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This festive pasta is made with roasted beets and served with French Bleu de Chèvre goat cheese and linguine to make for a cozy, beautiful, and easy meal.
Happy Monday-after-Thanksgiving. That was fun, wasn’t it? Fun and exhausting and slightly infuriating, and all the things that holidays will be. Today we’re taking a nice little break from all that to focus on France. I figured we’d go somewhere that doesn’t even have Thanksgiving, just to be safe.
Do you know what they do have in France, though? French goat cheeses. Beautiful, high-quality, but totally accessible and affordable French goat cheeses. France is the number one producer of goat’s milk cheeses in the world, with 6,000 goat’s milk producers, half of whom make their own cheese. 
With production in multiple regions south of the Loire Valley, there’s wide variety among tastes and styles. I thought I knew my way around chèvre reasonably well, but working with Goat Cheeses of France has introduced me to some new varieties, including the Bleu de Chèvre that I’ve used in the easy but special-feeling recipe below.
French goat cheeses in their multitudes work well all year round, but at this time of year it’s nice to focus on cozy dishes that are dinner-party ready without too much time or effort. Bleu de Chèvre would make a great addition to a simple (or wildly ostentatious) cheese board and really needs no special treatment. But I couldn’t shake the idea of how its gentle piquancy might enhance an earthy and festive-looking pasta sauce made with beets. The resulting Bleu de Chèvre and Beet Linguine was very popular, and I’m looking forward to making it again.
In the meantime, we’re off on a little hike to make some room. For lots more great ideas, follow Goat Cheeses of France on Facebook and Instagram. I love that the goat in their logo has that casual-chic French lady thing going on, even though she’s just a few lines on the page. How do they all know how to do that? Apparently you don’t even have to be human — or sentient — to have that skill. Maybe eating more French goat cheese is the key. Let’s try it and see how it goes.
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Bleu de Chèvre Goat Cheese and Beet Linguine
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Diet: Omnivore, Gluten-Free
Description
Creamy goat cheese and earthy beets mingle in a vibrant pasta dish. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or special occasion.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter
- 3 medium shallots (minced)
- 4 garlic cloves (minced)
- 6 fresh sage leaves (minced)
- 0.5 cups (118 ml) dry white wine
- 0.5 cups (118 ml) heavy cream
- 0.5 cups (118 ml) chicken or good vegetable broth
- 1.5 lbs (680 g) roasted beets (diced (see note))
- 3 oz (85 g) Bleu de Chèvre (crumbled)
- 1 lbs (454 g) linguine
- Salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper
- 0.5 cups (118 ml) minced flat-leaf parsley (to garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Melt and lightly brown the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add shallots, garlic, and sage and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about five minutes.
- Add wine and simmer briskly until reduced by half.
- Add cream, broth, and beets and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to create a slightly thickened sauce.
- Crumble in Bleu de Chèvre, reserving some for garnish.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook linguine al dente in well-salted water according to package directions.
- Drain the linguine and toss it into the sauce.
- Stir in parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
- For deeper beet flavor, roast beets with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar before dicing.
- If you don’t have white wine, substitute an equal amount of chicken broth or vegetable broth.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; the sauce will thicken.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 30
- Saturated Fat: 18
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 60
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 15
- Cholesterol: 50
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I roast the beets for the linguine?
To roast the beets, wrap them in aluminum foil and place them in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for about 45-60 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork.
What type of linguine should I use for this recipe?
You can use regular or whole wheat linguine, but make sure it’s cooked al dente according to package instructions for the best texture.
Can I substitute the Bleu de Chèvre goat cheese with another type of cheese?
While Bleu de Chèvre adds a unique flavor, you could substitute it with another soft goat cheese or a creamy blue cheese, but the taste will differ.
