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Perfectly Pink Pasta

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4.1 from 51 reviews

This Perfectly Pink Pasta recipe features a creamy, vibrantly pink beet and cashew sauce that’s both dairy-free and full of flavor. Roasted beets combined with soaked cashews create a smooth, luscious sauce tinted naturally with beet’s deep red-pink hues. Enhanced with garlic, fresh lemon juice, white wine, and vegetable stock, this dish is a striking, healthy, and satisfying meal perfect for vegans and anyone looking for a colorful twist on pasta.

Ingredients

Scale

Sauce Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup heaping soaked raw cashews, drained and rinsed
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 small red beet, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
  • Salt, to taste
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup vegetable stock
  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Pasta

  • 1 box of your favorite pasta (preferably fettuccine)
  • 1/3 cup starchy pasta water (reserved from cooking the pasta)

Toppings

  • Vegan Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Soak or Boil Cashews: Soak raw cashews overnight in water to soften. If short on time, boil them for 10 minutes until tender, then drain and rinse.
  2. Roast the Beets: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Wrap the peeled and cubed beets in tinfoil, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Roast for 50-60 minutes until the beets are tender and easily pierced with a fork.
  3. Prepare the Pink Sauce: In a blender, combine the rinsed cashews, water, roasted beet cubes, garlic cloves, lemon juice, and salt. Begin by adding a few beet cubes to control the pink color intensity, then blend on high for about 2 minutes until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
  4. Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook your chosen pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/3 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining the pasta and set pasta aside.
  5. Simmer the Sauce: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the blended pink cream sauce. Bring it to a simmer, then add the dry white wine, starchy pasta water, and vegetable stock (vegetable bouillon). Lower the heat and gently simmer the sauce until warmed through, tasting and adjusting seasoning with additional salt if needed.
  6. Toss Pasta with Sauce: Add the cooked pasta into the skillet with the sauce and stir thoroughly until every strand is evenly coated with the vibrant, creamy pink sauce.
  7. Serve: Plate the pasta and garnish with vegan Parmesan cheese or fresh parsley as a bright, herbaceous alternative for added flavor.

Notes

  • Soaking cashews overnight yields a creamier sauce texture, but quick boiling works if short on time.
  • Adjust beet quantities in the sauce to achieve your preferred pink color intensity.
  • Reserve pasta water to help loosen and bind the sauce to the pasta perfectly.
  • Wine and lemon juice add acidity to balance the creaminess of the cashews.
  • This recipe is vegan and gluten-free if you use gluten-free pasta.
  • Vegan Parmesan can be store-bought or substituted with nutritional yeast or fresh herbs.

Find it online: https://yumfoodusa.com/perfectly-pink-pasta/