Creamy Beetroot Linguine with Stracciatella and Hazelnuts You’ll Love
A bowl of beetroot linguine can stop the table for a second. The color alone does half the work, turning ordinary pasta into something deep pink, glossy, and a little dramatic. Then the flavor catches up: earthy roasted beets, silky olive oil, bright lemon, milky stracciatella, and toasted hazelnuts that crackle between bites.
This is the kind of dish that feels restaurant-worthy but stays very doable at home. The sauce is simple. The toppings do the heavy lifting. Stracciatella melts softly into the warm pasta, while hazelnuts bring the texture that creamy pasta often needs.
If you love pasta that is rich without feeling heavy, this one belongs in your rotation.
What makes this beetroot linguine so special
Beetroot, or barbabietola in Italian, has a natural sweetness that becomes deeper when roasted. Blended into a sauce with olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, pasta water, and a little cheese, it coats linguine beautifully. The sauce is smooth, savory, and lightly tangy, with just enough earthiness to keep it interesting.
The stracciatella is the creamy contrast. It is soft, milky, and delicate, so you do not want to cook it into the sauce. Spoon it over the pasta right before serving, then let the heat from the linguine loosen it just a little.
The hazelnuts matter too. Without them, the dish is luscious but soft. With them, every bite has crunch, warmth, and a nutty aroma that works especially well with beets.
This is a beautiful dinner for date night, a cozy weekend meal, or a first course for a small gathering. It looks elegant, but it does not ask for complicated technique.
Ingredients for linguine alla barbabietola, stracciatella, and nocciole
This recipe serves 4 as a main course.
For the pasta and beetroot sauce
12 oz linguine
2 medium beets, trimmed and scrubbed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for roasting
1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced
1/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup reserved pasta water, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
Freshly ground black pepper
For serving
6 to 8 oz stracciatella cheese
1/3 cup hazelnuts
Fresh basil, dill, chives, or parsley
Extra-virgin olive oil
Flaky salt, optional
Optional additions
A pinch of red pepper flakes
A spoonful of ricotta for an even creamier sauce
A splash of balsamic vinegar for more sweetness and acidity
Good pasta depends on balance. The beet sauce should taste earthy, bright, salty, and lightly sweet before it ever reaches the linguine.
How to prepare the beetroot sauce step by step
The sauce can be made while the pasta water comes to a boil, especially if you roast the beets ahead of time. If you start from raw beets, plan for a little extra time.
Roast the beets until tender
Heat the oven to 400°F.
Rub the beets with a little olive oil, then wrap them loosely in foil. Place them on a baking sheet and roast until a knife slides into the center with little resistance. This usually takes 45 to 60 minutes, depending on their size.
Let the beets cool until you can handle them. Rub off the skins with a paper towel, then cut the beets into chunks.
For a faster weeknight version, use vacuum-packed cooked beets. Choose plain beets, not pickled ones. Pickled beets will change the flavor and make the sauce too sharp.
Toast the hazelnuts
While the beets roast, place the hazelnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast them for 5 to 8 minutes, shaking the pan often, until they smell nutty and look lightly golden.
Transfer them to a clean kitchen towel. Rub them to remove some loose skin. Don't worry if not all the skin comes off.
Let the nuts cool, then roughly chop them. Keep the pieces uneven. Some fine crumbs will cling to the pasta, while larger pieces add crunch.
Blend the beet sauce
Add the roasted beet chunks to a blender or food processor with:
Olive oil
Garlic
Lemon juice
Lemon zest
Grated cheese
Salt
Black pepper
A splash of warm water or pasta water
Blend until smooth. The sauce should be thick but pourable. If it looks stiff, add water a spoonful at a time.
Taste it before moving on. Beets can vary in sweetness, so this is the moment to adjust.
If it tastes flat, add more lemon juice or salt. If it tastes too earthy, add a little more cheese and olive oil. If it tastes too sharp, add a small spoonful of ricotta or a touch more grated cheese.
Cook the linguine
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt it generously. Add the linguine and cook until al dente according to the package directions.
Before draining, reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water. This starchy water helps the beet sauce cling to the noodles and become glossy.
Drain the pasta, but do not rinse it.
Toss the pasta with the sauce
Return the linguine to the warm pot or place it in a large skillet over low heat. Add most of the beet sauce and a splash of reserved pasta water.
Toss well until every strand turns pink and glossy. Add more sauce as needed. Add more pasta water a little at a time until the texture looks creamy, not dry.
The sauce should coat the linguine rather than pool at the bottom of the pan.
Taste again. A final squeeze of lemon or a pinch of salt can bring everything into focus.
How to make stracciatella work beautifully
Stracciatella is the creamy filling inside burrata. It is made from soft shreds of mozzarella mixed with cream. You can buy it ready-made at many cheese shops and some grocery stores, but you can also make a simple version at home.
