Name: Roasted Beetroot Pasta Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 250 g raw macaroni (or another pasta, enough for 4, reserve at least 1/2 of water from boiling the pasta); 200 g beetroot (peeled weight); 1 red onion (peeled, cut into 6 wedges); 2 garlic cloves (whole, peeled); 2 tbsp fromage frais; 2 tbsp olive oil; Sea salt and pepper to taste; 3 tbsp parmesan cheese (finely grated, ensure it's vegetarian)

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Roasted beetroot pasta makes a deliciously simple vegetarian meal or side dish. It contains a handful of ingredients and is incredibly easy to put together. Your mac'n cheese never looked so good!

Today on the blog a dish that's not only quick to make it's full of colour and flavour - roasted beetroot pasta.

When it comes to quick and easy meals pasta is usually my first choice. It cooks in minutes and can be combined with a variety of ingredients, not necessarily including tomatoes. Or a heavy cheese sauce.

Beetroot can be prepared using different methods but for this pasta recipe I decided to roast it. To speed things up I peeled the beets and cut into wedges before popping in the oven. I wanted the beetroot to cook quickly and evenly.

To make things even simpler I roasted the beetroot along with garlic and red onion. After about 30 minutes in the oven the vegetables are pureed along with the fromage frais and some of the water from cooking the pasta into a rich and creamy sauce. Simply stir into your pasta and serve!

Equipment you'll need

Kitchen scale/measuring cup
Cutting board, knife and vegetable peeler
Oven tray and spatula
Pot for cooking the pasta
Blender and large spoon

How to make beetroot pasta: step-by-step

1.Preheat the oven to 200 C. Peel the beets and cut into wedges. Place in your tray along with the red onion and garlic cloves, season and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of oil.

Beet wedges and red onion wedges with 2 garlic cloves in tray.

2. Roast in the centre of the oven for 30 minutes or until the beetroot is tender. Halfway through stir the vegetables, remove the garlic from the oven and set aside (it needs less roasting time than the beets and onion). Boil the pasta according to packet instructions (reserve at least 1/2 cup of water from boiling the pasta).

Roasted beetroot and red onion wedges in tray with red spatula.

3. Combine the beets, onion, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the fromage frais and water from cooking the pasta (start with 1/3 cup and add more if needed later) and puree. Season to taste.

Beetroot puree in tall container with stick blender end inside.

4. Combine the cooked pasta with the beetroot sauce, add 3 tablespoons of finely grated parmesan, season to taste and stir thoroughly. Heat up and add a bit more water if needed and serve immediately.

Macaroni, beet sauce and grated cheese in pot with spoon.

Another easy roasted beetroot pasta recipe you might like is beetroot and feta pasta salad.

Top tips for making beet pasta recipe

The sauce: You could use (low fat) creme fraiche instead of the fromage frais if you prefer. Add the water gradually to get the consistency you want.
The pasta: Use any pasta shapes you like.
Best served immediately. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. You may have to add a splash of water (and adjust the seasoning) when reheating the pasta.
Freeze individual portions in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Alternatively freeze just the sauce.

What to serve with beetroot pasta

This healthy pasta dish makes a great vegetarian lunch. I like to serve it with a handful of peppery, slightly nutty tasting arugula (rocket leaves) with a drizzle of oil and seasoning but any simple salad would do. Grilled zucchini, cooked or steamed broccoli (or better yet, broccolini), asparagus or green beans are also good choices.

More vegetarian pasta recipe ideas

Check out also this collection of over 12 healthy vegetarian pasta meals.

Keep in touch

If you make this beetroot pasta recipe I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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