Boy was this recipe a big one. I spent what feels like eons working on a beet ravioli recipe this week. After a simple dish last week to allow for more family time, I wanted to go all. I bought a beautiful bunch of beets at the farmers market last week. Bright, pink, and leafy. My neighbor also gifted me some Swiss chard from her garden. So, I wanted to make something hearty, vibrant, and beautiful. I’m exhausted and so proud of this beet pasta dish.

Beet Ravioli Recipe Testing

The week started strong, settling back into my daily life here in Maine after my family visited last week. I was still on an emotional high from the visit, and the summer sun came back with a vengeance. This week has been hot and humid. Sleep has been tough, and walking outside has been restricted. So I had to find ways to keep myself busy in the kitchen. 

I had my sights fully set on this beet ravioli recipe. It’s been sitting in my “to-do” list of recipes for a long time, waiting until beets were in season. Last week when we visited the farmers market on a rainy gray day, I decided to pick up a bundle of gorgeous purple beets at the last minute. Still specked with fresh dirt, as if picked moments earlier. They were plump, vibrant, and crowned with dark leafy greens. 

Multi-Colored Pasta Dough

I kept them in the fridge for a couple days, enjoying the last of my zucchini and potato latkes with poached eggs for dinner. Then, when I was alone Tuesday, I dove into this recipe. Which I didn’t expect to take as long as it did, or to take as many twists and turns as it did. My idea was simple – make a striped beet pasta dough using two shades of pink. I was inspired by an Instagram video I bookmarked of a striped pasta, by PastaEvaneglists. 

The chef stacked about 12-16 sheets of dual-colored pasta dough on top of each other, then rolled the dough into a log. Like you would with cinnamon rolls. Then, they cut out thin discs from the log, which reminded me so much of beet slices. Pink and dark blue. I decided to make mine two shades of pink, and I tried to match the subtly different hues from my fresh beets. I started by roasting beets in the oven and slicing them open. 

Roasting Beets

When they cooled, the peel came right off, and I cut into one to study the pattern. Then, I brought out two metal bowls and carefully measured flour with my digital scale. Next I blended one of my beets with a little water to create a rich magenta puree to add to my flour. In place of egg. I measured most of the puree into the first bowl, then I blended the remainder with egg whites to dilute the color to make a less intense pink dough. 

After about 20 minutes of kneading my arms off in my 90 degree kitchen, I was done. I flipped the bowls on top of each dough to keep them from oxidizing. I couldn’t even make it to the plastic wrap to cover them because I was so exhausted. When I tell you it was hot and humid, I mean it. So, I had no choice but to take a long break and recuperate. I managed later to wrap my dough in plastic and put them in the fridge to chill. Overnight.

Pink Pasta Log + Beet Slices

The next day it was just as hot and humid. I started earlier to try and beat the heat but I spent a grueling couple of hours rolling out sheet after sheet of pink pasta doughs. I was sweating buckets and my fingers were stained from touching beets. But I persisted. Knowing that the harder I worked the less I would have to do later. And I was determined to see the result of my beet ravioli plans. Finally, I had a stack of 20 sheets of pasta, alternating with dark magenta and pink.

I rolled it into a log, the same way you would with cinnamon rolls. And I rolled it a bit further to get it as spherical as possible. It was the moment of truth, and I pushed through my exhaustion with a gleeful anticipation, slicing off a beet ravioli circle. It looked just like a beet. With a subtle differentiation in the pink doughs. I was so excited. So I tried rolling out my first dough through my pasta machine. But because I rolled it too thick the pattern became distorted from the pressure of the rollers. 

Cooking Beet Greens + Swiss Chard

I went back to the drawing board. I rolled one out by hand with a rolling pin. It was a little better, but not perfect. Then, I spent hours thinking – how to keep the perfect beet ravioli pieces looking like beets while also stretching the dough to make ravioli. I slept on it. But first, I came back in the afternoon to make some other elements. To make my life easier. I started with my filling. Ricotta, sautéed beet greens and Swiss chard, garlic, butter, lemon, and salt.

