Slow-Cooker Beans and Quinoa With Scallions, Cheddar, and Hot Sauce
From Nicole Perry, POPSUGAR Food; beans technique adapted from The Kitchn [1]
Notes
Heirloom beans like Rancho Gordo's Christmas lima beans [2] are absolutely worth the (relative) splurge here: their texture and flavor are superlative. If you're particularly sensitive to heat, reduce the hot sauce to 1/2 tablespoon per mason jar — as is, the recipe is mildly spicy.
Ingredients
- For the beans:
1 pound Christmas lima beans or other meaty, earthy bean
2 bay leaves
1 large garlic clove, peeled
4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- For each mason jar:
1 cup cooked quinoa [3]
2/3 cup cooked beans, plus a few spoonfuls of the liquor
1 tablespoon runny, vinegary hot sauce, such as Crystal
1/2 a scallion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup (unpacked) shredded sharp white cheddar, such as Cabot
1-2 tablespoons cilantro, optional
Directions
- Cook the beans: Rinse the beans. Discard any shriveled ones.
- Add the beans, bay leaves, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, and enough water to cover the beans by about 2 inches to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. When the beans are soft, but still a little more firm than you'd like, add the remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and continue cooking until done.
- Cool the beans, and transfer to a resealable container with their liquor (the flavorful liquid they're cooked in) or divvy them up into mason jar lunches.
- Assemble the mason jars: For every 1/2-liter [4]- or pint-size mason jar [5] (they have similar volumes), layer the quinoa, beans, hot sauce, scallions, and cheddar. Pack the cilantro in a resealable plastic bag or wrap it in a piece of parchment, and tuck it into the top of the mason jar.
- When ready to eat, transfer the contents of the mason jar (except the cilantro) to a microwave-safe bowl; heat until hot (about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes). Roughly chop the cilantro, and sprinkle on top. Stir everything together before eating.
Information
- Category
- Main Dishes, Beans
- Cuisine
- North American
- Yield
- 8-10 servings of beans