Beet-Pink Macaroni & Cheese

This is not your average macaroni and cheese, this is a beet-pink macaroni and cheese. And I could even use two Mean Girls references in this blog post and also say that on Wednesdays – WE EAT PINK. Even though I am uploading this recipe on a Thursday, but….just let me have this.

But back to this macaroni and cheese – which I know, looks unlike any macaroni and cheese you’ve had before. And it probably will taste different too. And that’s because beets are the staple, the pillar, and the main character of this beet mac n’ cheese recipe.

They carry the team, but you still get none of that “dirt” beet flavor. The reason for that, is because we cut the sweetness and the earthiness of the beets with some bright, salty and creamy parmesan. You wouldn’t think these two ingredients play nice together, but when you combine them, they really sing.

And what you’re left with is a saucy, glossy, perfect pasta that just happens to be a showstopper. And I’m looking for showstoppers. It’s dinner party season, after all.

The ingredients you need for this beet macaroni and cheese

• 2 medium beets
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 6 ounces freshly grated parmesan around 3 cups, unpacked
• 16 ounces pasta of choice

The process for this beet pasta recipe

Although it is a gorgeous recipe, it really requires very minimal effort. I just advise that you watch your technique, especially when mixing the sauce, cheese and pasta water. If you go too slowly, you might end up with a clumpy mess, and if you go to fast, you might water down the sauce. Here’s a full step-by-step of the instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 425F.
• Wash the beets well, and then cut them into cubes. Peel the garlic cloves. Place the beets and garlic in foil, cover them with olive oil and season with salt.
• Enclose the vegetables in foil and roast in the oven at 425F for 30 minutes, or until the beets are fork tender.
• While the vegetables are roasting, grate the parmesan and set aside.
• When the vegetables have 10 minutes of roasting time left, bring a pot of water to a boil and salt it like the sea. Cook your pasta to al dente, drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.
• In a large blender, add the beets and garlic and a splash of pasta water. Blend until smooth. I recommend doing this in a blender where you can ventilate the top, to avoid any pressure build-up as you blend. Add pasta water as needed, you want this sauce to feel like a very think purée.
• Keep the pasta in the pot you boiled it in, add a generous splash of pasta water, the beet sauce and a handful of the parmesan. Stir until glossy. Continue to add handfuls of parmesan and splashes of water until you reach your desired sauce thickness and texture. Reserve at least 1/4 cup parmesan for topping.
• Plate and top with leftover parmesan, salt and pepper. Enjoy immediately 🙂

Looking for other mac n’ cheese recipes?

I have plenty that are just as good (and a little less? more? adventurous) as this beet macaroni and cheese. Here are a few of my favorites:

And that’s it for this beet pasta recipe!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3