Italian chefs refused to acknowledge pink pasta until 1990s when beetroot powder became acceptable natural coloring.
Pink Barbie Pasta
Transform mealtime into a whimsical adventure with our vibrant Pink Barbie Pasta! This delightful dish combines creamy beet puree for that eye-popping color and a sprinkle of Parmesan for a burst of flavor that kids will adore. Get ready to twirl up some fun and watch your little ones dive into this enchanting bowl of goodness!
Prep
15
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 1/2 piece of beet (previously steamed or boiled)
- 2 small cloves of garlic
- 1/4 medium onion
🥛Dairy & Eggs(5)
- 1 tablespoon of butter (14 g)
- 1 cup of cream (240 ml)
- 1 cup of milk (240 ml)
- 1 cup of grated mozzarella cheese (240 ml)
- Parmesan cheese to taste for servingoptional
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 200g Pasta (cook the pasta as mentioned on the package of your choice and add a little salt) (7.06 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- Salt and pepper to taste
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a pan, add a little butter, onion in large pieces, garlic, and half a previously cooked beet. Sauté until the garlic and onion are golden.
- 2
Place everything in the blender. Add cream, milk of your choice, grated mozzarella cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth.
- 3
Pour the sauce back into the pan and let it boil for a couple of minutes.
- 4
Add the cooked pasta, a little parmesan cheese, and serve.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Pre-cook your beet by roasting at 400°F for 45-60 minutes wrapped in foil, as this concentrates the sugars and creates deeper pink color compounds (betalains) that won't break down during sautéing.technique400°F for 45-60 minutes
- ✓Blend the sauce for exactly 60-90 seconds to fully emulsify the fats and break down beet fibers, but avoid over-blending which can cause the cream to separate due to excessive heat friction.timing60-90 seconds
- ✓Use a 2:1 ratio of heavy cream to milk for optimal pink color saturation, as the higher fat content in cream carries more of the fat-soluble betalain pigments from the beet.ingredient2:1 cream to milk ratio
- ✓Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer (185-195°F) rather than a rolling boil to prevent the cream from curdling and the beet pigments from oxidizing to brown.technique185-195°F
- ✓Add pasta water (2-3 tablespoons) to the sauce before combining with pasta, as the starch helps bind the beet-cream emulsion and prevents color separation on the noodles.technique2-3 tablespoons pasta water
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Italian chefs refused to acknowledge pink pasta until 1990s when beetroot powder became acceptable natural coloring.
Pink Barbie Pasta
Transform mealtime into a whimsical adventure with our vibrant Pink Barbie Pasta! This delightful dish combines creamy beet puree for that eye-popping color and a sprinkle of Parmesan for a burst of flavor that kids will adore. Get ready to twirl up some fun and watch your little ones dive into this enchanting bowl of goodness!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 1/2 piece of beet (previously steamed or boiled)
- 2 small cloves of garlic
- 1/4 medium onion
🥛Dairy & Eggs(5)
- 1 tablespoon of butter (14 g)
- 1 cup of cream (240 ml)
- 1 cup of milk (240 ml)
- 1 cup of grated mozzarella cheese (240 ml)
- Parmesan cheese to taste for servingoptional
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 200g Pasta (cook the pasta as mentioned on the package of your choice and add a little salt) (7.06 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- Salt and pepper to taste
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a pan, add a little butter, onion in large pieces, garlic, and half a previously cooked beet. Sauté until the garlic and onion are golden.
- 2
Place everything in the blender. Add cream, milk of your choice, grated mozzarella cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth.
- 3
Pour the sauce back into the pan and let it boil for a couple of minutes.
- 4
Add the cooked pasta, a little parmesan cheese, and serve.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Pre-cook your beet by roasting at 400°F for 45-60 minutes wrapped in foil, as this concentrates the sugars and creates deeper pink color compounds (betalains) that won't break down during sautéing.technique400°F for 45-60 minutes
- ✓Blend the sauce for exactly 60-90 seconds to fully emulsify the fats and break down beet fibers, but avoid over-blending which can cause the cream to separate due to excessive heat friction.timing60-90 seconds
- ✓Use a 2:1 ratio of heavy cream to milk for optimal pink color saturation, as the higher fat content in cream carries more of the fat-soluble betalain pigments from the beet.ingredient2:1 cream to milk ratio
- ✓Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer (185-195°F) rather than a rolling boil to prevent the cream from curdling and the beet pigments from oxidizing to brown.technique185-195°F
- ✓Add pasta water (2-3 tablespoons) to the sauce before combining with pasta, as the starch helps bind the beet-cream emulsion and prevents color separation on the noodles.technique2-3 tablespoons pasta water