It feels a bit weird for me to be calling this recipe a ‘skillet’, since (as far as I can tell), ‘skillet’ is just the American word for a frying pan, and I’m not American. However, I’ve seen loads of skillet recipes lately, and I love a good bandwagon, so here you go: butternut squash and black bean skillet.
Shall I say 'skillet' again? Skillet.
A skillet recipe is just one that can be cooked on the hob (or stove, since apparently I'm being all American today) in one pan - a really simple recipe that tends to be a mish mash of various yummy bits that all go well together. This version is hearty and autumnal, with a slightly Mexican vibe from the spicy, cheesy black beans and the rich tomato sauce.
The point of skillet recipes like this is that they’re really easy - and this black bean skillet is no exception. Just cook up your butternut squash with some onions and garlic, add your black beans, tomatoes and plenty of spice, and then scatter over a good handful of grated cheese. I mixed half of the cheese through the dish, and let the other half melt on top to go all gooey. Of course you could skip the cheese if you want to make this a vegan skillet recipe, but I personally think it’s one of the best bits - can't beat gooey cheese!
By the way, this dish would be ideal served with some fresh coriander too - but obviously since I’m super disorganised, I ran out the day before I made this...
Oh and yes, I am officially now in autumn mode. No longer can we pretend it's still late summer… late September is definitely autumn (sorry, I know it hurts to hear this as much as it pains me to say it). But it's not all bad - hence the butternut squash! I’m sure it will be making many more appearances here over the next couple of months, since I can’t bring myself to chop up a pumpkin (I nearly lost a finger even just with the butternut squash and I don't really fancy losing an entire arm).
Butternut squash and black bean skillet
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Print Pin CommentIngredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 350 g butternut squash around half a medium squash, cut into 1cm dice
- 1 mild red chilli finely diced
- Salt
- Black pepper
- 400 g tin black beans 240g when drained, drained
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon hot chilli powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- 75 g cheddar cheese grated
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan, and add the onion, garlic, squash and red chilli. Season well, and cook over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes, until the onion is fairly soft.
- Add the black beans, spices, and chopped tomatoes, and mix well (I also added a dash of water because my mixture seemed fairly dry). Cover the pan, bring it to a gentle simmer, and cook for another 5-10 minutes until the butternut squash is completely cooked.
- Top with the grated cheese, and allow it to melt into the dish. Serve warm.
Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.
If you love black beans as much as I do, make sure you've looked through my collection of 60 vegetarian black bean recipes!
Katie Bryson says
Oooh you give good skillet!!!! I'm loving the autumnal look of this recipe and will definitely be joining you on that skillet bandwagon and be taking myself off down to the shops for some butternut squash to put in my pan ;-)
[email protected] says
As an American I am used to skillet recipes, and I love this thickened up cheesy chilli dish. I would love this with a slab of double corn cornbread to soak up all those spicy and smoky flavours. And like you, I am not so good at cutting these hard squashes. But the risk seems to be worth it. :-)
Sally - My Custard Pie says
Black beans are a recent discovery by me but super useful when you have a vegetarian in the family. This could well be supper tonight (although it's 40 C outside so far from autumnal!)
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Wow I don't think we ever get to 40 degrees even in the middle of summer! That's mad, don't think I could handle that!
Eileen says
This sounds so good! Perfect for the first chilly evenings (which are not really arriving yet here in CA, but hey). I think the term "skillet," when it means "something cooked in a skillet," is actually native to the American south, not the whole country, since that's where the cast-iron skillet really reigns. Regionalisms! Language!
Kate @ Veggie Desserts says
Skillet skillet skillet skillet. Ooh, I do love saying that as well. And lucky for me I have all of these ingredients at home. I get to have this for dinner tomorrow! Hurrah!
sassygirl says
this looks so good! and there's just something perfect about the
colors in this dish for fall: orange and black. oh yes!
thanks for sharing. :)
Regina says
This recipe makes me smile. I have a butternut squash sittin on my counter and I was wondering what to do with it. Now I know!! Also, have black beans in the pantry and cilantro (fresh coriander ) still in the garden (at least until a frost comes!) Perfect! Thanks for another timely posting!
Handmade by Lorna says
This looks so scrummy - I have a HUGE bns in the fridge but have never tried black beans, I know that they sell them in my local health food shop so I shall hurry myself along there tomorrow, I think that I know what I am having for tea tomorrow. Thank you for the recipe.
Angela Gilmore says
I love butternut squash with black beans, there is something so wonderful about the sweet and savory flavor of it. When I was in college I had the best sweet potato and black bean soup that I have been trying desperately ever since to recreate. One of the fun things about 'skillet' meals in the US, especially in restaurants, is that they are served in the skillet they were cooked in. I get an English scramble at a local breakfast place and they serve it in a small skillet (though I think they just transfer it into it after the eggs have been cooked) and it comes out all sizzly and melty. This would be perfect for that kind of serving.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
I'd love a few of those mini skillets! Unfortunately I don't have any at the moment so had to make do with a plate ;)
ahu @ ahueats says
This is like fall in a plate! Looks so good!