Pink Carbonara Is the Galentine’s Day Recipe Everyone Will Talk About

Bring the pancetta and water to a simmer in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Cook until the water evaporates and pancetta begins to sizzle, about 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook until the pancetta browns and its fat renders, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not brown, about 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta and garlic to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

Carefully pour rendered fat into a blender; you should have 2 to 3 tablespoons. Wipe the pot clean, fill with salted water, and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, add the pecorino, eggs and yolk, beets, salt, and pepper to the blender with the rendered fat and blend until smooth, 30 to 45 seconds, scraping down the sides of the blender halfway through. Set aside.

Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook until al dente, following the package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water and drain the pasta.

Return the pasta to the now-empty pot and add the peas, the blended beet sauce, pancetta and garlic, and pasta water. Stir over low heat until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the pasta, 1 to 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately; the sauce will thicken as it sits. While leftovers can be stored safely in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, carbonara never reheats back to its fabulous self. The pasta soaks up all the sauce and the egg makes it finicky. Reheat in a pot over medium-low heat and add water to loosen the sauce as needed. Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!