Maria Laitinen works up an appetite with black bean spaghetti.
Text And Photo By Maria Laitinen
I am all for trying different alternatives to ordinary pasta, and there are definitely many options available! To name a few, there’s brown rice, gluten-free, soy bean, mung bean, quinoa, kelp, spelt … and black bean pasta! Have you tried black bean pasta? It is filled with protein and it is also really tasty! Pared with roasted pumpkin, lemon, pine nuts and feta cheese this is a perfect vegetarian meal that is not only tasty but also satisfying for even the toughest meat lovers. 
Black Bean Spaghetti with Roasted Pumpkin, Tomatoes, Spinach and Feta
200g (1 cup) cherry tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
olive oil
sea salt
black pepper
1 tablespoon dried rosemary or 1 sprig fresh rosemary
200g (2 cups – 1 packet) black bean spaghetti
pinch of sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 big handfuls baby spinach, washed
150g (1/2 cup) reduced fat feta cheese
a few tablespoons pine nut kernels, toasted
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
100ml (3 ounze) extra virgin olive oil
black pepper, extra
1. Preheat oven to 180C/356 F.
2. Place the pumpkin, tomatoes and garlic on a roasting tray. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt, black pepper and rosemary. Toss to coat. Bake for 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is just cooked through (you can take the tomatoes out earlier if they look like they’re getting too soft). Leave to cool slightly.
3. Cook the black bean spaghetti according to the packet instructions (6-8 minutes in a boiling water with pinch of sea salt and olive oil). Drain and place in a large bowl. Add the spinach and toss well. Add the pumpkin and the tomatoes and fold to combine.
4. To make the vinaigrette, combine the olive oil, half of the lemon juice and the lemon zest in a bowl and whisk to combine. Season with black pepper. Drizzle the salad dressing on the dish and fold to combine.
5. Crumble the feta cheese on top, sprinkle with the pine nuts and serve warm.
I haven’t tried ‘black bean’ pasta but I have incorporated all of those ingredients in a dish and I can vouch that it works! Black beans and pumpkin (or butternut squash or sweet potato) have a natural affinity.
Thank you girls! Give it a go if you can find it (should be available in most health food stores), it’s really tasty!
I have also never tried these spaghetti, great and interesting recipe! I like our posts, almost every time I learn about a new and healthy ingredient :)
I’ve never heard of this type of spaghetti. It’s stunning!