Easy Pink Beet Pesto Zoodles

RECIPE DESCRIPTION

This Easy Pink Beet Pesto Zoodle dish is a piece of cake to make and a great addition to your weekly dinner list. It’s bright pink in color and smells like garlic bread. 

RECIPE INDEX

• About this recipe
• Alternatives
• Planet friendly points
• Recipe steps explained 
• More fun recipes to try
• Expiration & Storage

ABOUT THIS 

Not only does it smell like garlic bread, but it doesn’t taste like beets at all! The recipe calls for fresh beets which take anywhere from 30-60 mins to roast depending on your oven and beet size. Feel free to use pre roasted beets as well. Sometimes depending on the brand, your color will be less of a pink and more red or maroon.

The beets are easy to pop in the oven and complete other house choose or finish up emails while you wait. When you actually go to make the sauce itself, you roughly chop the beets, but everything else you just toss in the food processor and blend away! As for the zoodles, they take a bit of muscle to power through (depends on your zoodler). But once done, you toss in a pan and there done in under 15mins! I love zoodles because you can make a whole bunch and freeze for later use. When you freeze you’ll get a lot more moisture so just be sure to drain before serving.

ALTERNATIVES 

Goat cheese.

I haven't tried it, but feel free to try a plant friendly version! I would try a brand like Rebel Cheese.

Pistachios & walnuts.

I love the layers of flavors these nuts give; however, one of the amazing things about pesto is its flexibility on the type of nuts used. Keep your measurements the same of 1cup total of nuts and feel free to swap for whatever nut you have in the pantry. I suggest unsalted pistachios, walnuts, cashews, walnuts or pinenuts. If you have salted nuts, just keep out the salt and blend all other ingredients together. Taste test and add more salt if needed.

PLANET FRIENDLY POINTS

Something pretty cool about zoodles over noodles is they’re super healthy. When you choose to eat zucchini over noodles it’s better for you and the planet. Noodles are processed which means they won’t break down like zoodles do when you toss your uneaten left overs away or if any end up going to waste. When you buy noodles, you’re promoting a product that is not only processed and doesn’t degrade naturally into our earth’s systems, but it’s going to come packaged. The packaging is another item that can easily become waste instead of recycled if cardboard. If plastic, then that of course is less planet friendly. Some plastic wrappers can be recycled, some cannot, but they need to be brought to special facilities for processing.

PREP TIPS

Beets will need to be roasted for 30-60mins. 

COMPATIBLE RECIPES

Find the Easy Pink Beet Pesto recipe here on this page in the recipe and in the steps! There's just more detail on the official pesto blog page that can help answer and questions you might have.

EXPIRATION & STORAGE

Freeze uncooked zoodles for up to 3 months. They make a great last minute dinner meal! Freeze the pink Beet Pesto for about the same amount of time!

RECIPE STEPS EXPLAINED

1 Go here for the full Easy Pink Beet Pesto recipe.

You can also follow the steps here on this page! They’ll just be in less detail. 

2 Roast your beets with salt pepper and olive oil wrapped in foil.

They will take 30-60 mins. Remove once soft. Poke with a fork or knife to test.

3 While beets are roasting... Add and blend your pesto ingredients.

Add all your beet pesto ingredients to the food processor and blend till thick and smooth. Here's your pesto ingredients: Half cup roughly chopped Parmesan 

• 1/2 cup pistachios
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• Six cracks of pepper 
• 2 roasted beets
• 1 cup olive oil 
• 2 garlic cloves 
• 1/2c goat cheese
• Optional: 1-2 tablespoons honey

4 While beets are roasting... Prep the pan

Place 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan with 3 pinches of salt and 1 pinch of pepper. Place it on the stove top.

5 Run your zuchinis through your spiralizer.

Use some muscle! For me, by the third zuchini I’m starting to struggle a bit. If you missed your arm workout this week well there you go! I like to place a cutting board at the end of my spiralizer to have a place to catch them and transfer them. Most people cut the ends off the zucchinis before placing them in the spiralizer, but you actually don’t need to! My husband showed me this and I thought of course! Why didn’t I think of that. So less waste here! And I don’t get one odd noodle in the bunch. They all were normal!

6 Cook your zoodles in your prepped pan.

Toss occasionally (I like to use tongs) so they cook evenly and do not stick. Were not looking for the to brown but cook until they’re slightly crunchy, but still soft enough to chew. If you like them completely soft too that’s fine! Just don’t cook to where they’re overly soggy. Cook them for approx 7-12mins.

7 When zoodles are done cooking... drain and toss individual bowls with sauce.

The excess liquid (you can simple pour it out using tongs to hold back the noodles or use a strainer), toss in beet pesto to serve. I typically have a separate bowl with tongs for each person to mix their noodles in. Or just mix in your own personal bowls. I wouldn’t suggest mixing the sauce over the heat or it will break and your cheese will start to melt.

8 Sprinkle with goat cheese as a delicious topper.

You can try finely crunched pistachios as well if you're feeling fancy or want to add a crunch of texture in there.