This pink pesto made with beets is the perfect Valentine's day dinner. Pour a glass of wine and make this pasta for a romantic evening or girl's night! It's super simple to make and tastes delicious.
Beets are a nutrient-dense vegetable that contain phytonutrients (giving the beet its pink color), nitrates (which are supportive to cardiovascular health), and fiber. I don't particularly enjoy the taste of beet on its own, but you can roast beet and add it to hummus, smoothies, and pasta sauce!
Enjoy xo
ingredients
1/4 cup roasted beet
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 lb uncooked linguine pasta to make 2 cups cooked (I used Rao's)
1 oz fresh basil
1/2 cup almonds
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
juice of lemon
recipe (makes 4 servings)
preheat oven to 375F
wash beet and pat dry, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and rub it around the beet to coat the outside
wrap the beet in foil and place the beet in the oven to roast for about 1 hour
while the beet roasts cook the pasta according to package instructions
take the beet out of the oven and set aside to cool for ~5 mins
unwrap the foil and remove the skin from the beet (it should be nice and soft and peel off easily after roasting)
cut the beet into a few smaller pieces and add 1/4 cup of roasted beets to a blender along with olive oil, basil, almonds, parmesan cheese, nutritional yeast, garlic, salt and pepper, and lemon juice
blend until smooth and creamy and then add 1/2 cup water (or the amount of water to achieve desired consistency is achieved)
drizzle pink pesto over cooked pasta and mix to coat the pasta
plate with a sprinkle of parmesan and a fresh basil leaf, and enjoy!
prep time: 1 hour 10 mins
nutrition per serving: 496 calories, 12 g protein, 26g carbohydrate, 38g fat, 5g fiber, 460 mg sodium.