Fettuccine with Hot Mexican Bean Sauce

Mexican meets Italian in this quick fettuccine dish. Stewed tomatoes, green chiles, and kidney beans simmer into a chunky, spiced sauce that clings to the flat noodles in a way a thin salsa never could.

Partially mashing the beans before stirring them into the tomato mixture is what gives this sauce its body. Some beans break down and thicken the liquid while others stay whole, so you get that creamy-and-chunky texture in every forkful. The half teaspoon of sugar isn’t for sweetness; it tames the acidity of the canned tomatoes and lets the chili powder and oregano come through cleaner.

Fresh cilantro goes in during the simmer, not as a garnish, so its flavor actually cooks into the sauce. The green chiles add a gentle, roasted heat that builds slowly rather than hitting you all at once.

Pro Tips

• Use no-salt-added canned tomatoes as the recipe calls for; regular canned tomatoes will make this way too salty with the beans
• Mash only about half the beans; too much and the sauce turns pasty, too little and it stays thin
• Simmer the full 15 minutes so the flavors meld and the sauce reduces to a proper coating consistency
• Reserve a cup of pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce when you toss it with the fettuccine

Variations

• Black bean version: Swap kidney beans for black beans and add a squeeze of lime at the end
• Meaty: Brown ½ pound ground turkey or chorizo with the onions for a protein boost
• Extra heat: Add a diced jalapeno with the onions or a pinch of cayenne during the simmer