Beet Pesto Pasta

Name: Beet Pesto Pasta
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 serving(s)
Ingredients: 2 beets, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes; 1 zucchini squash, cut into ¼-inch x 2-inch spears; 1 summer squash, cut into ¼-inch x 2-inch spears; 2 large garlic cloves, minced; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes; ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 pound linguini; ½ cup pine nuts; ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese; ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil; ¼ cup fresh basil; 3 large garlic cloves; 2 tablespoons lemon juice

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Yes, beet pesto is totally a thing and it's not only gorgeous to look at, this recipe is totally delicious. You basically make pesto the way you normally would (basil, pine nuts, garlic, parmesan) then blitz it with roasted beets to toss with linguini. While the beets roast, add some summer squash to the pan for your vegetable side. The result is a vegetarian pasta main that is the most amazing fuschia color. If you twirl the strands just right into bundles, they look like pink flowers. This is one of those dishes you'd want to stare at all night long if you weren't dying to eat it.

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Servings: 4

Ready in: 1hr PT1H

Ingredients

2 beets, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
1 zucchini squash, cut into ¼-inch x 2-inch spears
1 summer squash, cut into ¼-inch x 2-inch spears
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound linguini
½ cup pine nuts
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup fresh basil
3 large garlic cloves
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Wrap beets in aluminum foil; set on prepared baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
While beets roast, toss zucchini, summer squash, garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper together in a large bowl to coated.
Spread the zucchini and summer squash mixture onto the baking sheet with the beets. Return the baking sheet to the oven and continue roasting until zucchini and summer squash are browned and the beets have softened, 25 to 30 minutes.
While the vegetables roast, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook linguine at a boil until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain and transfer to a large bowl.
Heat a skillet over medium-low; toast pine nuts in hot skillet, shaking frequently, until lightly browned and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
Blend roasted beets, toasted pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, basil, garlic, and lemon juice together in a food processor. Slowly stream extra-virgin olive oil into the mixture while continuing to blend until smooth; pour over the linguine and toss to coat. Serve dressed pasta alongside roasted squash.

Mealthy tip:

Gluten free? Serve the beet pesto over your favorite gluten-free pasta. You could also serve the beet pesto as a dip to have with crackers or toasted baguette slices. It's also terrific as a spread on sandwiches with chicken or grilled vegetables.

Tagged:

Dinner Fusion American Italian Zucchini Beets Summer Squash Pasta Linguine Squash Fall Noodles Vegetarian Vegan No Meat

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5.0out of 5 Stars

(5 Reviews)

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What others are saying

Melissa Hunter says:

Beet pesto pasta is my new favorite! I actually doubled this batch and used it on a vegan pizza. It was amazing

Alexis Pearson says:

To make this recipe vegan, I did nutritional yeast flakes instead of grated parmesan. Toasting the pine nuts also made a huge difference, I don't know why I had not tried that before!

ThisDude LovesFood says:

Who would of thought beet pesto pasta would turn out to be amazing! I just couldn't resist making the dish even though I'm not a fan of beets. Definitely would make more in the future. Also what caught my eye was color of the pasta, which was pretty cool.

Tarragon Boi says:

I HATE beets, so I was really wary when I tried this dish. The beets are really mild in the pesto though, so it didn't bother me at all. It came out so pretty that it's totally worth making, even for beet-haters like me.

Steve Failows says:

cheesy and garlic-y music to my ears! using the beets in the pesto was a fun way to spice up a classic and plate something that looks special. The zucchini squash side was also tasty, quick and easy.