This quick vegetarian quesadilla recipe is ready in 10 minutes, it's delicious, and it's the perfect meal for one to use up all those veggies sitting in the back of your fridge. Use up what you have on hand in this no-plan quick dinner.
[This vegetarian quesadilla recipe was originally posted in July 2019. It has been updated with new cooking instructions, expert tips, FAQ, related recipes, and ways to repurpose/use up ingredients]
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If you're like me and 1. never seem to have enough room in your fridge and 2. never seem to have enough time to cook AND eat lunch or dinner, this vegetarian quesadilla recipe is for you.
It comes together really quickly, has delicious and flavorful ingredients, and you can make a few of them to have for leftovers either at work or anytime the next day. These super easy recipes are great for cooking for one.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the vegetarian quesadilla recipe card for the amounts of each ingredient, but here's a quick description of what's in this recipe.
- Onion, Bell pepper: Use whatever kind of onion and pepper you have.These are some simple vegetables to add to this quesadilla, use what you like or have. Zucchini, corn, tomatoes would also be good additions.
- Garlic, Cumin, Oregano, Cayenne Pepper: These are some simple spices to add to your beans. This combination will make your quesadilla more flavorful, but you don't have to add them all.
- Uncooked tortilla: my favorite grocery store tortillas are the uncooked ones, but you can use your favorite, or what you have for this vegetarian quesadilla recipe.
- Black beans: You could use pinto beans or refried beans too. Just choose your favorite/most accessible beans. Smash them together a bit so they don't fall out as easily.
- Lime juice
- Cheddar cheese
- Salsa
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for more detailed instructions. Here's a quick overview + photos to see how to make this recipe in general.
1. Start making your vegetarian quesadilla recipe by heating up a medium sized sautee pan over medium heat. Add oil and onion, bell pepper, garlic, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper to hot pan. Stir often, Remove when translucent.
2. Heat up tortilla in pan. Flip before first side gets browned. Add cheese and then black beans to your vegetarian quesadilla recipe. Smash beans so they stay put.
3. Add veggies back to tortilla and squeeze lime over veggies.
4. Sprinkle shredded cheese over veggies.
5. Fold quesadilla in half and cook until cheese is melted. Enjoy with salsa, guac, and/or sour cream. Enjoy how easy this vegetarian quesadilla recipe is!
Storage/Reheating Tips
Store leftover vegetarian quesadilla in an airtight container for about a week. You can reheat it on the stove, until it's warmed through, or in the microwave.
Substitutions/Tips
- Buy a jar of minced garlic to save A LOT of time and effort. Sure it's not quite as good as fresh, but it's convenient.
- This recipe calls for onion and bell peppers, you can use whatever you have, including onion and bell peppers. Use red bell peppers, white onion, etc.
- Grab pre-chopped vegetables (and cheese) to save time.
- Use taco or fajita seasonings instead of the spices mentioned above.
- I like to mash the beans with a fork so they don't fall out, it'll make this vegetarian quesadilla recipe better.
- Try uncooked tortillas, they taste so much better! But if you don't have any or just like precooked ones, heat them up in the microwave or stove.
- Yes, add more cheese, this will glue the other tortilla/side to the veggies.
- Optional Toppings/Add-ins: red onion, avocado/guacamole, pickled onions, sauteed zucchini/yellow squash, garlic powder, chili powder, etc. You can even add chicken, beef, or fish to your vegetarian quesadilla recipe.
FAQ
Some protein (meat &/or beans), vegetables, and CHEESE. Definitely the cheese. You can also add salsa into the quesadilla, but it's better dipped in salsa.
Add some cheese on both sides of the filling that will touch the quesadilla. Treat the cheese as glue to hold the tortilla to the filling. You can always add more cheese to your vegetarian quesadilla recipe.
A soft, easy to melt cheese is best. Cheddar cheese, Monterey jack cheese, Oxaca melting cheese, etc would work.
