I love making a dish where the flavors are a surprise. When I’m eating pasta I expect that the red sauce will be a tomato based marinara sauce. This sauce is a red sauce with tomatoes in it, but it has black beans and red pepper in it as well. It’s a surprise taking the first bite to have a Mexican sauce on an Italian dish but the surprise was a pleasant one.
This black bean sauce is thick and slightly spicy. It has a delicious flavor and a smooth texture from the black beans but it is still mixed with traditional tomatoes. Frank and I both enjoyed this twist on an Italian favorite.
Pasta with Black Bean Sauce (adapted from Branny Boils Over)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes
2 T. chopped jalapenos
1 T. chopped cilantro
1 t. red pepper
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper1/2 t. oregano
2 c. canned black beans, rinsed and drained
16 oz. spaghetti
1. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray. Add the onion and garlic and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until tender.
2. Add in the tomatoes, jalapenos, red pepper, oregano, salt, pepper, oregano, and black beans. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat. Simmer for 20 minutes.3. Spoon the hot mixture into a food processor and blend until mostly smooth. You can also do this using an immersion blender (which I do not have).
4. Serve over hot cooked pasta and garnish with cilantro.
Nicole, RD
I have to try this…yum!
Alida
This looks so delicious! I’ve been intrigued by this recipe, and now after seeing yours, will definitely be giving this a try. 🙂