Black bean noodles

Black noodles.

When I was a teenager, and “helping” my mom repaint my bedroom, I painted my closet black. Which immediately made it impossible to find anything, as all my clothes were black as well.

Which is likely why, years later, the goth girl in me grabbed a package of black bean noodles while grocery shopping. Pasta is wonderful, they’re healthy, and here was a gluten-free pasta I hadn’t tried before!

Black bean noodles, topped with sesame seeds, and paired with sweet potatoes and apple cider.

So, I bring you the Halloween edition of my blog: black bean noodles. I had planned on doing a post involving roasted pumpkins and fancy soup, but then I had papers to grade, and, well.

Tearing open the package, I was a little nervous, as the noodles were really skinny. I cooked them al dente, so they were a bit chewy, but they held up  well— despite being so thin.

The uncooked noodles, with a fork for comparison.

They have a chewy, satisfying texture and a subtle, distinctive taste. I put sesame seeds and a little salt and oil on them, and they were very good. They reminded me a little of soba, or buckwheat, noodles.

Also: they’re low in calories, but super high in protein. Which makes me think they’d be great in stir fries— I could just pile on the veggies, and not worry so much about tofu for protein.

Finally: they just look really, really cool. Being tasty and nutritious is a plus, but look at them. I mean, black noodles.

Where do you get black bean noodles? Fancy grocery stores: I’ve seen them at both Hiller’s and Plum Market. UPDATE: I’ve also bought ’em in the gluten-free section of Meijer.

Black noodles.