Penne With Beetroot Cream and Toasted Poppy Seeds
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Yield: 2 1x
Description
The beetroot not only lends this dish a striking red color, it is also a great source of iron.
Ingredients
- – 200 g penne pasta
- – 3 medium beetroot, peeled and diced
- – 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- – 2 sprigs thyme
- – 4 tabelspoons olive oil
- – 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- – 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable stock
- – 1/4 cup (60 ml) cream or oat cream
- – 1/2 cup (50 g) grated parmesan
- – 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- – salt, pepper
Instructions
- In a bowl mix together the diced beetroot with 2 tbsp olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Place it on a baking sheet and roast at 180C (356F) until tender (about 30-40 minutes). In the last 10 minutes baking, sprinkle the beets with the garlic and bake them together.
- Transfer garlicy beets to a food processor and add balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/4 cup grated parmesan and pulse until it gets smooth. Transfer the mixture to a pan and add vegetable stock, cream and the leftover parmesan. Season with salt and pepper and simmer on low temperature while you prepare the rest of the dish.
- In a medium sized pan bring water to a boil. Add salt into the boiling water and cook the penne al dente. Drain and set aside. In a dry non-stick pan toast the poppy seeds in 2-3 minutes.
- Pour the beetroot sauce over the penne and serve immediately. Sprinkle with fresh thyme, the toasted poppy seed and some parmesan.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Pasta
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 850
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Jamie Oliver’s Penne Arrabiata
- Spiced Yoghurt Chickpea and Beetroot Salad
- Smokey Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos
- Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are the beets roasted instead of boiled for this sauce?
Roasting the 3 medium beetroot at 180°C (356°F) for 30-40 minutes concentrates their sweetness and gives the sauce a deeper, earthier flavor than boiling would. The garlic is added in the last 10 minutes of roasting so it mellows and sweetens, then both go straight into the food processor together to build the cream sauce.
Is there a dairy-free option for the cream in this recipe?
Yes — the recipe specifically offers oat cream as an alternative to regular cream. Use the same 1/4 cup (60ml) quantity, stirred into the blended beetroot mixture along with the vegetable stock and remaining parmesan to finish the sauce. 
How do I toast the poppy seeds without burning them?
Toast 1 tbsp of poppy seeds in a dry non-stick pan for 2-3 minutes, stirring or swirling constantly. Poppy seeds are small and go from fragrant to burnt quickly, so remove them from the pan as soon as they smell toasty and sprinkle directly over the plated pasta.
