Pasta is comfort food royalty, but it can still feel fresh, vibrant and surprisingly nourishing. This Beetroot and Feta Pasta does exactly that. Earthy cooked beetroot is blitzed into a beautiful beetroot sauce, folded through pasta and finished with salty feta and a buttery pecan drizzle for bold flavours and a gorgeous colour that turns a simple bowl of pasta into something a little bit special. It's quick, meatless, unapologetically pink and proof that beetroot pasta sauce deserves far more love than it gets.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- It's vegetarian, but deeply satisfying. The natural sweetness of beetroot, creamy feta cheese and crunchy pecans mean nothing feels "missing".
- Ready in under 20 minutes, it's ideal for busy weeknights or a low-effort but impressive lunch.
- Made with simple ingredients you can easily find at the grocery store.
- A brilliant way to use up cooked beetroot beyond beet salad and sides.
- This beetroot pasta recipe is great when you are bored of more traditional pasta in tomato sauce, like Pasta Napoletana or Spaghetti Arrabbiata.
- The colour alone makes it feel celebratory. This is pink pasta done properly.
Ingredients and Substitutes
Here's everything you'll need for this creamy beet pasta:
- Pasta. Use your favourite shape, but pasta with ridges or curls works best to hold the beet sauce. Cook it in well-salted water until al dente. Wholewheat pasta adds extra fibre and works beautifully with the earthy flavour. Or you can take it a step further and make your own pasta dough!
- Cooked beetroot. Vacuum-packed cooked beetroot is convenient and consistent, but roasted beets will give an even deeper flavour. Avoid pickled beetroot here.
- Olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil adds richness to the sauce and drizzle. Its fruity notes balance the beetroot's sweetness.
- Garlic cloves. Used sparingly in both the sauce and pecan drizzle to add depth without overpowering the beetroot.
- Spinach. Fresh baby spinach adds a peppery freshness. Rocket or watercress work well too.
- Feta cheese. Salty, crumbly feta is the perfect contrast. Soft goat's cheese also works, or a spoon of Greek yogurt for a milder finish.
- Pecans. Buttery and slightly sweet, they're hard to replace here. Walnuts come closest if needed.
Find ingredient quantities, detailed instructions and nutritional information in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step-By-Step Method
How To Cook Beetroot (If Using Raw Beets)
If you're starting with raw beetroot, boil, steam or roast until fork-tender. Roasting wrapped in foil intensifies flavour, while boiling is quicker. Once cool, peel with a sharp knife and dice.
Roast. Wrap individual beets in aluminium foil and roast them at 200°C for 45-60 minutes, depending on their size, until tender. Roasted beets have a more concentrated earthy flavour. em in recipes to give your dishes earthy flavour and vibrant color.
Boil them. Place them in a pan of water, bring it to boil and then reduce the heat. Simmer your beets until tender: around 30-40 minutes depending on their size, until fork tender.
Steam them in a vegetable steamer, or covered, over a pan of simmering water. It will take a little longer than boiling.
Make the Pecan Drizzle
1. Toast the pecans in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant.
2. Let them cool slightly, then grind with half a garlic clove, a pinch of salt and olive oil into a coarse drizzle using a pestle and mortar or food processor.
Make the Beetroot Pasta
1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water. Reserve a splash of pasta water before draining.
2. Blend the cooked beetroot, olive oil, garlic, a pinch of salt and a couple of tablespoons of water into a smooth paste. This is your pink pasta sauce.
3. Return the cooked pasta to the pot over low to medium heat, add the beet sauce and toss gently just until warmed through. Add reserved pasta water if needed to loosen.
4. Serve over fresh spinach, crumble feta on top and finish with the pecan drizzle and a little freshly ground black pepper.
Serve it with some crusty sourdough bread slices to mop up that beautiful beetroot sauce and pecan drizzle at the bottom of your bowl! It's delicious 🙂
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Recipe FAQs
If you want to add a little extra flavour to your beetroot and feta pasta, fresh herbs are the way to go! We highly recommend adding a small bunch of finely chopped parsley, dill or tarragon to this recipe!
We tested this recipe with noodle-type pasta (spaghetti, linguine etc.) and smaller, more intricately shaped pasta type, and we think that pasta with lots of nooks and crannies (like fusilli or conchiglie) work better, as these can take a lot more of that delicious beetroot sauce!
Yes. Store a batch of the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, or freeze in a small zip-lock freezer bag for 2-3 months.
Absolutely. It makes a lovely pasta salad with extra olive oil, lemon juice and fresh herbs (we like it with chopped dill, thyme or fresh mint).
What To Serve Beetroot Pasta With?
This beet pasta recipe stands on its own, but a slice of crusty sourdough to mop up that creamy beet sauce is never a bad idea. A simple green salad with red wine vinegar dressing or our Courgette Ribbon Salad keeps things light and balanced.
Have More Beetroot To Cook With?
We have you covered! Beetroot is endlessly versatile, from salads and sauces to baked dishes and soups. If this recipe wins you over, it's worth exploring more ways to lean into its natural sweetness and colour.
- Chinese-Spiced Beetroot & Sweet Potato Salad
- Beetroot and Goat's Cheese Pasta
- Pink Beet Crêpes with Cream Cheese & Basil Filling
Other Quick Vegetarian Pasta Recipes
- Creamy Boursin Pasta
- Roasted Fennel Spaghetti with Creamy Sauce
- Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino
- Green Spinach & Pea Pasta
Beetroot Pasta With Feta
Equipment
Ingredients
For the pasta
- 200 g (7 oz) pasta
- 150 g (5.29 oz) cooked beetroot
- 1 garlic clove
- 20 ml (1⅓ tablespoon) extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 tablespoon water to loosen the sauce
- a pinch of salt
- 60 g (2 cups) fresh spinach
- 80 g (3 oz) feta cheese
For the pecan drizzle
- 30 g (⅓ cup) pecan nuts
- ½ garlic clove
- 2-3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
- Cook the pasta following the instructions on the packet.
- In the meantime, make the pecan drizzle. In a small pan, toast the pecans, just until slightly browned and smell nutty. Tip them into a pestle and mortar to cool down slightly. Add half a clove of chopped-up garlic, a pinch of salt and 2-3 tablespoon of olive oil. Then grind everything into a coarse nutty drizzle.
- To make the beetroot sauce for pasta, place the beetroot, garlic, olive oil, 2 tablespoon of water and a pinch of salt into a food processor. Blitz it to a smooth paste.
- Drain the pasta and put it back into the pan it was cooking in. Pour in the beet sauce and stir on low heat just enough for the sauce to warm through (it will take less than a minute).
- Serve the beet pasta on a bed of fresh spinach (the heat of the pasta will gently wilt it). Crumble feta cheese on top and spoon the pecan drizzle all over.
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Nutrition
Sadie says
It felt like something I would order at a cute cafe. The beetroot sauce was smooth and tasty, and it coated the pasta really well.
Ieva Greber says
Thank you for a lovelly comment! 🙂
Nicole says
I love the combination of beets and feta in this dish. The flavors work so well together.
Ieva Greber says
Absolutely! Beets with feta (or goat cheese) is my favourite!
Cecilia says
First time making this beetroot pasta, and it was delicious! I love how the color came out, so bright and cheerful.
Liz says
I love beets and am always looking for new recipes! This was perfect for my lunch and so delicious! Next time, I'm make a double batch!
Ieva Greber says
Thank you! 🙂
jennifer says
You should have seen my kids' face when they saw the pink pasta! They were like wow! They loved it. Fun and tasty!
Ieva Greber says
Ahh, so fun! Glad they loved it 🙂