Penne with Creamy Beet & Goat Cheese Sauce

Y’all. Can we just take a moment to appreciate the ridiculously pretty color of the sauce in this penne dish? It’s like a shade of pink that only exists in Barbie’s wardrobe or in My Little Pony land. (Can you tell we have little ones?)

Now that we’ve given the color the respect it deserves, let’s talk taste. And let us tell you, this dish doesn’t disappoint in that department, either.

An unconventional twist on the traditional Beet and Goat Cheese Salad that is crammed at the bottom of every menu in every restaurant across the U.S. so they can say that have a vegetarian option, this is most definitely not your mother’s beet salad. With chickpea penne (feel free to use whatever pasta you prefer) smothered in a deliciously creamy sauce made of roasted red beets, goat cheese crumbles, unsweetened vanilla almond milk and a little bit of balsamic vinegar, laid atop a bed of slightly bitter arugula, and sprinkled with chopped walnuts, it checks all the conventional beet salad boxes but in a much heartier way. Which is good because while we are both vegetarians, that doesn’t mean that a salad comprised of lettuce and a few stray slices of cucumbers and cherry tomato halves is enough to satisfy us.

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The penne we use is Banza’s chickpea penne. We love it because it’s higher in fiber and protein than traditional pasta, and it’s also lower in carbs. Plus, it has all the taste and texture of the real deal, which means even your husbands and little ones will love it.

And although you could buy canned or jarred beets to use for the sauce, we like roasting raw beets because it really draws out their sweet and savory flavors.

Just one word of caution: This meal is MESSY. Like no matter how hard you try to avoid it, your hands will be bright red by the end. Do not wear anything nice while you’re cooking (RIP my favorite white T-shirt), and make sure to break out the tablecloth–or HazMat suit if you intend to serve this one to your littlest family members.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups beets (about three to four medium beets), rinsed, peeled and chopped into quarters
• 1 container goat cheese crumbles
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 box chickpea penne
• 3 cups arugula
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Roast your beets by spraying them with cooking oil and tossing them in salt and pepper, then laying them on a baking sheet and cooking them for about 20 minutes at 425 – 450 degrees. Let cool.
2. Combine one cup beets, goat cheese, almond milk and balsamic vinegar in food processor and process until smooth.
3. Cook your penne according to package directions.
4. In a large bowl, combine penne and sauce, and toss until penne is coated.
5. Divide arugula across three plates. Then top eat plate with a third of the penne. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and any remaining beets.
6. Optional: Sprinkle with salt and pepper or drizzle with additional balsamic vinegar.