Ironically, my neighbor had just gifted me a bunch of parsley and Swiss Chard from her garden. I had plenty of beet greens to cook, but I didn’t know how much they’d wilt. I usually blend them to make pesto. So, I had my chard greens on standby and started by browning butter in a sauté pan. I spent about an hour first tediously separating greens from stems. Both with the bundle of Swiss chard and all my beet greens. And I decided to pickle the rainbow of stems for later. 

Farmers Market Chèvre

I was inspired by one of my best recipes from years ago. A beet salad. With goats cheese, beet green pesto, roasted beets, beet chips, pickled beets, and candied walnuts. It’s a recipe I still think about a lot. A painting I’m proud of, too, which kickstarted my foray into more fine-dining style recipes. So, being a full overachiever, I contemplated making candied walnuts, too. As my mind drifted, my eyes focused back on my beet greens sizzling in butter. 

They cooked down quickly, into a shriveling pile of green. The way spinach seems to disappear without a trace when you cook it. Thanks to my neighbor Mary I had more greens to work with. I added a whole bunch of Swiss chard to my pan, along with more butter, garlic, salt, and lemon juice. When the leaves were deeply caramelized and cooked, I deglazed with heavy cream and let the mixture cool for a few minutes. 

Picking Basil + Pasta Filling

I was excited to add the next ingredient, chèvre, which I bought at the farmers market. The same garlic and herb variety I got for my beet salad years earlier. It’s tangy, creamy, herbaceous, and a little funky. Cheeses like this are a lot for me to handle sometimes on their own, so I decided to combine it with ricotta. With the sautéed greens and heavy cream. I worked it in until creamy, then I added parmesan cheese. And I seasoned it to taste with salt and lemon.

The filling tasted amazing, so I transferred it into a large piping bag. And I left it in the fridge to firm up for later. At this point I had my dough ready to slice into discs, my filling prepared, and pickled stems for garnish. I also had basil oil leftover from last week I planned to use, and fresh basil springing up everywhere in my garden pots. I called it a night, again, somewhat deflated that I would have to wait another day to see the fruits of my labor.

Beet Beurre Blanc

I thought about my beet ravioli all night. What colors to use. How to plate it. I thought about making a stiff beet puree with the leftover roasted beets and some egg yolks and butter. I could pipe it into the center of a large raviolo, like an egg yolk, and surround it with a ring of cheese filling. The puree would ooze out. But I shrugged off the idea the next morning, when I woke up anxious at 7am. I dove headfirst in the kitchen, ready to finish my marathon cook.

First I made a beet beurre blanc. I infused white wine with beets and deglazed it. Then I strained the beets out and emulsified the wine with butter. Lemon and salt for flavor, too. It was intense, and a little too sour. But I sleepily poured it into a cup. One more element of my beet ravioli conquered. The magenta pasta dough was resting in the fridge, taunting me. So, despite wanting to crawl back into bed, I decided to start the climax of the battle.

Filling Beet Ravioli

I began by slicing my “beet” pasta discs as thin as I could. Which took forever. I placed half back in the fridge to stay safe as I rolled out disc after disc. The solution I came up with to keep the pattern helped a lot – make thicker ravioli than I’m used to. Because the disc slices were thinner, they didn’t distort as much. I was stoked with my pasta slices, which looked so much like beets. I set up an assembly line of ravioli circles, piping dots of filling onto half and covering them.

Then, I floured them and placed them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Finally I finished the first of two logs. And I wanted to collapse. It was already 9:30. Only halfway done. So, in all honesty, I decided to slice the other log down the center and just roll out two long sheets of pasta. I piped several dots on one sheet, then placed the other on top, which saved me a lot of time. I didn’t care about the pattern showing, because I had a sinking feeling that the color contrast was too subtle anyway.

