Carrot pasta has been doing the rounds lately, and I decided I had to try it. My version of this glossy sauce is full of salty sweet flavours that make it absolutely delicious.
I’ve been hearing a lot about carrot pasta on Tiktok and I decided it was time to see what all the fuss was about.
Carrots are sweet, nourishing, and really affordable, and it turns out they make a wonderful sauce.
What you need to make this Carrot Pasta
First of all, you need carrots. I used 5 for 4 serves, which was about right. There was plenty of sauce.
For the rest of the sauce you need - pine nuts, parmesan, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. It's that easy.
Then we'll top it with hot honey, which is just honey heated with salt and chilli flakes (optional).
Top with chopped beetroot, feta and mint leaves, and you're good to go!
What's so special about this Carrot Pasta?
My version is all about the balance of salty and sweet flavours, so we start by microwaving the carrots in water, olive oil and salt to bring out that flavour.
While the carrots are cooking, slice your beetroot and get the pasta water on to boil.
To make your sauce, add carrots with a slotted spoon to a blender, along with the cooking liquid, parmesan and pine nuts, then blend until smooth. It’s kind of like carrot pesto.
Once the pasta is cooked, stir through the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Add reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce if needed. The colour of this sauce is like sunshine!
To really amplify the salty sweet, we’ll make some hot honey with salt and chilli flakes. Drizzle it over the top of the pasta along with crumbled goat cheese, mint and beetroot.
Rigatoni is the perfect pasta shape because when you bite into them, the thick carrot sauce comes out and it’s almost like ravioli.
Top tips
Use a blender, not a food processor, for a smoother sauce.
Mix your carrots at the halfway mark to make sure they cook evenly.
Use a dark / plastic chopping board for the beetroot.
Substitutions
- Alternative proteins - Swap feta for olives or capers.
- Vegetarian - This recipe is vegetarian.
- Dairy Free - Use dairy free parmesan cheese and swap feta for olives or capers.
- Gluten Free - Use gluten free penne.
Kid-Friendly Variations
- Serve kids carrot pasta, with feta if they like it.
Equipment
You will need a microwave, a pot, a stovetop, a blender, a frying pan.
More Pasta Recipes
Recipe
Carrot Beetroot Pasta
Equipment
- Microwave
- Pot
- Stovetop
- Blender
- Frying pan
Ingredients
- 5 carrot
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt and pepper 1 teaspoon total for the recipe
- 2 teaspoon salt 2 ¼ teaspoon total for the recipe
- 200 g beetroot canned
- 350 g rigatoni
- 60 g parmesan cheese block
- 2 tablespoon pine nuts
- 3 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes opt.
- ¼ teaspoon salt 2 ¼ teaspoon total for the recipe
- ½ teaspoon salt and pepper 1 teaspoon total for the recipe
- 100 g marinated feta
- ½ bunch mint leaves
Instructions
- Peel carrots and cut into 2-3 cm pieces. Add to a microwave proof bowl, add water, olive oil, salt and pepper, and microwave on high for 5 minutes, stir, then microwave for another 5 minutes.5 carrot, 1 cup water, 2 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper
- Place a pot of salted water on to boil.2 teaspoon salt
- Quarter beetroot.TIP: Use a dark / dishwasher safe chopping board so it doesn’t stain.200 g beetroot
- Add pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente according to packet instructions.350 g rigatoni
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer carrots to a blender. Add residual water and olive oil from the bowl, with cubed parmesan and pine nuts. Blend until smooth, adding more water if needed.60 g parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoon pine nuts
- Add honey to a small frying pan with chilli flakes (option to skip chilli for kids) and salt. Heat over low heat then set aside.3 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon chilli flakes, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Drain pasta (reserving a cup of pasta water) and return to the pot along with the carrot sauce. Mix through some pasta water to thin the sauce if needed, and season to taste.½ teaspoon salt and pepper
- Serve pasta in a big bowl.For kids, option to serve with crumbled feta.For adults, top with beetroot, crumbled feta, mint leaves and drizzle over hot honey.200 g beetroot, 100 g marinated feta, ½ bunch mint leaves
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