If you’ve ever wanted to serve veggies in a way that feels fun instead of forced, this creamy beet pasta sauce is such a fun way to do that! It’s naturally bright pink, creamy, cheesy, and inspired by the viral Boursin pasta bake (because what busy mom doesn't love a super easy dinner?!).
It's wild how beets create such a bright flavor, and makes some boring ole noodles into a fun dinner your kids will be excited about. Even give this pink pasta a fun name like barbie pasta, unicorn pasta, or hot wheels noodles.
Why You and Your Toddler Will Love This Beet Pasta Sauce
- it’s naturally pink, no food dye needed
- the texture stays smooth and familiar
- it tastes like creamy mac and cheese (not vegetables)
- adds protein from Greek yogurt or cottage cheese (whichever you choose!)
- it’s a low-pressure way to increase veggie exposure
- works for picky toddlers and the rest of the family
If you love Boursin and want other easy dinner recipes, go check out my butternut squash Boursin pasta bake because that's another one of our favorites!
Jump to:
- Why You and Your Toddler Will Love This Beet Pasta Sauce
- Ingredients You'll Need
- How to Make Your Beet Pasta Sauce
- Hint for the Best Beet Pasta Sauce
- Substitutions
- Variations
- How to Make This Lower Sodium for Babies
- Equipment
- Storing Your Beet Pasta Sauce
- Tiff's Dietitian Tip
- FAQ
- Related
- Pairing
- Beet Pasta Sauce aka "Pink Pasta"
Ingredients You'll Need
Here's what you'll need to make this beet pasta sauce, aka pink sauce for toddlers:
- beets – the natural source of that bright pink color and gentle sweetness
- Boursin cheese (garlic & herb) or block of feta cheese – melts into a creamy, savory base that gives classic mac-and-cheese vibes
- cottage cheese or plain full-fat Greek yogurt – adds protein and extra creaminess while mellowing the beet flavor
- garlic cloves or garlic powder – adds flavor
- avocado or olive oil – helps the beets roast evenly and adds richness
- pasta (elbows, shells, wheels, or cavatappi) – a familiar base that keeps the meal toddler-friendly, I love using chickpea noodles for added protein + fiber + iron
- reserved pasta water or half & half or milk – the key to a silky, smooth sauce texture
- shredded mild cheddar – boosts that classic mac-and-cheese flavor for extra familiarity
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Your Beet Pasta Sauce
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Add the diced beets and garlic to a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, and place the Boursin in the center. Roast for about 35-45 minutes, until the beets are very fork-tender and the cheese is soft and melty.
- Step 2: While everything roasts, cook your pasta according to package directions. I love cooking mine in bone broth for added nutrients and flavor!
- Step 3: Once beets and Boursin is cooked, add cottage cheese or Greek yogurt and a splash of reserved pasta water or milk to the roasted beet and cheese mixture. Use an immersion blender (right in the dish) or transfer to a blender and blend until completely smooth and creamy. Add more pasta water or milk as needed.
- Step 4: Fold the cooked pasta into the pink sauce until evenly coated. Sprinkle grated parmesan on top and enjoy!
Hint for the Best Beet Pasta Sauce
Roast the beets until they are fork-tender and blend the sauce longer than you think you need to (honestly would blend better in a blender). The softer the beets, the smoother the sauce and a completely smooth texture is what keeps this pasta feeling familiar and toddler-friendly.
If the sauce looks thick, add more reserved pasta water or milk while blending. This helps create that silky, mac-and-cheese consistency and prevents any beet flavor from standing out!
Substitutions
This beet pasta sauce is already gluten-free if using chickpea noodles, egg-free, and nut-free! Make a couple swaps to make it dairy-free.
- dairy-free: use a plain unsweetened dairy-free yogurt instead of Greek yogurt, swap the Boursin for a dairy-free or use dairy-free cream cheese plus a pinch of dried herbs, se your favorite dairy-free shredded cheese for that classic mac flavor
- gluten-free: use your favorite gluten-free pasta noodles (chickpea, lentil, or brown rice all work well!)
Variations
Feel free to customize and add your own special touch to this beet pasta sauce!
