This recipe is decidedly summer and particularly easy. At my local farmer’s market, there’s one stand that sells fresh shucked beans come mid-August. They are incredible. The farmer has huge coolers of different beans, sold by the pound. At different times there will be cranberry, lima, black, butterbean, cow peas, and black eyed peas. Probably there’s others I’m missing. But the beans are just beautiful and people line up, so you definitely have to get to the market early in order to snag a pound or two.
Before encountering these fresh shelled beans at the Baltimore Farmer’s Market and Bazaar, I never saw anyone selling fresh beans like these. So I definitely didn’t know how to cook them either!
For this recipe, I like to pick out really ripe and red heirloom tomatoes. The one in the picture is a Brandywine. You can use whatever tomatoes you have, but heirlooms are much tastier, despite their often cracked and strange exteriors. Cherry tomatoes or Roma tomatoes would also be good!
It turns out that fresh beans are easier to cook than dried beans. I also think the texture is more tender than dried or canned beans. You also do not need to soak them since they are fresh.
To start, rinse and sort the beans well as there will be debris and pieces of the pods mixed in. Place the beans in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then drop to a low simmer. Set the timer for 25 minutes. After the 25 minutes are up, try one to check the texture. If they are still a little firm, then simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
Start with 1/3 cup of dried black eyed peas and place in a bowl. Cover completely with filtered water plus about 2 inches. Allow to sit overnight or about 8 hours. Drain off the soaking liquid. Place the beans in a pot and add water until they are completely covered, plus a little extra. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 45-55 minutes, or until they are tender. Always test a bean or two when the cooking time is close to being done to check on their consistency so they don’t overcook. Also keep an eye on the water level as they are cooking and add more if necessary.
The method to make this vegan pasta dish is very simple and the trick to making this dish come together in about 15 minutes is the timing. Here’s how I do it: I begin by bringing my pasta water to a boil. While my water is heating up, I chop the garlic, tomatoes and kale. Once all the veggies are prepped, I heat the olive oil in my biggest skillet (12″) and add the garlic. While the garlic is just starting to cook, I put the spaghetti in the water. I use a wild rice pasta (this one here) which takes about 7-10 minutes to cook. I really like this pasta because it has a great nutty flavor and for me, rice is easier to digest than whole wheat. But you can use any type of spaghetti you prefer! Make sure to check the cooking time on your pasta so you can time it out. The sauce will take about 10 minutes to cook.
So now my pasta is boiling and the garlic has been cooking for about a minute. I add in the tomatoes, keeping the heat medium-low to prevent the degradation of the olive oil. The tomatoes start to break down and make a bright sauce. I let it simmer for about 5 minutes, then add in the kale and pre-cooked black eyed peas along with a splash of bean cooking water and a cup of the pasta cooking water. I let that simmer again for another 4 minutes. By now, the spaghetti timer is close to going off. I double check the doneness of a noodle. If it’s al dente, that’s perfect. I grab the spaghetti from the pot with tongs and throw it into the skillet with the sauce. I like to add some nutritional yeast and stir it all together. If the sauce is too thick, I add a little more pasta water. That is all! Done and ready in about 15 minutes.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as Andrey and I do. Andrey says it’s one of his favorites! I love that it features fresh summer produce and comes together quickly for an easy dinner that’s low in effort but high in flavor. Enjoy!!
xx
Dr. Romay
Makes 2 large servings
Featuring summertime staples of blacked eye peas, kale, and heirloom tomatoes, this gluten-free, plant-based pasta dish comes together in about 15 minutes and uses only a few simple ingredients!
Author: Leah Romay
Dr. Leah Romay is a dentist passionate about health and wellness and believes that health is possible for everyone. She’s been in the kitchen cooking from scratch for most of her life and greatly enjoys creating healthy and delicious recipes. In addition to practicing dentistry full time, she spends her free time developing recipes, reading scientific studies, and helping others live their healthiest lives through evidence-based lifestyle and diet. Read more about Dr. Romay and her story here.
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