Other good recipes with beans
- Refried Bean Tacos
- Breakfast Tacos
- White Bean and Farro Bowl
- Pasta with Black Beans
- Burrito bowl with queso
Repurpose your quesadilla
- Turn your vegetarian quesadilla recipe into taco salad
- Wrap it up in a burrito
- Eat as tacos
What to do with leftover ingredients
When you're cooking for one, you often have leftover produce, cans of whatever ingredient, etc. Here are a couple ideas on how to use up the leftover ingredients. It'll help you save money by wasting fewer ingredients.
- Tortillas, Black Beans: Egg Roll Up (Ugandan Rolex), Freezer Breakfast Tacos, serve on the side of a Burrito Bowl.
- Onions: Egg Roll Up, Lentil Stroganoff, Stuffed Squash with Rice & Ground Beef, or Pumpkin Chili
- Bell Peppers: roast with Roasted Winter Vegetables, add to Beef & Broccoli, add to Apple and Cheddar Omelet, Pumpkin Chili, Fig & Prosciutto Pizza, Soy Sauce Coleslaw.
Did you make this vegetarian quesadilla recipe? leave me a comment to share how it turned out!
Vegetarian Quesadilla Recipe
Equipment
- medium sautee pan
- rubber spatula
- cutting board
- knife
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- ¼ whole sliced onion I used a red onion
- ½ whole sliced red or green bell pepper
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 dash cayenne pepper
- 1 medium uncooked tortilla
- ⅓ cup black beans
- squeeze of lime juice
- ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- salsa
Instructions
- Sautee onions, bell pepper, garlic, oregano, cumin, & cayenne pepper in canola oil for about 4-6 minutes, or until veggies are translucent. Add a squeeze of lime juice to cooked veggies. Transfer to plate. Rinse, then gently smash black beans in a bowl. Prepare cheese.
- Place one tortilla in saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until one side has been heated, about 2-3 minutes, before it gets brown. Flip tortilla over and quickly add a smear of beans to ½ of the tortilla, then veggies and cheese on top of the beans. Fold tortilla in half and cook until cheese is melted and tortilla is browned, about 3-5 minutes.
- Cut into 3 slices, serve with your favorite salsa.
Notes
- Buy a jar of minced garlic to save A LOT of time and effort. Sure it's not quite as good as fresh, but it's convenient.
- Grab pre-chopped vegetables (and cheese) to save time.
- Use taco or fajita seasonings instead of the spices mentioned above. Sure it'll taste a bit different, but it'll still be great!
- I like to mash the beans with a fork so they don't fall out.
- Try uncooked tortillas, they taste so much better! But if you don't have any or just like precooked ones, heat them up in the microwave or stove.
- Yes, add more cheese, this will glue the other tortilla/side to the veggies.
- Other topping ideas: avocado, guacamole, sour cream, or your favorite salsa
- Optional Toppings: red onion, avocado/guacamole, pickled onions, sauteed zucchini, etc.
Phyllis says
I forgot all about making quesadillas. This is perfect for spring, since it's May 1st. Thank you for this recipe!!
Rebecca says
great to hear!
Rosemarie says
I have made this recipe twice now. The pandemic is forcing me to learn to cook again. I actually like this recipe better than the quesadillas in my favorite local Mexican restaurant. I found spinach herb gluten free tortillas to use and they are really good. Thank you!
Rebecca says
that sounds so good! I'm glad you've found this recipe to help you get cooking again! If you get bored with the quesadillas you can make the chicken salad on the blog and wrap it in the rest of your tortillas
Jessica Levinson says
Love how quick and easy this dinner is! Would be great for Meatless Monday too!
Rebecca says
ohh yes it would! thanks Jessica
Angela Cardamone @marathonsandmotivation.com says
Yum, these look so tasty! This is a great quick & easy dinner idea!!
Rebecca says
thanks so much!
jill conyers says
I could easily eat Mexican food everyday. Especially with recipes like this!
Rebecca says
right?! me too for sure!
Emily @Sinful Nutrition says
These look awesome! I am all about those quick and easy meals!
Rebecca says
right?! me too, all about them!