This Barbie Pasta made with a bright pink beet sauce is an easy healthy pasta you can make with just 6 simple ingredients! This version is inspired by the viral Tiktok Barbie Pasta and puts a healthier and flavorful spin by incorporating coconut milk and brown rice pasta.
If you love creamy vibrant pasta with lots of flavor, this is the recipe for you! f you're on the fence about liking a pasta with beet sauce, I promise it is as good as it looks. Whether you're hosting a Barbie-themed party or heading out to the movie with your gals, this is a great lunch or dinner recipe to kickstart the fun!
This Barbie inspired recipe is easy to make, flavor packed and the perfect treat for your next friend hang out.
Jump to:
- Why you'll love this recipe
- Recipe ingredients to make Beetroot Pasta
- Ingredient notes
- Tools & Equipment Needed
- How to make Barbie inspired Pasta step by step
- Expert tips for best results
- Storing tips
- Variations and substitutions
- Frequently asked questions
- Other pasta recipes you’ll love
- Barbie Pasta - Bright Pink Beet Sauce
- Questions & Reviews
Why you'll love this recipe
- Easy & quick: Will take you less than 45 minutes to prepare from start to finish!
- It is totally gluten-free and dairy free!
- Perfect for a movie night or date night!
- Simple pantry ingredients, plus beets & basil.
- Versatile: This sauce is perfect on pasta but can also be served on a grain bowl or over chicken, salmon or tofu.
- Healthy and indulgent: This recipe is made with all real healthful ingredients, yet it's creaminess makes it feel like you're eating restaurant quality food!
Recipe ingredients to make Beetroot Pasta
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this delicious Barbie Pasta dish:
Ingredient notes
Pasta shape of choice: I like to use gluten free brown rice pasta, by the Jovial brand, since it cooks perfectly every time and tastes the most similar to regular wheat pasta. In this recipe I opted for Spaghetti, but you can use Penne, Bow-ties, elbows or any other shape.
Fresh beets: Beets are such an incredible root vegetable that will make the sauce bright pink but also have a unique flavor.
Olive oil: A good quality extra virgin olive oil will make this sauce luscious with a hint of delicious olive oil flavor.
Shallot: Shallots add just a bit of sweet onion flavor to this dish! I like to chop mine very small so it sort of melts into the sauce. Alternatively, you can use a yellow onion.
Fresh garlic: Freshly minced garlic is key to making a flavorful sauce! To me, the more garlic the merrier.
Coconut Milk: I use coconut milk in this recipe so it remains dairy free and super creamy.
Parmesan: Parmesan is adds the perfect saltiness, extra creaminess and helps thicken the recipe!
Fresh basil (OPTIONAL as garnish): A fresh herb is integral in every dish, and basil truly lends the perfect bright and summer-like flavor here.
Of course, kosher salt and black pepper are added to balance out the flavors of the dish too.
Tools & Equipment Needed
There are just a handful of staple kitchen items needed to make this Barbie pasta come together! Here are my go-to items used to make this red beet pasta:
- Blender: Any high speed blender will work well to make this recipe! I recently purchased an Oster blender and it works perfectly.
- Large pasta pot: A large pot is essential to boil the beets and pasta in!
- A large skillet: A wide dutch oven works wonders! I found this incredible Amazon brand skillet a few months ago that is also perfect to serve your pasta dish in.
How to make Barbie inspired Pasta step by step
Here are some quick visual instructions with a brief explanation. Be sure to read through the full instructions with exact ingredient measurements & steps in the recipe card below!
Step 1: Cook the beets in a large pot filled with boiling water. Once cooked, used a slotted spoon to remove the beets, and keep the water in the pot to cook the pasta in. Saves dirty dishes!
Step 2: Next add the pasta to the boiling water (previously used to cook the beets) and cook as directed on the package. Strain the pasta once fully cooked and rinse well with cold water. I like to cook the pasta almost all the way through, just past the al dente stage.
Pro tip: Be sure to reserve ½ cup pasta water before straining for later!
Step 3: In a wide large pan/pot, add the oil. Then, sauté the shallots and garlic for about 3-4 minutes.
Step 4 (how to make beetroot sauce): Next, begin with adding all the sauce ingredients to the blender including the cooked beets, sautéed garlic and onion, coconut milk, ¼ cup pasta water and salt.
Step 5: Pour the sauce back into the pot and add the cooked pasta. Toss everything together!
Step 6: Garnish the pasta with fresh basil, freshly cracked black pepper and parmesan!
Expert tips for best results
- Salt your pasta water. It's very important to add salt to the pasta water to give the pasta maximum flavor.
- Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water before straining the pasta. You will add it back into the pasta at the end of the recipe!
- Cook pasta until al-dente! We want the pasta to remain in-tact, and sometimes it cooks a bit when it’s sitting in the warm sauce.
- Add more or less garlic if you like!
- Blend the sauce until very smooth: Every blender is different, so be sure to blend the sauce until it is super smooth and creamy.
