Spaghetti Squash-Black Bean Casserole

Spaghetti squash does not have to be boring. I'm always trying to think of ways to make it taste good. We might be eating vegetarian, but there is no reason our food cannot have wide appeal, even for meat eaters. In this quest, I decided to make a southwest-inspired casserole using black beans and it turned out really wonderful. The little bit of cheese on top made us think that we were eating something really bad for us.

Spaghetti Squash-Black Bean Casserole

Just about any dish involving spaghetti squash involves first roasting and stringing the squash to separate it into spaghetti-like strands. Click here for a refresher on roasting spaghetti squash, if you need it.

Spaghetti Squash Mix

The dish is really simple. First I sautéed onions, poblanos, cilantro stems, and garlic with spices, then I added black beans, sliced green onions, and roasted spaghetti squash. Once the mix was well stirred and seasoned, into an oiled casserole it went with a thin topping of cheese.

Spaghetti Squash-Black Bean Casserole

The ingredients and amount of ingredients in this casserole are highly flexible. The quantity that this recipe makes is enough to fill my cast iron Le Creuset casserole, what the French call a plat ovale. A casserole in France is a sauce pan over here.

oil to film pan

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 poblano peppers, diced

stems of 1 bunch of cilantro, minced

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 ounce mild ground chile

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 chipotle in adobo, finely minced

1 large spaghetti squash, 4-6 pounds, roasted and removed from the shell

2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 bunch green onions, sliced

salt to taste

1/2-1 cup grated (cheddar) cheese

Film a large pan with oil over high heat. Add the onions, peppers, cilantro, and garlic. Sauté until the onions turn translucent. Add the chile, cumin, and chipotle and mix well. Cook for a couple additional minutes to cook off the raw cumin flavor. Turn off the heat and add the squash, beans, and green onions. Mix well and season to taste.

Spray a casserole dish with pan spray, then pack the squash mix into the pan. Top with a little cheese and place in a moderate oven (350F) until the cheese browns, 20-30 minutes.