjust flour accordingly to maintain proper dough consistency.
- → How do I prevent the dough from being too sticky?
If your beet dough feels sticky, gradually incorporate additional all-purpose flour during kneading until achieving smooth, elastic texture. The vegetables add extra moisture compared to standard pasta dough, so some flour adjustment is normal. Letting the dough rest for 30 minutes wrapped in plastic also improves workability.
- → What sauces work best with beet pasta?
Simple preparations allow the vibrant color to shine—try brown butter and sage, light lemon cream, or garlic and olive oil. Fresh herbs like basil or parsley complement the earthy undertones. Grated Parmesan or pecorino adds savory depth without overpowering the delicate flavor profile.
- → Can I make this vegan?
Yes—substitute the two eggs with 1/4 cup water plus 1 tablespoon olive oil. This modification maintains dough structure while eliminating animal products. The resulting noodles may be slightly more delicate but still deliver beautiful color and texture. Adjust flour as needed to achieve proper consistency.
- → How long does the fresh pasta keep?
Cut noodles can be dried on a rack for several hours then stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days. For longer storage, freeze uncooked noodles in portioned bags for up to 1 month. Cook frozen pasta directly without thawing, adding 1-2 minutes to boiling time. The vibrant color may fade slightly with storage.