Beets Are The Answer To A Vibrant Barbie-Themed Pasta Sauce

The "Barbie" movie is finally out after months of hype, which means the endless parade of Barbie-themed trends is over, right? Not quite. There's still an appetite for pink novelties, especially in the kitchen. The internet has been rolling out the pink carpet for the Greta Gerwig film. Vibrant Barbiecore cakes, shakes, and outfits have taken over TikTok leading up to the release. Burger King Brazil even introduced a Barbie-themed Pink Burger, a cheeseburger featuring a fuchsia sauce. If you're looking to follow the trend at home, we think a bright pink pasta sauce colored with beets might be the perfect way to celebrate the movie's arrival.

There are many ways to use beets to craft Barbie-themed savory sauces, and the best part is that they're all-natural. The Barbie pasta recipe has found a niche on TikTok, with different users suggesting a variety of beet-infused options. One video suggests blending steamed beets, cottage cheese, and garlic to create a light pink sauce. Another TikTok creator suggests blending the cooked beets with cream cheese. This isn't the only time beet pasta recipes have popped up in honor of a special occasion. The dish has also gained some traction around Valentine's Day, with combinations like roasted beets blended with Greek yogurt or feta cheese creating rosily romantic sauces.

Even if you're not a fan of beets, the pasta is still worth a try, as the flavor should be pretty subtle when blended into the sauce. It doesn't require a large number of beets to dye your food pink: They tend to color anything they touch, as you'll know if you've ever tried cooking with them. Another option is to add beet purée or beet juice to freshly made pasta dough for a naturally-pink noodle.

Despite "Barbie" giving it a moment in the sun, using beet to add exciting color and depth of flavor to pasta isn't anything new. In fact, a 2013 New York Times recipe for the dish mentions a Brooklyn restaurant that featured ravioli with a puréed beet and ricotta filling. The root vegetable has long been used as a natural pink dye for fabric, frostings, cakes, pastries, pickled eggs, and more. Beyond the benefits of flavor and appearance, beets are chock full of nutritional benefits, due in part to the antioxidant that lends them their bright purple-red color (via WebMD). 

If you're planning a Barbie-themed viewing party, pasta in beet sauce could be the perfect way to complete your all-pink menu. We can say with confidence that Barbie would approve.