Golden Beet Pasta – Recipe Redux

I made this recipe last February, but at that stage my food photography skills were seriously disappointing. Luckily, I’ve improved since then. I decided to give it another go, with some minor tweaks.

Golden beets are the uglier, sweeter cousins to the traditional reds and typically grown only in small batches by specialty farmers. It can be difficult to find golden beets, but I highly recommend them.

Did you know that beets are 80% water? Nutritionally, you also get a healthy dose of B vitamins, folate, beta carotene and potassium. Using the dark green leaves and stems adds fiber and additional nutrients to the meal, without being heavy or bulky. Think of it like spinach or kale.

In my revisited version of this recipe, I cleaned it up and stripped the list to five basic ingredients: whole beets, wheat pasta, garlic, olive oil and almonds.

Cooking the pasta in the beet liquid gives it a sweeter, almost fruity flavor as all the juices soak in. Toasted almonds replace the original pine nuts. I know we’ve been doing a lot of pasta recipes lately, so I promise we’ll hold off for a bit. It’s just that time of year and when I get home from a long long lonnggg day of work, all I want is a hearty bowl of pasta to fill me up. Luckily, mine come with some added health benefits.

Serves two. Adapted and inspired by Bon Appetit.

Ingredients:

2 bunches golden beets with fresh healthy greens; beets peeled, each cut into 8 wedges, greens cut into 1-inch-wide strips

12 ounces whole wheat spaghetti

2 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves smashed garlic

6-8 almonds, chopped

Directions:

In a large pot, cook beets in boiling salted water until tender, about ten minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer beets to medium bowl and reserve the cooking water. Add a bit of fresh water and return to boil. Cook pasta in beet liquid until al dente.

Meanwhile, heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. Toast chopped almonds until browning and fragrant, then set aside. In the same skillet, heat olive oil and garlic for two or three minutes. Add beet greens and stir, cooking until greens are tender, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook beets in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer beets to medium bowl. Return water to boil. Add pasta to beet cooking liquid and cook until al dente. Drain and return pasta to pot. Toss with sauteed greens, beets, and toasted almonds. Season with salt and pepper, divide onto plates and serve.

Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan if you prefer.