Chipotle Black Bean Macaroni and Cheese

 

This spicy vegetarian dish has incredibly robust flavors and comes together in 30 minutes. If you have a meat lover in your family that likes black beans, they won't miss the meat in this hearty dish.

Chipotle Black Bean Macaroni and Cheese

Slightly modified from Serious Eats

Ingredients:

·2 TBS cornstarch
·8oz. skim milk
·2 eggs
·½ lb. gluten free elbow macaroni shells (I use Tinkyada brown rice gluten free shells)
·1½ cups cooked black beans (you can substitute canned if you’d prefer – just drain and rinse)
·2 TBS chipotle chilies in adobo sauce puree (see note below or read my tip on chipotle chilies in adobo here)
·1 jalapeno chili, finely minced
·1 cup shredded cheddar jack cheese
·2 tsp dried cilantro
·1 tomato, diced
·4 green onions, chopped

Directions:
Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking water.

In a medium bowl, whisk together cornstarch, milk, and eggs until well-combined. Set aside.

Return drained pasta to large pot and add cooking water, black beans, chipotle chilies in adobo puree, jalapeno pepper, milk mixture, and cheese. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted and sauce is creamy and smooth. Be careful not to heat too quickly or stop stirring as the eggs in the milk mixture might cook into scrambled eggs. Stir in cilantro and green onions. Serve immediately.

 

Note: For the chipotle chilies in adobo sauce puree, buy a small can of chipotle chilies in adobo sauce from the grocery store. It’s usually found in the Hispanic foods section with other Hispanic-inspired sauces and ingredients. When you open the can, you’ll find whole chipotle chilies sitting in adobo sauce. Seed the chipotle chilies (if you desire less heat) and then puree the entire can of adobo sauce and whole chipotle chilies together. Use the amount needed for the recipe, then freeze the rest flattened in a marked plastic bag. Next time a recipe calls for chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, all you’ll need to do is break off a piece from the freezer. I love this tip, as I never need an entire can of chipotle chilies in adobo for one recipe, but cook with the ingredient a few times a month. This tip also works great for tomato paste and pumpkin if a recipe only calls for a few teaspoons or tablespoons.