A few days ago I started soaking a bag of dried mixed beans. I had intended to make a big pot of chili because it has been cool and rainy here in D.C. But, when I got ready to use the beans, I was craving something else. I didn’t want a soup or a stew, but something more like a hearty sauce. I found a great recipe for giant chipotle white beans on Heidi’s site. Her version looked delicious, but I decided to create my own recipe using ingredients that I had on hand.
Ingredients:
1/2 bag dried mixed beans (these need to be tender by the time you are ready to use them)
1/2 chopped onion
1 can tomato sauce
2 tbls goya sofrito tomato base
1 clove chopped garlic
1/2 can of chili tomatoes
a few handfuls of spinach
a few handfuls of mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp of cumin, cilantro, chipotle pepper, oregano and basil
salt and pepper
evoo
Directions: Saute onions and garlic with evoo in a skillet. Add beans (rinsed and drained). Add in the tomatoes, sauce, spinach and spices and cook together. Once the spinach has wilted, transfer to a casserole dish. Top the ingredients with breadcrumbs and cheese. Bake at 400 until cheese is melted and browning on the edges.
This dish did not disappoint. It came out piping hot with ooey gooey melty cheese. The sauce was spicy and perfectly paired traditional mexican spices with italian spices. I served it with whole wheat pasta, but you could eat it with toasted baguette, rice or however you like!
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
That looks delicious! I love anything with beans in it.
Heidi’s site sure is great. I’ve made tons of her recipes and liked all but one of them.
Very Creative, Jennifer!