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A Creamy Pink Pasta with Beets and Walnuts
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This Pink Pasta is one of those dishes that looks eye-catching on the table but is surprisingly easy to make. It feels right for Valentine’s Day, but it is also practical enough for a weeknight dinner when you want something colorful, comforting, and a little different.
The soft pink color comes entirely from beets. No food coloring, no shortcuts. The sauce is creamy and tangy, built with Greek yogurt, Cotija cheese, California olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon. Add crunchy California walnuts and fresh herbs, and the result is a pasta that feels balanced, satisfying, and full of flavor.
Why Pink Pasta Works Any Time of Year
Valentine’s Day recipes often feel overly complicated or overly sweet. This one does not.
California’s growing regions allow for a wide variety of crops to be produced throughout the year. Beets, walnuts, olive oil, and dairy are all consistently available, which means this pasta fits naturally into everyday cooking. It is festive enough for a holiday dinner, but familiar enough to make on a regular basis.
This is also a great option if you are looking for a vegetarian-friendly meal that still feels complete and filling. The combination of pasta, creamy sauce, and crunchy toppings makes it satisfying without feeling heavy.
Beets Are the Heart of the Sauce
Beets do more than just provide color in this dish. They are the foundation of the sauce.
Once cooked and blended, beets become smooth and slightly sweet. That natural sweetness balances the tang of the yogurt and lemon, while also softening the cheese’s saltiness. The result is a sauce that feels cohesive and well-rounded rather than sharp or overpowering.
California-grown beets are harvested year-round, making them an easy vegetable to find and use beyond salads or roasting. If you have ever pickled beets or blended them into dips, you already know how adaptable they can be.
In this pasta, they add body, depth, and color all at once.
California Walnuts Bring Texture and Flavor
Creamy pasta benefits from contrast, and walnuts provide exactly that.
California walnuts are known for their mild flavor and buttery texture, which makes them ideal for both sweet and savory dishes.
The toasted walnuts in this recipe add crunch and warmth to every bite, breaking up the smoothness of the sauce. Using rosemary walnuts adds a herby, savory note that pairs especially well with beets and fresh herbs. This topping is a simple addition, but it makes each bite more irresistible than the last.
California Walnuts: Crunchy and Classic
If you have walnuts in your kitchen, odds are they came from California. More than 99% of the walnuts grown in the U.S. are produced in California’s Central Valley, and globally, California supplies over half of the world’s walnut trade.
California walnuts bring serious crunch, flavor, and nutrition to both sweet and savory dishes. Curious how they’re grown? Click here so we can break it down.
Pro tip: Maximize California walnuts’ fresh taste and quality by storing them in your refrigerator or freezer.
Real California Dairy Keeps It Creamy and Balanced
This sauce gets its creaminess from plain Greek yogurt and Cotija cheese rather than heavy cream.
Greek yogurt adds tang and smooth texture, while Cotija brings salt and depth. Together, they create a sauce that feels rich without being heavy or overly indulgent.
Look for the seal!
Cooking with Real California Milk products means you are using high-quality dairy made from milk produced by California dairy families. In a dish like this, where dairy plays a major role, quality matters.
California Olive Oil Pulls Everything Together
California olive oil helps bind the sauce and carry flavor throughout the dish.
Because olive oil is made from fruit, freshness plays a big role in how it tastes. California olive oils are known for their clean, bright profiles, which work especially well in sauces like this one.
A generous drizzle adds richness and helps the sauce feel finished without overpowering the other ingredients.
A Word About California Extra Virgin Olive Oil:
Want to be sure your olive oil is fresh, the highest quality, and the real deal? Look for the COOC seal on bottles of California Extra Virgin Olive Oil to make sure you’re getting delicious 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Certified California EVOO uses stricter standards than international requirements, requiring the oil to pass chemical testing and a sensory analysis by a group of experts, called an organoleptic panel evaluation.
A Wine Pairing That Fits Perfectly
This Pink Pasta pairs best with dry wines that complement its creamy texture and earthy flavors.
Grenache, Rosé, and Sparkling Rosé from California are all great choices. Avoid anything too sweet and look for wines with good acidity to balance the sauce.
A Valentine’s Day Dinner That’s Always in Season
This Pink Pasta feels celebratory without being complicated. It relies on CA GROWN ingredients available year-round, making it easy to bring back to your kitchen whenever you want a meal that feels thoughtful and comforting.
Whether you are cooking for Valentine’s Day or simply making dinner at home, this dish shows how CA GROWN ingredients can turn everyday cooking into something special
NEED A PLAYLIST TO LISTEN TO WHILE YOU MAKE THIS CREAMY PINK PASTA? CHECK OUT THIS CA GROWN SPOTIFY PLAYLIST:
Craving more delicious recipes? Check out our Pinterest for more CA GROWN recipes and ideas for innovative ways to use ingredients from the Golden State in your kitchen.
