Vegan Roasted Beetroot and Feta Pasta

Pasta doesn’t get any more beautiful, or should we say ‘beetiful’ then this dish! It has a depth of flavour from roasted garlic and beets, bright, tanginess from vegan feta and lemon, and an undeniably pretty pink hue.

Vibrant in colour and rich in favour, our beet pasta recipe is a delicious plant-based dinner! Not only is this dish beetiful, it’s require minimal effort, and comes together in three basic steps; roasting, blending and pouring! Don’t be surprised if your heart skips a beet when you take your first bite! 

The big WOW! factor of the pasta is the gorgeous colour that comes from beets. The bright pink sauce has a complex flavour brought on by the beets, roasted in this case to enhance their natural sweetness and tone down the earthiness. To further avoid the “dirt/muddy” flavour often brought up by beet haters, we cut it with citrus and salt to produce a well-balanced, delicious sauce. With the addition of tangy and salty vegan feta, flavours are further developed in the sauce. The roasted garlic and beet sauce is truly the star of this meal with a creamy texture, and bold flavours and colours. As a pasta best practice, don’t forget to set some pasta water aside; that s*** is liquid gold. The starch and salt from the pasta liquid will transform your sauce into a silky dream.

To complete this dish and make it even prettier, we topped the pink pasta with fresh mint and chopped pistachios. Mint has a bold flavour but, but subtle and cooling on the pallet if using just a little bit, and pairs perfectly with the sweet pasta. Pistachios add some crunch and soft nutty flavours of pine. The Vegan Roasted Beetroot and Feta Pasta dish is as tasty as it is beautiful, with its pink sauce and contrasting green toppings. 

This pasta is unbeetable, and you should definitely queue it up for your next pasta night! 

If you love a good quick ‘n easy pasta, here are three more vegan pasta night options to add to your rotation:

• Spicy Basil Vodka Pasta
• Super Green Pesto with Blistered Garlic Tomatoes
• Vegan Spring Pasta with Asparagus & Mushrooms

Try this recipe, and don’t forget to share your creations @smallkitchenbigplates. We’ll be rooting for you!

Vegan Roasted Beetroot and Feta Pasta

• Servings: 4-6
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
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Pasta doesn’t get any more beautiful, or should we say ‘beetiful’ then this dish! It has a depth of flavour from roasted garlic and beets, bright, tanginess from vegan feta and lemon, and an undeniably pretty pink hue.

• 454g (16oz) rigatoni pasta or pasta of your choice, cooked according to instructions

Beet and Feta Sauce
• 2 medium beets, washed and scrubbed well (no need to peel)
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds, soaked for 20 minutes in hot water
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 block of vegan feta (100 g), plus extra for garnish
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Pasta water to thin
• Garnish: microgreens, finely chopped mint, and chopped pistachios, more vegan feta crumbled on top

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
2. Place beets and garlic cloves in a dutch oven, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast until the garlic is soft and beets are tender, about 40 minutes, and then remove from the oven and set aside.
3. Boil heavily salted water in a large pot and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. When the pasta is cooked, strain and reserve about 1 cup of pasta water for the sauce.
4. Make the beet sauce. Add roasted garlic and beets, drained and rinsed sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, lemon juice and zest, salt, and pepper to a blender and blend on high. To get the sauce super creamy, add pasta water one tablespoon at a time until the pasta sauce becomes very smooth (you probably won’t need the full cup). Add vegan feta to the blender with the beet sauce and continue blending until completely smooth.
5. Place the pasta back into the pot, pour the sauce over it, and mix well. Serve topped with more crumbled feta, microgreens, mint, and chopped pistachios.

Notes

1. Our favourite vegan feta is Violife! Super creamy and true to style, this cheese is an amazing vegan dupe.
2, To make this pasta nut-free, omit the pistachios.