Beet Pasta Sauce (Without Nightshades)
A flavorful bright pink pasta sauce with a rich yet sweet and savory flavor, imparting a mild earthiness that also goes great with cooked whole grains.
Servings: 6
Calories: 103kcal
Equipment
- large pot
- blender or immersion blender
Ingredients
- 2 large red beets ~400g, peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion ~120g, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic ~12g, minced
- 1 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup coconut milk or coconut cream alt. more vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon sea salt more to taste
- ½ teaspoon sumac optional, for tang
- Fresh herbs like parsley or chives chopped (optional, for garnish)
- Squeeze of fresh lemon juice optional, if tolerated
Instructions
- Begin by preparing all of your ingredients, and then cooking your beets. Place the diced beet pieces in a large pot and fill it with enough water to just cover them. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the beets are tender, which should take about 20-25 minutes from the point that the water starts to boil.
- In the meantime, we'll be preparing all the other ingredients. First, chop your onion, and heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add your finely chopped onion and sauté until it becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and continue to cook for another minute or two until aromatic, and then take it off the heat and set aside.
- Once the beets are cooked, drain them and transfer them to a high-powered blender. Add the sautéed onions and garlic, coconut milk (if using), vegetable broth, dried thyme and oregano, sumac (if using), and salt to the blender as well.
- Purée the ingredients until the mixture reaches a smooth, sauce-like consistency. If the mixture is too thick, you can add a bit more broth to thin it out.
- Taste and season with more salt, if desired, then transfer the sauce back to the pot and reheat on low, stirring occasionally, until it's warmed through. Serve the sauce over your choice of cooked pasta, and garnish with freshly chopped herbs for an added touch of extra flavor and color.
Notes
Added Sweetness: for an extra dimension of flavor and sweetness, try wrapping the beets in foil and roasting them at 400°F (200°C) until fork-tender instead of boiling.
Leaving Out the Coconut: if you're looking for an alternative to coconut milk to thicken the sauce, consider adding a small amount of oat flour or a slurry of cornstarch and water.
Using Beet Greens: beet leaves are edible and nutritious - if you have them, consider chopping them up and sauté them as a side dish or stir them into the pasta for extra greens.
Avoiding Pink Fingers: beets are notorious for staining, so use caution when handling them. Wearing gloves and an apron can help keep stains at bay (hard-won lessons from making turmeric paste at home!).
Nutrition
Serving: 67g | Calories: 103kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 569mg | Potassium: 168mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 102IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg