Learn how to make bright pink beetroot pasta dough — fun, vibrant and surprisingly easy. This dough is perfect for tagliatelle, pappardelle, farfalle (bow ties) and more.
Add a splash of color to your pasta with beetroot pasta dough. This simple recipe is easy to make at home and doesn’t require a pasta machine — rolling by hand works perfectly and won’t take much time. I often make pink pasta for date nights, Valentine’s Day or simply because it looks so pretty. The beetroot’s flavor is subtle, so the color is the main attraction.
One of my favorite shapes to make is farfalle (the Italian word for butterflies). Although not a traditional fresh pasta shape, farfalle are easy to form and look charming in this vivid pink hue. The dough is rolled thin, cut into small rectangles with a crimped cutter, then pinched in the middle to create the bow tie or butterfly shape.
When rolling by hand, work with half the dough at a time and keep the remaining half wrapped in cling film to prevent drying. Flatten the portion into a rough rectangle and roll it out with as little extra flour as possible. Rotate the dough as you roll so the edges are evenly thin; aim for a sheet that’s thin but not completely translucent. Cut into your chosen shapes and repeat with the remaining dough.
How to make beetroot pasta dough
Start by roasting the beetroot. Drizzle whole beetroot with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt, then wrap in tin foil and roast at 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4) for about an hour, or until a knife slides in easily. Once roasted the skins peel away easily. Cut the beetroot into quarters, let cool, then puree with a handheld blender until smooth.
To make the pasta dough, put 00 flour and a pinch of salt into a large bowl or onto a clean work surface and form a well in the center. Add the egg and the beetroot puree into the well. Use a fork to beat the egg and beetroot together while gradually incorporating the flour.
When the dough begins to come together, switch to using your hands. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for around 10 minutes until it feels smooth and elastic. A good test is to cut the dough in half — if you can see tiny air bubbles, the dough is well kneaded. Shape it into a ball, wrap in cling film and let it rest for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out. You can refrigerate it if you won’t use it right away.
You might also like these pasta recipes
- Homemade Pasta Dough – How To Step By Step
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- Farfalle pasta with pancetta, chili and garlic
- Penne pasta with ricotta, pancetta and tomato sauce
- Creamy butternut squash pasta
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Beetroot Pasta Dough
By Emily
Ingredients
- 7 oz (200g) beetroot
- 2 1/4 cups (350g) 00 flour
- 1 egg
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tsp olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4). Drizzle the beetroot with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, wrap in tin foil and roast on a tray for about 1 hour or until tender. Remove the skin, cut into quarters and leave to cool. Once cooled, puree to a smooth consistency with a handheld blender.
- Put the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl or make a well on a clean work surface. Add the egg and beetroot puree to the center and beat together with a fork while gradually incorporating the flour.
- When the dough begins to come together, knead it by hand on a work surface for about 10 minutes, using as little extra flour as possible.
- Cut the dough in half; if tiny air bubbles are visible inside, the dough is ready. Reshape into a ball, wrap in cling film and rest for at least 30 minutes before rolling out. Store in the fridge if not using immediately.
Notes
Please note this recipe was developed using metric measurements; imperial conversions are approximate.
Serves 4–6.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I use extra virgin olive oil in recipes unless stated otherwise.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless noted.
- Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven.
- Nutrition is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate.
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