beet sauce pasta

2 servings — 20 minutes

A simple dish that we prepare in the winter time a lot. The sauce we prepare on the boat is very chunky, because we use a small hand-operated grinder(see our model) to process our beets. We only ever run the beets though the grinder once, and the texture, we think, works well enough for a sauce. For those with blenders, it is possible to puree the sauce (if a smooth texture is preferred), but it is not necessary and tastes great as is.

We love how the sauce colors the pasta.

Oven-roasted beets It is also possible to oven-roast the beets for a deeper and more complex flavor. To roast the beets, preheat oven to 200 °C (400 °F). Toss the beet cubes with 5 ml (1 tsp) of olive oil,3 minced cloves of garlic, 2.5 g (1/2 tsp) of dried thyme, 1.25 g (1/4 tsp) of salt and some black pepper. Put chopped red beets on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes. Puree into a sauce and continue with the below recipe. Omit thyme and the garlic in the sauce in the below recipe, since it is already mixed with the beets in this version.

Golden beets? It's possible to use golden beets, their flavor profile isn't too different, but they taste a bit sweeter and won't color your noodles or any other ingredient you choose to add into the recipe.

Garlic powder? If using garlic powder instead of fresh garlic, add it the pan along with the pureed beets. Note that 1/8th of a teaspoon of garlic powder equals one fresh garlic clove.

Fresh thyme? If using fresh thyme, add it to the pureed beets, stems and all, but don't forget to remove the stem before serving or blending (if a smooth sauce is desired). Thyme sprigs are a choking hazard.

Milk alternatives. I always have unsweetened soy milk on hand so I use that, it is possible to use unsweetened oat milk, or some full-fat coconut milk (for a richer texture).

sauce

red beets390 g
olive oil15 ml
thyme5 g
sea salt1.25 g
black pepper1.25 g
garlic3 cloves
vegetable bouillon120 ml
balsamic vinegar15 ml
lemon juice5 ml
nutritional yeast15 g
soy milk60 ml
black olives10