- make it extra mild: add an extra scoop of Greek yogurt or a handful of shredded mild cheddar to mellow the beet flavor even more for cautious eaters
- use feta instead of Boursin: feta gives a slightly tangier flavor but still blends into a creamy, smooth pink sauce
- add a second veggie: blend in roasted tomatoes or cauliflower for an extra veggie boost without changing the texture
- make it a pink mac and cheese bake: after mixing with pasta, sprinkle cheese + breadcrumbs on top and broil briefly for a bubbly, golden finish
- serve it two ways for picky eaters: offer half pink pasta and half plain pasta to reduce pressure and support gentle exposure
- use chickpea or lentil pasta: an easy way to add more protein and iron while keeping the meal familiar
Check out this butternut squash version that my family is also obsessed with!
How to Make This Lower Sodium for Babies
To make this beet pasta sauce baby-friendly and lower in sodium, you can make a few simple swaps:
- use plain ricotta or cottage cheese (no added salt) instead of Boursin - just roast the beets and add into a blender with ricotta or cottage cheese (adjust flavor by adding more garlic powder or onion powder)
- skip the optional added cheddar or use a low-sodium cheese if desired
- add extra milk, water or yogurt when blending to keep the sauce creamy without relying on salty cheese for flavor
These swaps keep the texture smooth and creamy while making the recipe more appropriate for babies under 12 months.
Equipment
You’ll need a large baking dish to roast the beets and Boursin together, which keeps everything soft and creamy for blending. An immersion blender makes it easy to blend the sauce directly in the dish for a smooth, toddler-friendly texture, but a regular blender will work too. You’ll also need a large pot for cooking the pasta and a colander for draining, plus a spatula or spoon for folding the pasta into the sauce.
Storing Your Beet Pasta Sauce
Store leftover beet pasta sauce or mixed pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days or freezer for about 3 months (love using these silicone cubes for easy freezer storage). When reheating, warm it gently on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of milk, water, or broth to loosen the sauce and bring back that creamy texture. If you want to make the sauce ahead, you can store the blended sauce separately and mix it with freshly cooked pasta when ready to serve for the best texture.
Tiff's Dietitian Tip
Remember that exposure doesn’t have to mean serving a whole new food on its own. Changing the color of a familiar meal, like pasta and cheese, is a gentle way to help toddlers practice flexibility without changing the texture or structure they feel safe with. Be sure to add a preferred/safe food alongside this!
If your toddler is unsure, try serving a small scoop of pink pasta next to plain pasta and let them dip + explore at their own pace. Give the sauce a fun name like Barbie sauce, hot wheels sauce, or unicorn sauce!
Serve it with this fire truck spoon or construction spoon for added novelty and fun!
FAQ
No. Roasting the beets and blending them with cheese makes the flavor mild and creamy, similar to mac and cheese. Since we're using Boursin, it has more of that garlic flavor depending which Boursin you use!
Yes. You can prepare the sauce ahead and store it in the refrigerator, then mix it with freshly cooked pasta when ready to serve for the best texture.
Elbows, shells, or cavatappi are great because they’re easy to pick up and hold the sauce well. Chickpea or lentil pasta adds extra protein and iron! You could even toss this with ravioli or tortellini.
Yep! Use a dairy-free yogurt and a dairy-free soft cheese alternative. The sauce will still blend smooth and creamy.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with beet pasta sauce for toddlers:
Beet Pasta Sauce aka "Pink Pasta"
Equipment
- immersion blender or blender
- medium/large pot
Ingredients
- 2 medium beets peeled and diced
- 1 round Boursin cheese Garlic & Herb or sub feta block
- ½ cup plain cottage cheese or plain Greek yogurt blended
- 3 peeled cloves garlic or ½-1 teaspoon garlic powder adjust per taste preference
- 2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil
- 8 ounces pasta elbows, shells, wheels, or cavatappi (any work!)
- 1 cup reserved pasta water or milk or heavy cream as needed
- ½ cup shredded cheddar optional for extra cheesy flavor
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Add diced beets and garlic to a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, and place the Boursin in the center. Roast for about 35-45 minutes, until the beets are very fork-tender and the cheese is soft and melty.
- While the beets roast, cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining or skip if wanting to use all milk.
- Add the cottage cheese and ½ cup reserved pasta water or use milk to the roasted beet and cheese mixture. Use an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender) and blend until completely smooth and creamy. Add more pasta water or milk as needed to thin.
- Fold the cooked pasta into the sauce until evenly coated. Stir in shredded cheddar if using and serve warm.
Julia says
Can I do this with canned beets instead?
toddlerdietitiantiff says
Yes! It will just cook for less time since canned are already cooked/soft. You could even just blend canned beets + Boursin and heat with sauce in a saucepan!