Self-Care + Pasta Shaping

I heated up a large pot of water and tested one. My heart sank when I took it out. The colors were so similar that I could barely recognize my beautiful beet slices that I worked so hard on. It felt like I wasted hours.. I should have dyed one of the pasta doughs very light pink, or even white, to make sure the contrast showed. But I didn’t have time to give up, or commiserate. I thought back to the first time I made ravioli at 15. When I had a fit and gave up. This time I took a deep breath and forged ahead.

When I finally finished filling and shaping every last beet ravioli, I placed the baking sheet of pasta in the fridge to firm up. I switched my pot of water off. Swiped the counter with a sponge to clean up my flour. And I went back to bed. I can’t do good work unless I feel good. So, I took care of myself, listened to a podcast, and dozed off in my bed. It helped. Lunch and lots of water helped too. And then I went back to the battlefield. 

Plating My Beet Pasta

I heated up my beurre blanc, which seized in the cold fridge. I sliced my remaining beets and fried them in hot oil for garnish. Picked basil. Boiled ravioli. And I fixed my sauce by blending it with more fresh beet, into a gorgeous, vibrant pink puree. And, as if I wasn’t tired enough, I decided to make candied walnuts. I decided I might as well go all in. Selfishly I knew I could snack on candied nuts, one of my favorite things, if everything went to shit.

I set my disappointment about the pasta dough aside. And focused on the beauty of the vibrant pink ravioli, floating in my boiling water. I drained them for a few seconds and placed them in a semi-circle on my black plate. Then, I drizzled my beet butter sauce randomly over them. I draped a pickled beet stem on top, then sprinkled on some candied walnuts. I finished by placing small basil leaves on top. And somehow, even with my body begging for rest, I snapped out of my fugue. I stared at the most gorgeous plate of pasta I’ve ever made. 

Candied Walnuts + Beautiful Pasta

I was overjoyed to be finished. The exhaustion and anxiety of the process melted away. And I spent a few minutes gleefully photographing my stunning, fine-dining plate of beet ravioli. I am so in love with the vibrant pink sauce. The deep magenta pasta. The basil and crunch of walnuts. A pop of salt. The bright, intense pickled beet stem. And the creamy, tangy chèvre and ricotta filling with bitter greens. 

The sauce is a punch of acid, tang, and bright beet flavor. My pasta dough was al dente and slightly perfumed with beet juice. The filling is the perfect contrast. A slightly bitter, cheesy, garlicky, creamy filling. With slightly toothsome greens in each bite. The candied walnuts add so much texture and a dark caramel flavor. The pickled stem is a bright pop of acid. The fried beets too are filled with a rich beet flavor, the natural sugars in the beet dark and caramelized. A tiny bit bitter. And the basil oil and fresh basil add an herbaceous freshness. 

Eating My Beet Pasta (Finally)

The whole dish is beautiful, bright, vibrant, and comforting. I made way too much over my marathon of cooking, so I fixed a plate for my mom for dinner. She loved it. The filling was a big hit. I’m so glad I decided to get chèvre, which I’ve missed after many years. And now I have extra candied walnuts to snack on. Along with a big vacuum-sealed bag of leftover beet ravioli that I’ll be eating in a few weeks. Whenever I’m tired and want a quick, homemade dinner. 

I’m so grateful to my body for putting in the work this week, and so happy with my patience and my improving mental health. My mind just seems to get better and friendlier as I get older. I’m loving life at this age. Almost 30. I always thought it would suck to get older and to watch my youth fade away. My body is getting weaker, for sure. But my mind is on a bright pink beet-filled vacation. I feel so fulfilled. And so proud of this pasta dish. 

