This 10-minute Black Bean Quesadilla packs a protein-rich punch while keeping your kitchen time minimal. Perfect for busy weeknights, these crispy tortillas filled with seasoned black beans and melted cheese deliver a satisfying 18g of protein and 6g of fiber per serving.
The best part? You’ll only need 5 minutes of prep and 5 minutes of cooking time to create this Mexican-inspired comfort food that’s both nutritious and delicious.
Fresh Black Bean Quesadilla Ingredients
- Olive Oil: 1 teaspoon, for sautéing vegetables
- Aromatics: 1 minced garlic clove, 1/4 small chopped onion
- Bell Pepper: 1/4 pepper, any color, finely chopped
- Black Beans: 15 oz can, rinsed and drained for best flavor
- Corn: 1 heaping cup, either canned or thawed frozen
- Seasonings: 1/2 tsp each of cumin and chili powder, 1 tsp brown sugar
- Cheese: 2 cups shredded (monterrey jack, colby jack, or cheddar)
- Tortillas: 4 large flour tortillas
- Extras: 1/4 cup salsa, sour cream for serving
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Veggie Prep: Heat olive oil and sauté onion and pepper for 1-2 minutes, then add garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant
- Bean Mixture: Add beans, corn, salsa, and seasonings. Stir well and reduce heat. Adjust flavors to taste
- Assembly: In a separate skillet, lay tortilla and sprinkle cheese, add bean mixture, top with more cheese and second tortilla
- First Side: Cook until bottom tortilla turns golden brown
- Flip and Finish: Carefully flip quesadilla and cook until cheese melts and second side is golden
- Serve: Plate while hot and serve with sour cream and extra salsa
Cooking Techniques
Getting that perfect golden-brown tortilla is super easy! Keep your heat at medium – too hot and your tortilla might burn before the cheese melts. A great tip is to press down gently on your quesadilla with a spatula while it cooks.
This helps create that crispy outside while making sure everything sticks together nicely inside. If you’re making several quesadillas, you can keep the finished ones warm in your oven at 200°F until ready to serve.
Variations and Substitutions
This recipe is so flexible! Switch up the veggies based on what you have – try adding zucchini, mushrooms, or spinach. Not a fan of black beans? Pinto beans work great too! For a spicier kick, add some diced jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce.
Want to make it vegan? Use your favorite dairy-free cheese and skip the sour cream. You can also use corn tortillas instead of flour ones for a gluten-free option – just remember they’re usually smaller, so adjust your filling amount.
Serving Suggestions
Make taco night extra special by setting up a little quesadilla bar! Put out bowls of extra toppings like diced tomatoes, sliced avocado, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges. A side of Mexican rice or a simple green salad makes this a complete meal.
Want to get fancy? Cut your quesadillas into triangles and arrange them on a platter with small bowls of salsa, guacamole, and sour cream for dipping. So fun for parties!
Storage Tips
Already-made quesadillas will stay good in your fridge for 2-3 days. To reheat, pop them in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes on each side – this brings back that nice crispy texture!
The filling mixture alone can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, making it perfect for quick meals during the week. Just warm it up when you’re ready to make fresh quesadillas!
Black Bean Quesadilla
Equipment
- Large skillet
Ingredients
Quesadilla Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/4 small onion chopped
- 1/4 bell pepper any color, chopped
- 15 ounce black beans canned, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn canned or frozen-thawed
- 1/4 cup salsa
- 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 cups shredded cheese monterrey jack, colby jack, or cheddar
- 4 large flour tortillas
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and saute for 1-2 minutes.
- Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
- Add black beans, corn, salsa, brown sugar, cumin and chili powder and stir to combine. Reduce heat. Taste and adjust seasonings, if desired.
- Heat another large skillet. Place one tortilla in the skillet.
- Add a sprinkle of cheese, followed by a heaping scoop of black bean and corn filling and spread into an even layer. Top with another sprinkle of cheese.
- Add a tortilla on top and cook until the bottom tortilla is golden.
- Use a large spatula to carefully flip the tortilla to the other side. Cook until cheese is melted and bottom tortilla is golden brown.
- Serve with sour cream and salsa.