Do you have a favorite recipe with beets that we should know about? Snap a pic and tag us with #CAGROWN—we’d love to see what you’re cooking up.
Creamy Pink Pasta with Beets and Walnuts
Ingredients
Rosemary Walnuts:
- 1 TBSP California extra virgin olive oil
- 1 TBSP butter
- 2 TBSP finely chopped fresh rosemary
- ½ tsp smoky chile powder we use Piment d ’Ville
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups California walnuts
Creamy Pink Pasta:
- 8 ounces beets about three small beets
- 1 TBSP butter
- Medium-sized red onion diced
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 12 ounces pasta reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Large tube-shaped pastas work best with this recipe.
- 3 TBSP California extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 lemon zest and juice separated
- 3/4 cup crumbled Cotija cheese plus more for garnish
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
To garnish:
- 1 TBSP minced parsley
- 1 TBSP minced chives
- ¼ cup finely chopped Rosemary walnuts more if desired
- 2 TBSP crumbled Cotija cheese
- Lemon zest
Instructions
Cook the beets:
- Scrub the beets and place in a large pot. Cover with water by 1 to 2 inches. Bring to a boil and boil until tender enough to slide a knife into the center with ease, about 45 minutes. If the water drops below the beets, add more and bring to a boil again. Once tender, drain and let the beets cool enough to handle then cut into quarters and set aside.
To make Rosemary Walnuts:
- While the beets are cooking, make the walnuts.
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150℃). Melt butter in a small saucepan; stir in rosemary, chile powder, pepper, and salt. Add the walnuts and stir well with a rubber scraper until mixture evenly coats walnuts.
- Transfer to a baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes.
- Once baked, remove the walnuts from the baking sheet so that they stop cooking and set aside.
Cook the pasta and assemble sauce:
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water until al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Once heated add the 1 TBSP of butter and 1 TBSP olive oil. Once the butter is melted add the red onions and a generous pinch of salt.
- Cook the onions for about 4 minutes, stirring regularly, then add 1 sprig of rosemary to the skillet and continue to cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until the onions have cooked down and are caramelized in spots. Discard the rosemary sprig.
- When the pasta is al dente, scoop out 1 cup of pasta cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta.
- Add ¼ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water to the blender along with the quartered cooked beets, cooked red onions, Cotija, Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, and 1 tsp salt and run until smooth. At this point if the sauce is too thick you can blend in more pasta cooking water 1-2 TBSP at a time, blending between each addition, until the desired consistency is achieved.
To serve:
- Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl. Pour the sauce over and toss well to coat.
- Scatter the fresh herbs, finely chopped walnuts, Cotija cheese crumbles, and lemon zest. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Beet My Valentine: A California Beet Recipe Roundup
Honey Roasted Beets
These tasty and tender Honey Roasted Beets will make anyone a fan of this often unfairly maligned root vegetable. A hot oven, sweet California honey, and a touch of lemon balance the earthy flavor beets are known for, and help bring out their natural sugar.
Grape-Roasted Beet Salad with Serrano Pepper Dressing
This salad from Hola Jalapeno has loads of texture from crunchy sliced fennel and pistachios, and hits all the flavor profiles: Spicy serrano pepper dressing, fresh grapes, salty roasted nuts, and earthy roasted beets.
But that’s not even the most interesting thing about it. The grape marinade the beets get roasted in is a technique you’ll use over and over again.
Pistachio Thyme Marinated Beets
Marinated beets are a delightful way to add color and flavor to any meal, and this Pistachio Thyme Marinated Beet recipe from Salt & Wind brings a unique combination of earthy, nutty, and herbal notes to the table.
Roasted Carrots and Beets with Ghost Pepper and Lentils
This recipe for roasted carrots and beets from Beyond Sweet & Savory is transformed by ghost pepper into an adventurous, complex, and flavorful dish that is delicious on its own and pairs well with roast meat and fish.
Winter Root Vegetable Gratin
The earthy flavors and colors of purple beets, California sweetpotatoes, and parsnips come together to create one irresistible roasted root vegetable recipe.
Beet Chilaquiles with Fried Eggs and Herb Cheese
Switch up your traditional chilaquiles with this delicious beet version from our friend Kate of Hola Jalapeno.
Veggie Pub Chips
Ever tried making your own pub chips? It’s easier than you think! With just a little bit of patience and time, you can have the most delicious, crispy root vegetable chips you’ve ever tasted.