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Print Pin

Beet Ravioli

A stunning homemade beet ravioli with chèvre beet greens, beet beurre blanc, and candied walnuts,

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword beets, pasta recipes, ravioli

Prep Time 4 hours hours

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author theforkedring

Ingredients

• 3 large beets + leaves and stems
• 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 600 grams 00 flour 2 cups + 2 cups
• 130 g beet puree 1 beet + 1/2 cup water
• 2 egg whites
• 4 cups beet greens / swiss chard
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 lb chèvre
• 1/4 cup parmesan
• 1 cup ricotta
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 8 tbsp salted butter
• 1 cup shelled walnuts
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups neutral frying oil
• Basil for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to at 450°F. Remove greens and stems from beets. Set aside.
• Roast beets whole in tinfoil with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of salt for 45 minutes. Let cool and then remove skins carefully.
• Chop reserved beet stems into equal 6” pieces. Divide amongst 2 mason jars.
• In a small sauce pot, heat apple cider vinegar, 1 1/2 cups water, white sugar, and 1 tbsp kosher salt over high heat until lightly boiling. Pour into mason jar to completely cover beet stems.
• To make pasta doughs, place 2 cups of flour in each of two medium mixing bowls.
• In a blender, puree 1 large roasted beet with 1/2 cup water. Pour the puree into one bowl of flour.
• Add 2 egg whites to the blender, which should have barely and puree left. Blend just until combined, which should create a light pink color. Pour into second bowl of flour.
• One at a time, mix each bowl of flour and liquid into a stiff pasta dough. Knead each for 10-15 minutes until smooth and elastic.
• Cover each dough with plastic and let rest in fridge for at least 2 hours, ideally 3-4 hours or overnight.
• To make filling, heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add 4 tbsp unsalted butter and cook until melted and lightly browned. Add 5 cups of beet greens (or Swiss chard leaves) and cook down in the butter until soft.
• Deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup heavy cream and stir to combine. Let cool slightly, then work in the chèvre, parmesan, and ricotta.
• Let cool completely, then transfer filling to a large piping bag. Let chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours until cool and firm.
• To make beet beurre blanc, start by cooking down white wine in a small stock pot over medium-high heat with one chopped up roasted beet, for about 8-10 minutes (until reduced by 75%).
• Remove from heat and add your butter, stirring to combine. Let cool completely, then blend on high speed until smooth and bright pink.
• To caramelize walnuts, heat a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat with just your 1 cup of shelled walnuts. Toast them, stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
• Add your brown sugar and turn the heat down to medium. Stir constantly with a nonstick spatula until the sugar melts and coats all nuts in a glossy brown syrup.
• Remove pan from heat and pour onto a waxy paper plate or a silicon-mat-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with a little salt and let cool completely.
• With your remaining beet, slice into very thin discs and pat dry with paper towels. Heat neutral oil over medium-high heat in a medium stock pot until 375°F.
• Fry beet chips for 2-3 minutes, turning with a spider to crisp each side evenly. Because of the sugars in the beets, be careful of burning.
• Transfer beet chips to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and let cool.
• To assemble beet ravioli, remove your pasta doughs from fridge and from plastic wrap. Coat each in a light amount of flour and cut into 4 equal pieces.
• Roll each pasta piece through your pasta roller, starting with the “1 setting”, working gradually to the “5” thinness setting. You should have a long and thin rectangular sheet.
• Place each sheet on top of the next, pressing to adhere, starting with your dark pink dough, then your light pink dough, until you have no dough left.
• Roll your stack of pink doughs into a log, starting at the short end. Slice your log into very thin discs and roll gently with a rolling pin or on the “5 setting” of your pasta machine.
• Pipe a dollop of cheese and greens filling onto one pasta circle, then press another circle on top to adhere. Crimp around the filling to ensure it doesn’t leak during boiling.
• Heat about 8 cups of water over high heat in a large pot until rapidly boiling. Season with a little salt and add your ravioli, about 8-10 at at time.
• Cook for 2-3 minutes until the ravioli float, then remove from water with a spider tool and shake off excess water. Place each batch of ravioli on each plate.
• Top each plate of ravioli with a generous few spoonfuls of beet sauce. Then, garnish with candied walnuts, fried beet chips, basil leaves, pickled beet stems, and a light sprinkle of salt.

Notes

• This recipe is a hard one, so feel free to email me if you have any questions! evancharlesstevens@gmail.com 
• If you just want a solid pink beet dough, skip the step of making two different colored doughs and combine both bowls of flour. Add your beet puree and egg whites and work into one pink dough. You might not need all the flour, so work it in gradually.