Vegan Beetroot Pasta (Quick + Easy)

Name: Vegan Beetroot Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 200 grams of cooked beetroot; 40 grams of oat cream; 2 tablespoons of lemon juice; 1/3 teaspoon of rosemary (dried); 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon of salt (adjust to taste); 100 grams of edamame (frozen and shelled); 150 grams of fusilli pasta; 3 tablespoons of olive oil; 2 cloves of garlic (minced); 1/4 teaspoon of chili flakes; 1/4 cup of pasta water; Walnuts (chopped (to taste)); Parsley (chopped (to taste))

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Beetroot was never a staple ingredient in my diet, but I think this recipe may have completely changed my mind.

Here’s a beet pasta that’s not only delicious but also ridiculously easy to make!

Let’s get started. 🙂

📝 Ingredients I’ve used for this beet pasta

The ingredients I used for this beetroot pasta are the following:

Beetroot: to make the beetroot sauce, I used 200 grams of cooked beetroot. You can find pre-cooked beetroot at the supermarket, or you can cook fresh beetroot yourself.
Oat cream: I used oat-based cream to add some creaminess to the sauce, which is relatively easy to find. I bought mine at Lidl (a common supermarket here in Europe), and it’s quite affordable. I added about 40 grams of this cream to the recipe.
Lemon: to add a touch of acidity to the sauce, I used 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
Rosemary: rosemary makes the sauce special cuz it enhances the flavor and pairs perfectly with the earthiness of the beetroot. I added 1/3 teaspoon of rosemary. Be careful not to add too much, as it can become overpowering.
Black pepper: another ingredient that brings out the flavor of the sauce is ground black pepper, and just like the rosemary, we don’t want to overdo it. I used 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.
Salt: I used 1/2 teaspoon of salt in the sauce, which I found to be enough, but it should be adjusted to your taste.
Edamame: to add some protein to the meal, I used 100 grams of edamame, which fitted in perfectly. I boiled it for a few minutes and then seasoned it with a bit of salt.
Fusilli pasta: I went with 150 grams of fusilli pasta, but other varieties of pasta will also work well, such as rigatoni or even spaghetti.
Olive oil: I used 3 tablespoons of olive oil for the brief sauté.
Garlic: I minced 2 garlic cloves.
Chili flakes: I also added 1/4 teaspoon of chili flakes for a light spicy kick.
Pasta water: I reserved 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water, to add along with the beetroot sauce.
Walnuts: a handful of chopped walnuts for a harmonious flavor and a crunchy touch.
Parsley: chopped parsley, to taste, goes well with this dish and adds to its richness.

These may, at first glance, seem like a few too many ingredients, but you’ll see just how quick and easy this recipe is to make

👨🏻‍🍳 How to easily make this beet pasta

To make this beetroot pasta, I divided the recipe into four parts:

The Beetroot Sauce

Making this beetroot sauce involves adding the beetroot, oat cream, lemon juice, rosemary, black pepper, and salt into a tall container and blending with an immersion blender.

You may also use a food processor, but I find that a hand blender creates a creamier, more homogeneous sauce, as it better pulverizes the fine herbs.

Once everything was blended, I reserved the sauce for later.

Cook the Edamame

Enter edamame, our protein source.

In a pot of boiling water, I added the edamame and cooked it until it was tender. I used frozen edamame that had already been shelled. The cooking time can vary slightly between brands, so I tasted it until it was just right.

The edamame should be soft and pleasant to chew, soft, as if slightly buttery on the inside, but still firm when you bite into it.

Once cooked, I drained the edamame into a dish, seasoned it with a bit of fine salt, and set it aside for later.

Cook the Pasta

Next, I moved on to the pasta.

I filled a medium-sized pot with water and brought it to a boil. Once boiling, I added a good amount of salt to taste, then added the fusilli pasta.

I stirred the pasta carefully, covered the pot, and reduced the heat to medium to allow the pasta to cook more slowly while I prepped the garlic sauté.

It’s important to cook the pasta al dente, meaning it should be cooked but still firm when you bite into it. This way, it won’t fall apart when involved in the beet sauce and will preserve a delicious, balanced texture without becoming soggy.

On average, this type of pasta takes 7 to 10 minutes to cook al dente, but I would suggest tasting the pasta to check.

Combine Everything in the Pan

the pasta incorporated in the beet sauce

This part is also very simple.

In a large frying pan, I added the olive oil and heated it over medium heat.

Next, I added the chopped garlic followed by the chili flakes, and sautéed for about 2 minutes until the garlic softened and the aroma filled the air.

By this time, the olive oil darkened in color due to the chili flakes.

Then, I added the cooked pasta, tossed it in the garlic and chili oil, and added the pre-made beetroot sauce along with 1/4 cup of the pasta water. I mixed everything well until the pasta was fully coated with the sauce, then turned off the heat.

I served the pasta, and topped it with the edamame, chopped walnuts, and parsley to taste. If you’ve followed this recipe step by step… enjoy your meal!

💬 Questions people also ask

I can’t find oat cream, what should I use?

If you can’t find oat cream, you can substitute it with another plant-based cream, such as soy or almond.

Can I use raw beetroot instead of cooked beetroot?

Yes! But first, you need to boil the beet, peel it, and just then add it to the remaining ingredients to blend. If you’ve never cooked beetroot before, remember that it should be cooked with the skin on it to preserve its flavor and vibrant color. Once cooked, the skin softens, and you can easily remove it with your hands.

Can I use another protein source, instead of edamame?

Edamame pairs wonderfully with this recipe, but if you don’t have it on hand, other legumes like peas or white beans also work well.

Cooked white beans provide about 9g of protein per 100g, while peas offer around 5g of protein per 100g.

Can I make the beetroot sauce in advance?

Yes, you can prepare the sauce ahead of time and even make a larger batch to store in the fridge for later. When you’re ready to use it, just heat the sauce in a pan to thin it out, then toss it with the pasta.