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Spaghetti with Pink Pasta Sauce (Beet Pesto Pasta)

This Spaghetti with Pink Pasta Sauce is unlike any other. It incorporates a vibrant and flavorful beet pesto to get its signature bold color. The pink spaghetti is stunning by itself, but I like to top it with a mountain of finely shredded parmesan cheese and chives. It’s so delicious and a fun way to incorporate more veg into your dinners. 

spaghetti with pink pasta sauce with parmesan gif

A Pink Pasta Sauce Unlike Any Other

It’s so funny how our tastebuds change as we get older. I couldn’t stand beets growing up. Maybe because my grandma always served the ones in a can that always tasted like dirt to me.

Fast forward to now, I’m trying to figure out how many ways I can flip all the amazing varieties of beets. One way that I love to use beets is in a pink spaghetti but probably not the way that you think. In this dish I roast fresh beets until fork tender and process them with traditional pesto ingredients to make the most amazing Fuschia-colored pesto sauce.

Word of caution when making this, don’t wear white if you want it to stay white. I had to learn that the hard way. LOL.

ingredients for spaghetti with pink pasta laid out on table: parmesan, basile, beets, spaghetti noodles, olive oil

Key Ingredients For Pink Pasta Sauce (aka Beet Pesto)

To bring this pink pasta sauce to life, you will need the following key ingredients:

  • Beets. These delicious veggies are packed with fiber and nutrients that offer a wide range of health benefits. They also give us that incredible pink color! Make sure to thoroughly wash and dry your beets before cooking them.
  • Fresh basil. This herb is a staple in any pesto recipe. Always, always use fresh basil when making pesto, rather than the dried kind.
  • Almonds. You can use pine nuts or walnuts if you’d like, but I personally prefer almonds. These add a delicious nutty flavor and a ton of heart-healthy fats.
  • Parmesan cheese. Another classic pesto staple, parmesan cheese, adds a ton of fantastic flavor to this dish. For a vegan beet pesto, feel free to swap this out for a plant-based alternative.
  • Olive oil. For the best results, make sure to use high-quality extra virgin olive oil.
  • Lemon juice. The acidity in fresh lemon juice really brightens up this dish and helps to enhance the rest of our amazing flavors.
  • Garlic. The fresher, the better! Garlic cloves add a ton of incredible flavor to our homemade pesto.

How to make Spaghetti with Pink Pasta Sauce?

Beet pesto gives this pink spaghetti its signature bold color. Not only is homemade Beet Pesto Pasta crazy delicious and beyond photo-worthy, but it’s also super easy to make! All you have to do is follow these simple steps:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Wrap each beet in foil and place them on a baking sheet—roast for 40 minutes, or until the roasted beets can be easily pierced with a knife.
  2. Remove beets from the foil and let them cool for 5 minutes. Once cooled, use a towel or spoon to peel away the skin. Then, chop the beets to medium size.
  3. To a food processor, add the cooked beets, garlic, almonds, parmesan, black pepper, and basil. Pulse 3 times, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil as you continue to pulse. Stop when you’ve reached your desired consistency.
  4. Pour beet pesto over cooked pasta and toss to combine. Garnish with parmesan and fresh basil; enjoy!
table setting with spaghetti with pink pasta sauce sprinkled with parmesan cheese

Ways to serve Beet Pesto Pasta:

This mouth-watering dish is as bold in flavor as it is in color. You can pair it with anything that you would normally pair your favorite pasta dishes with. Side salads, grilled meats, cooked veggies, and bread all work great.

If you want some inspiration, here are some of my favorite ways to serve Spaghetti with Pink Pasta Sauce:

Ready for dessert? After this savory dish, serve up something sweet like my No Churn Peach Frozen Yogurt or Pumpkin Spice Latte Pie.

pink spaghetti with parmesan cheese

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about this vibrant and healthy sauce recipe:

overhead of spaghetti with pink pasta sauce sprinkled with parmesan cheese

What is pink pasta sauce made of?

That depends on who you ask. Some people will say that pink sauce is a combination of mayonnaise and ketchup. Others will say it’s a creamy tomato sauce. In this case, pink sauce is a delicious homemade pesto made from beets, fresh basil, parmesan cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, and other classic pesto flavors.

Is this dish healthy?

Yes! Homemade beet pesto (pink pasta sauce) is made with nutrient-rich beets and packed with healthy fats, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. As long as you enjoy pasta in moderation (aka try to avoid eating 10 bowls a day), this dish is perfectly healthy.

hand shredding parmesan cheese on top of spaghetti with pink pasta sauce

What to serve with pink spaghetti?

Just like traditional pesto, you can serve beet pesto with a wide variety of foods. My go-to is typically serving it over a big bowl of pasta. Other great options include serving it drizzled over roasted veggies, as a salad dressing, as a dip for chips and raw veggies, and on a sandwich or wrap.

Now it’s your turn!

Beet pesto is a quick and easy way to add lots of flavor, color, and texture to any dish. This recipe for Spaghetti with Pink Pasta Sauce has all the classic flavors you’d expect from traditional basil pesto recipes with an added twist–beets! The beet pesto gives the pasta a beautiful pop of pink that will make your dinner table look so pretty.

If you enjoy the recipe, please share it with your friends and family. And don’t forget to give me some five-star love down below. And if you have any comments or questions, leave them below too, and I’ll be sure to get back to you as soon as possible.

pink spaghetti with parmesan cheese

Spaghetti with Pink Pasta Sauce (Beet Pesto)

This Spaghetti with Pink Pasta Sauce is a delicious and healthy twist on the classic basil pesto pasta dish. This easy recipe calls for beets, fresh basil leaves to make an unforgettable pesto sauce with parmesan cheese that will have you asking for more!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 528kcal
Author: Meiko Temple

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of red beets washed and cubed
  • 4 cloves garlic smashed
  • ¼ cup almonds
  • ½ cup shredded parmesan plus more for garnish
  • 10 fresh basil leaves plus more for garnish
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 lb. spaghetti cooked
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven, wrap each beet in foil and place on a baking sheet. Place in the oven and cook for 40 minutes or until beets can be easily pierced with a knife. Remove beets from foil and let cool for 5 minutes. Once cooled, use a towel or a spoon to peel away the skin. Chop beets to medium size.
  • In a food processor add the beets, garlic, walnuts, shredded parmesan, black pepper, and basil. Pulse 3 times. Cut the processor on high and slowly drizzle in olive oil. Pour beet pesto over cooked spaghetti, toss to combine.
  • Divide pasta amongst 6 plates, garnish with more parmesan and fresh torn pieces of basil.
Tried this recipe?Mention @MeikoAndTheDish or tag #MeikoAndTheDish

Notes

*Making the pesto while the beets are still warm helps to bring out the gorgeous pink color.

Nutrition

Calories: 528kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 539mg | Potassium: 313mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 115IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 134mg | Iron: 2mg

Equipment

Cutting Board
Chef’s Knife
Citrus Juicer
Aluminum Foil
Sheet Pan
Food processor – small – 3 cup

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

**The equipment section above contains affiliate links to products I use and love. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Welcome! I’m Meiko, a Dallas-based food blogger who loves to share life and culture through food. There are no strangers around these parts only good eats. Let’s get to know each other better!

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2 thoughts on “Spaghetti with Pink Pasta Sauce (Beet Pesto Pasta)”

  1. This is such a bright and pretty dish! My husband says he is anti-beets but we are going to try this :D.

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