This vibrant purple number goes out to all the indecisives who cannot decide between pasta and soup. The velvety borscht-inspired sauce—made with beets, dill, sour cream, and umami-loaded bouillon paste—is transformed into a full-blown meal thanks to a big tangle of store-bought egg noodles. When roasted in the oven, earthy beets become sweet, tender, and worthy of star-status; packaged precooked beets don’t offer the same intensity of color and flavor. After you’ve plated the psychedelic-looking noodles, don’t hold back: Dollop on some more sour cream, top your bowl with sauerkraut for zing, and add a shower of dill for freshness. Then, as my Polish grandma says, “Eat, darling!”
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What you’ll need
Vegetable Bouillon Paste
$12 $11 At Amazon
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Food Processor
$63 At Amazon
Rimmed Baking Sheet
$32 At Amazon
Heavy-Duty Aluminum Foil
$12 At Target
Colander
$11 At Amazon
Large Pot
$55 $48 At Amazon
Heatproof Measuring Cup
$26 At Amazon
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Recipe information
Total Time
1 hour 20 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
3
2
12
¼
3
1
1
½
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400°. Place 3 medium beets (about 1 lb.), scrubbed, on separate sheets of foil and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil; season with kosher salt. Rub beets to coat, then wrap in foil. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until tender (a paring knife should slide easily through flesh), 60–70 minutes. Let sit until cool enough to handle, then rub off skins with paper towels. Cut beets into quarters and set aside.
Step 2
Cook 12 oz. wide egg noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1 cup noodle cooking liquid.
Step 3
While noodles are cooking, process beets, ¼ cup (packed) coarsely chopped dill, 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, 1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup or honey, and 1 Tbsp. vegetable or chicken bouillon paste in a food processor, scraping down the sides a few times, until smooth, about 1 minute. (Alternatively, you can use a blender, adding the reserved noodle cooking liquid to help form a smooth purée.)
Step 4
Return noodles to pot and add beet purée and noodle cooking liquid. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens slightly and coats noodles, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in ½ cup regular or vegan sour cream. Season with freshly ground pepper; taste and season with more salt if needed.
Step 5
Divide noodles among bowls. Top with sauerkraut and more sour cream and dill sprigs. Season with more pepper.