Creamy Beetroot Pasta With Feta

If you’re looking for a pasta recipe that’s quick, comforting and just a little bit different, this beetroot and feta pasta is a lovely one to make.

It’s creamy, colourful and ready in just 15 minutes, with sweet earthy beetroot, tangy crème fraîche, salty feta and fresh thyme all coming together in one gloriously pink bowl of pasta.

And yes, it really is as good as it looks!

Beetroot might not be the first thing that springs to mind when you think of pasta sauce, but it works SO well. It brings sweetness and earthiness, the crème fraîche smooths everything out into a silky sauce, and the feta on top adds exactly the right salty, creamy finish.

This is one of those dinners that feels cheerful the second you put it on the table. It’s quick enough for a weeknight, easy enough to make when you’re tired, and different enough to feel like you’ve made something a bit special.

A proper little gem of a pasta recipe!

What Beetroot Tastes Like in Pasta

If you haven’t had beetroot in pasta before, the flavour is softer than you might expect! It doesn’t taste like you’re eating a bowl of salad. Instead, it becomes mellow, slightly sweet and earthy, especially when warmed through with onion and crème fraîche.

The finished dish is creamy and the beetroot gives it a distinctive flavour without overwhelming everything else.

If you already like combinations like:

• beetroot and feta
• beetroot and goat’s cheese
• beetroot and thyme

then there’s a very good chance you’ll love this pasta too.

The Ingredients

• Pasta – use any pasta you like, though short pasta is best. I used rigatoni. Use fresh pasta if you’d like this to be ready even quicker.
• Olive oil – or vegetable oil.
• Onion – use a large brown or yellow onion.
• Beetroot. – use precooked, vacuum packed beetroot. Make sure you choose one which is just cooked in water (you don’t want pickled) with no additional flavourings. If you can’t get hold of precooked beetroot, use raw. Cut it into bite size pieces and roast in the oven until soft (about 30 minutes), then continue with the recipe.
• Crème fraiche – adds the creaminess to the sauce. You could use single cream or mascarpone instead.
• Feta – adds some creamy saltiness on top. You could switch with goats cheese.

How to Make Beetroot and Feta Pasta

This is a very straightforward recipe, which is one of the reasons it’s such a good weeknight option.

1. Cook the pasta

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.

Before draining, reserve a little pasta water to help loosen the sauce later if needed.

2. Soften the onion

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over a medium heat and add the chopped onion.

Cook for a couple of minutes until it begins to soften.

3. Add the beetroot

Chop the pre-cooked beetroot and add it to the pan, along with any juices from the pack.

Cook for another couple of minutes so it warms through and starts to soften into the onion.

4. Add the thyme and crème fraîche

Stir in the chopped thyme and crème fraîche.

Let everything simmer gently for a couple of minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is hot and creamy.

5. Combine with the pasta

Add the cooked pasta and a splash of the pasta water to the pan and mix everything together well.

Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

6. Finish with feta

Spoon into bowls and top with crumbled feta.

Then tuck in while it’s still gloriously pink and steaming hot.

Top Tips for the Best Result

1. Use pre-cooked, not pickled, beetroot – This is probably the most important tip. Pickled beetroot will make the whole dish too sharp and vinegary.
2. Don’t skip the feta – The feta is what balances the sweetness of the beetroot. Without it, the dish won’t have the same contrast.
3. Add pasta water if needed – A splash of pasta cooking water helps bring the sauce together and makes it cling to the pasta more nicely.
4. Season properly – Beetroot can handle seasoning, so don’t be shy with the black pepper especially.
5. Use fresh thyme if you can – Fresh thyme gives the nicest flavour here and works beautifully with the earthy beetroot.