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+ servings
a bowl of beet noodles with feta cheese and walnuts.

Cream Cheese Beet Pasta

This cream cheese beet pasta is as delicious as it is beautiful! The flavor of the beets combined with cream cheese provides a rich, creamy, and earthy flavor, while a bit of lemon zest adds just enough brightness to lighten the dish.
Prep 20 minutes
Cook 40 minutes
Total 1 hour
Fat 26
Carbs 94
Protein 20
Yield 4

Ingredients

  • 2 medium/large beets ends cut off and cut into fourths
  • 1 head garlic
  • ¼ large white onion
  • 1.5 tablespoons olive oil separated
  • 16 oz. spaghetti bucatini, or any longer noodle
  • 1 cup starchy pasta water
  • 4 oz. cream cheese
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt separated
  • ½ cup roasted and salted walnuts
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped mint
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400ºF and cut two pieces of tin foil for the beets, garlic, and onion.
  • Place the beets in a piece of tin foil and drizzle them with 2 teaspoons of olive oil, and season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Seal the tin foil tight so no heat can escape.
  • Next, place the garlic and onion in a piece of tin foil, drizzle with 2 teaspoons olive oil and ¼ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper, and seal so no heat can escape.
  • Transfer the beets, garlic, and onion to a baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the beets are fork-tender and the garlic is soft.
    roasted beets in foil on a table.
  • While the vegetables are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the bucatini until al dente. Set aside 1 cup of pasta water for later (we take out more than we need, just in case). Strain the pasta and set aside.
  • When the vegetables are done roasting, carefully peel the beets and transfer them to a high-speed blender along with the onion. Carefully squeeze the garlic cloves out of the garlic wrapper into the blender.
    a blender filled with beets and whipped cream.
  • Add the rest of the olive oil, 2 oz. of cream cheese, the rest of the salt, and 4 tablespoons of starchy pasta water to the blender and blend all of the ingredients together until smooth. Taste test the sauce and add more salt if needed.
    a blender with red liquid in it.
  • If the sauce is still hot, add the sauce and cooked pasta to a large bowl and mix. If the sauce needs to be warmed up, transfer the sauce to a saucepan and heat over medium heat until it reaches the desired temperature.
    beet noodles being cooked in a pan.
  • When the sauce and pasta are combined, top with the remaining cream cheese, pistachios, dill, lemon zest, and flakey salt. Serve immediately.
    a bowl of beet noodles with feta cheese and walnuts.

Tips & Notes

  • We cook the beets in tin foil because they stay moist and cook faster.
  • The time it takes to roast the beets will vary by the size of the beet and the oven used.
  • You can make a thicker sauce by adding less starch water and a thinner sauce by adding more starchy water.
  • Precooked beets do not give the same vibrant colors.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 686kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 26g | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g