Storing tips
Store leftover pasta in a container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I personally wouldn't recommend freezing this pasta dish. You can easily freeze the sauce though in a sealed container and place it in a ziplock, for up to 3 months. Then, defrost in the fridge overnight, reheat and use in your recipe!
Variations and substitutions
- Pasta shape: You can use any pasta shape that you love. I opt for a gluten-free brown rice penne pasta but any type of pasta will work perfectly.
- Add roasted veggies: This naturally vegan beet pasta sauce is incredible on the pasta, but you may want to add texture by mixing in 1-2 cups of roasted vegetables
- Coconut milk swap: Feel free to use a full fat oat milk or even half and half in this recipe!
Frequently asked questions
Barbie pasta is a recipe trend that to my knowledge began on Tiktok around the time the Barbie movie premiered in 2023. Some recipes are only 2 ingredients barbie pasta recipes, while others use a few more ingredients to maximize flavor!
When the Barbie Pasta recipe went viral there were a few different ingredient variations that circulated. The main components to the cream sauce are beets and garlic. From there every recipe differs! Some recipes used cream cheese, while others included mascarpone and parmesan. My version of this recipe uses canned coconut milk for creaminess!
Begin with boiling your beets, then the pasta (and save some pasta water). Then, simply blend all the sauce ingredients together. Finally toss together the pasta and beetroot sauce and garnish with basil, parmesan and pepper!
I haven't tried it, but I believe it should work! The recipe will taste a bit different but should still be delicious.
Absolutely! There are plenty of barbie themed parties for adults happening now and this is the perfect Barbie pasta dish to bring and will impress everyone.
Other pasta recipes you’ll love
Here are some more easy pasta recipes that I think you’ll love!
Barbie Pasta - Bright Pink Beet Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounce box of pasta I use Jovial gluten free brown rice spaghetti pasta
- 3 medium beets peeled and cut into 1” cubes (approx 1.5 to 2 pounds; 4 cups once chopped)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large shallot chopped small
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt plus ½ tablespoon to salt the pasta water
- ¾ cup canned coconut milk cold from the fridge and stirred
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese (2 ½ ounces), plus more for garnish
- Fresh basil leaves as garnish
- ground black pepper as garnish
Instructions
Cook the beets:
- Fill a large pot halfway with water, sprinkle with ½ tablespoon salt, and and add the cubed beets and turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Once the water boils, reduce to medium-high heat so it begins to simmer and cook for 25 minutes; it will feel sort of firm but still fork tender. Remove beets from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and place into your blender cup. Leave the water in the pot and keep boiling (to cook the pasta in the next step). Remove ⅓ cup of beet water for the sauce later.
Begin the sauce:
- While the beets cook, in a large sauté pan with high sides (or dutch oven), add the oil, sliced shallot and garlic. Cook over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Turn off the heat.
Cook the pasta:
- Add pasta to the pot of boiling water, stir and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.
Finish making the sauce:
- While the pasta cooks complete making the sauce. Transfer the cooked beets, sauteed shallots and garlic, coconut milk, reserved beet water, and salt to a high speed blender. Blend until smooth.
Assemble the dish:
- Remove the pasta from the boiling water with a slotted spoon or tongs and transfer to the large sauté pan from earlier. Pour the sauce into the saute pan and add parmesan cheese. Turn to medium-low heat and toss everything together, cooking for 1-2 minutes.
- Transfer pasta to a serving plate and top with grated parmesan, torn fresh basil and freshly cracked black pepper.
Notes
- This recipe works perfectly with coconut milk, but if you prefer to use heavy cream or half and half go for it!
- If your shallots are on the smaller side, use 2.
- I like to garnish with dish with fresh basil, but feel free to use any herb you love or have in your kitchen already.
- I used VioLife Vegan parmesan and grated it myself. You can use any dairy or dairy free version you like!
- I always opt for a gluten free pasta (obsessed with the Jovial brand.) But you can use any pasta that works for your lifestyle.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe? Consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. Or, consider following me on Facebook or Instagram! Thanks for visiting.
Frieda (Rubin) Greenblatt says
Wow!!!! So beautiful and delicious!!!
Dalya Rubin says
Thank you!! It was soooo good! Still eating it for lunch today!
AHUVA KABASSO says
This is perfection on a plate! 💕💕💕
Dalya Rubin says
💗💗
Phylesha Forbes says
Wow that looks delicious!!!
Dalya Rubin says
Thank you!! It was so delish! I even baked the leftovers into crispy pasta chips today to change it up a bit.
Tatiana says
Omg can’t wait to use this recipe!!! Looks delicious and so healthy
Dalya Rubin says
Yay!!! Hope you love it!
Vida Romano says
Can’t wait to try this one!
Dalya Rubin says
Hope you give it a go!
Gabriella says
Ooo this looks amazing!!
Dalya Rubin says
Let me know if you give it a try! 🎉
Pessy says
Wow! Pink pasta combines my two favorite things, can't wait to try it 🙂