Make a quick homemade stracciatella
To make an easy stand-in, use:
8 oz fresh mozzarella
3 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
A pinch of flaky salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Tear the mozzarella into thin shreds with your fingers. Place it in a bowl, then fold in the cream, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Let it sit for 10 minutes to soften and become silky.
This version isn't exactly the same as traditional stracciatella, but it gives the finished pasta the same creamy effect.
Add it at the right moment
Do not stir stracciatella into a hot skillet. High heat can make it separate and lose its delicate texture.
Instead, plate the linguine first. Then spoon the stracciatella on top in soft, uneven dollops. The pasta's warmth will loosen it without fully melting it.
For the prettiest serving, use the back of a spoon to make small pockets in the pasta, then nestle the cheese into those spots. Finish with olive oil and black pepper.
Keep the flavor clean
Stracciatella is mild, so it shines when the pasta is well seasoned. If the sauce lacks salt or brightness, the cheese can mute the dish. Season the pasta before adding the cheese, then finish with lemon zest, herbs, and hazelnuts.
How to use hazelnuts for the best texture
Hazelnuts are more than garnish here. They add the crisp bite that keeps the creamy beet pasta from feeling too one-note.
Toast them well, roughly chop them, and add them at the very end. If they sit in the sauce too long, they soften.
A few smart ways to use them:
Sprinkle most of the hazelnuts over the plated pasta.
Save a spoonful to add right before serving.
Mix a little lemon zest into the chopped nuts for a brighter finish.
Add a pinch of flaky salt to the nuts while they are still warm.
If hazelnuts aren't available, pistachios or walnuts work. Hazelnuts pair best with beetroot, but the goal is the same: something toasted, fragrant, and crunchy.
Plating and serving the pasta
This pasta loves contrast. Think deep pink linguine, white stracciatella, golden hazelnuts, green herbs, and a little olive-oil shine.
Twirl the linguine into shallow bowls. Add stracciatella in generous spoonfuls. Scatter the hazelnuts over the top. Finish with herbs, lemon zest, black pepper, and a thin stream of olive oil.
For herbs, choose one direction:
Basil gives the dish a sweet, familiar Italian flavor.
Dill makes it fresh and a little unexpected.
Chives add a mild onion note.
Parsley keeps it clean and simple.
Serve it right away. Beetroot sauce thickens as it cools, so this dish is best when the pasta is hot and glossy.
What to serve with beetroot linguine
Because this pasta is creamy and earthy, pair it with sides that bring freshness, acidity, or crunch.
Best side dishes
A simple green salad works beautifully. Use peppery arugula, lemon vinaigrette, shaved fennel, or thinly sliced radishes. The sharpness cuts through the cheese's richness.
Roasted vegetables also fit well, especially asparagus, broccolini, or carrots. Keep the seasoning simple with olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon.
For bread, choose something with a crisp crust. Grilled sourdough or ciabatta is perfect for catching any streaks of beet sauce and melted stracciatella left in the bowl.
Wine pairings that make sense
This dish pairs well with both white and red wine, as long as the wine isn't too heavy.
For white wine, try:
Pinot Grigio
Vermentino
Sauvignon Blanc
Dry rosé
These wines bring crisp acidity that balances the beetroot and cream.
For red wine, choose something light and fresh:
Pinot Noir
Barbera
Schiava
Dolcetto
Avoid very tannic reds. Big, bold wines can fight with the sweetness of the beets and the milky cheese.
If you prefer a nonalcoholic pairing, sparkling water with lemon is an easy win. A tart cranberry spritz or pomegranate soda can also echo the color and brighten the meal.
Make-ahead tips and easy variations
You can prep parts of this recipe ahead without losing the fresh feel.
Roast the beets up to 3 days ahead and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also blend the sauce 1 day ahead. If it thickens in the fridge, loosen it with warm pasta water when you cook the linguine.
Toast the hazelnuts ahead too, but store them separately at room temperature. Once fully cool, keep them in a sealed jar.
Stracciatella is best fresh, but if you make the quick homemade version, you can prepare it a few hours ahead and refrigerate it. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving to soften.
For variations, try adding a spoonful of ricotta to the beet sauce for a paler, creamier finish. Add chili flakes for a little heat. Swap linguine for spaghetti, bucatini, or tagliatelle. Short pasta works too, but long strands make the sauce look especially elegant.
This Creamy Beetroot Linguine with Stracciatella and Hazelnuts You’ll Love delivers the best kind of comfort: rich, colorful, and balanced with enough brightness and crunch to keep every bite exciting.
Make it when you want pasta that feels special without turning dinner into a project. Roast the beets, blend the sauce, toast the hazelnuts, and let the stracciatella do what it does best. The result is a bowl that looks stunning, tastes layered, and still feels like home cooking.
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Best regards,
Buon appetito!
Chef John / Giovanni
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