In anticipation of making spaghetti squash tacos, Nigel picked up the only squash he could find - one that was comparable in size to a new born baby (no joke). After two consecutive taco meals, I was forced to get creative with the leftover squash - we mixed it with defrosted chili, we conjured up some sort of 'pasta' bake lasagna thing and finally, I tackled some lunch time patties. I've pinned a few tasty looking patties (quinoa + cauliflower, spaghetti squash + crispy sage, sweet potato quinoa, and kale, cilantro + squash) and thought I'd finally try it out myself. The texture and flavour of these was bang on and totally hit the spot. The left over black beans (from the tacos), also made for a perfectly complimentary sauce. Serve with a bed of greens or kale salad and you have yourself a warm, satisfying and flavour packed meal.
SPAGHETTI SQUASH AND CILANTRO PATTIES WITH A BLACK BEAN CREMA // makes 6 patties
Note: Because I was using leftovers, this recipe only yields 6 patties. Double the recipe if you a) want more patties b) want to use up your entire squash.
Preheat oven to 400 for squash, then lower to 375 for patties.
Ingredients:
half a spaghetti squash
juice from 1/2 a lime
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup cilantro, loosely packed + extra for serving
1 green onion, sliced thinly
1 egg
For the crema...
1 cup black beans
1 garlic clove
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp wine vinegar
red pepper flakes
s+p
1-2 tbsp water
What to do:
Cook and season the spaghetti squash as per the taco recipe.
In a magic bullet, combine the rolled oats and cilantro. Pulse until you've created 'oat flour.'
In a small bowl, whisk the egg.
In a large bowl, combine the seasoned squash with the oat/cilantro mix, sliced green onions and egg. Use your hands to mix thoroughly. If mixture seems too wet, add a bit more oat flour, if too dry, add a bit of water.
Grease a baking pan with grape-seed oil. Using a 1/4 measuring cup, form the patties and transfer to the baking sheet. Bake in a 375 oven for 10-15 minutes, flip, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.
While the patties are baking, combine all the crema ingredients in a magic bullet. Pulse smooth.
When ready, remove the patties from the oven. If you want to brown them a bit more, heat a skillet on medium-high heat with a dab of oil. Place the patties in the pan for 1-2 minutes each side.
Serve over a bed of greens with a generous amount of crema and a sprinkling of fresh cilantro.