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Close up shot of a bowl of pesto pasta with roasted beets and toasted pine nuts with a fork twirling the pasta

Arugula Pesto Pasta with Balsamic Roasted Beets and Toasted Pine Nuts

This pesto pasta is made with a garlicky arugula pesto, sweet balsamic roasted beets, and toasted pine nuts! It has tons of flavor and it's a fantastic, easy, and satisfying meatless meal!

Course Main, Pasta
Cuisine Vegetarian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 502 kcal
Author Molly | Spices in My DNA

Ingredients

For the beets

  • 4 small-medium beets, cut into wedges
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (I used Sprouts brand)
  • olive oil spray (I used Sprouts brand)
  • salt and pepper

For the pesto

  • 1 cup packed basil leaves
  • 2 cups packed baby arugula
  • 1/2 cup packed Italian flat leaf parsley
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted* (I get them from the bulk section at Sprouts!)
  • 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • zest of 1/2 a lemon
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

For the pasta

  • 8 ounces spaghetti (I used Sprouts brand)
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted* (I get them from the bulk section at Sprouts!)
  • extra parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the beets. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and a light spray of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss. Roast for 20 minutes or until tender and the edges are golden.

  2. Bring a bottle of water to a boil for the pasta. In the meantime, make the pesto. Combine the basil, arugula, parsley, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if desired. 

  3. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Once the pasta is cooked and the beets are finished roasting, add the pasta back into the pot and pour over the pesto and toss. Add the roasted beets and toasted pine nuts and toss again. Serve with extra parmesan cheese!

Recipe Notes

*To toast the pine nuts, place them in a dry skillet over medium heat and watch very carefully, stirring frequently. They can burn super quickly! This should only take a few minutes. Remove from heat immediately once they are golden.

Nutrition Facts
Arugula Pesto Pasta with Balsamic Roasted Beets and Toasted Pine Nuts
Amount Per Serving (1 of 4 servings)
Calories 502 Calories from Fat 270
% Daily Value*
Fat 30g46%
Sodium 217mg9%
Carbohydrates 40g13%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 15g30%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.