Beet Noodles with Tomato Cashew Sauce
Serves: 2
Looking for a unique Valentine’s Day present instead of the usual red roses? Here’s a delicious and creative way to say “I love you.” Red beet pasta with a red tomato cashew sauce is love on a plate. It’s an unexpected and delightful combination.
Equipment needed: Spiralizer
Looking for a unique Valentine’s Day present instead of the usual red roses? Here’s a delicious and creative way to say “I love you.” Red beet pasta with a red tomato cashew sauce is love on a plate. It’s an unexpected and delightful combination.
Equipment needed: Spiralizer
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 20 ounces fresh beet noodles
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced (1-½ teaspoons)
- 2-3/4 cups (1 box), salt free chopped tomatoes
- 1/8 teaspoon ground oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- Chives, freshly minced
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400℉
- Place the cashews in ¾ cup of hot water and soak for 30 minutes to soften.
- In the meantime, arrange the beet noodles on a parchment lined, or silpat lined baking sheet and toss with lemon juice. Place on the middle rack of the oven and cook for approximately 25 minutes. Some of the pieces will be crisp and some not. The different textures are good.
- Drain the cashews, and reserve the soaking liquid. Add the cashews and 1/3 cup of water to a food processor, or blender, and purée briefly, leaving the nuts slightly chunky for texture. Add additional liquid to process the cashews, if needed. You can also use a little bit of juice from the canned chopped tomatoes.
- Sauté garlic in a large saucepan with a little water, to prevent it from sticking to the pan. Stir continuously until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes with their juices, and cook over medium heat. Stir in oregano, paprika and onion powder until combined. Stir every couple of minutes. Taste after about 10 minutes to see how the flavors are developing. Continue to cook and stir every so often for about 20-25 minutes until slightly reduced and flavorful.
- Add in the blended cashews.
- Add cooked beet noodles into the pan with the tomato sauce and toss with tongs, ever so gently to coat the noodles evenly.
Plate the noodles and sprinkle minced chives on top.
Cook's Notes: Beet noodles may be available in some grocery stores. Otherwise, they can be spiralized in advance and kept in a zip-top bag in the refrigerator for a week.
