Spaghetti Squash With Balsamic Beans

Submitted by Berts Kitchen Witch

"This vegetarian dish uses one of my favorite kinds of squash, spaghetti squash. It is delicious topped with the tasty sweet-tart beans."

 

• Ready In: 30mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey mustard
• 3 garlic cloves (minced fine)
• 1 medium spaghetti squash (2-1/2 to 3 lbs)
• 1 (15 ounce) can baby lima beans (well-drained)
• 1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans (well-drained)
• 1 small white onion (diced)
• 1⁄2 cup roasted sweet red pepper (cut into short strips)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper

directions

1. Cut the spaghetti squash in half, and remove the seeds.
2. For the vinaigrette, combine vinegar, oil, honey mustard, and garlic in a screw-top jar.
3. Place the cap on, well secured, and shake well to blend.
4. Place the squash halves in a large Dutch oven with about 2" of water.
5. Bring to boiling.
6. Cook, covered for 15-20 minutes,until tender.
7. Meanwhile, place the well-drained lima beans, the well-drained kidney beans and the diced onion in a saucepan.
8. Add in the roasted red sweet-pepper strips, the salt and the black pepper.
9. Cook on a med-low heat.
10. When the squash is done, use a fork to scrape the pulp from the shell, in strands, into a large serving bowl.
11. Pour the vinaigrette over the beans, and toss to coat well.
12. Spoon the beans over the spaghetti squash strands to serve.

Reviews

[Josiah Luscher]

I love this recipe, I first saw it in a better homes and gardens booklet titled easy vegetarian meals. I notice some difference between your take on the dish and theirs; and I'd like to share my own variation/notes. I use frozen baby lima beans; but only about 6-7 oz. Because they are frozen I have to cook them on the stove per the package directions then I just add the rinsed red beans, chopped but not rinsed jar of roasted red peppers, and salt after the lima beans are cooked, or nearly there, until everything is nice and hot. I've never tried adding onion into the mix, but I think that might be really good, I'll try it sometime. I don't use a dutch oven to cook the squash, I just put them face down in a cookie sheet with water in the oven at 375 degrees for 45-60 minutes. Last but not least I strongly recommend making extra vinaigrette dressing to serve with the squash at the table; double what the recipe calls for usually works for me. I came to food.com looking to add this recipe so that I wouldn't have to keep typing it up and e-mailing it to people! Everyone I've made it for loves it; and it's one of my wife's favorite dinners. Good luck to all of you!