Loaded black beans quesadillas are packed with beans, sautéed onions, bell pepper, spinach, and a generous amount of cheese. They are hearty and make a quick and easy weeknight meal that can be customized to your taste!
Who doesn't enjoy a good quesadilla?
They are one of the simplest and fastest meals to prepare, and the options for stuffing are endless!
This homemade Mexican Quesadilla the go-to recipe for weeknight meals in our house! For a busy night or if you want something hot and delicious, but you need it fast, they are ideal! There isn't much prep time required for these quesadillas, and the filling is packed with flavor.
Loaded Black Beans Quesadilla is like a sandwich made of flour tortillas with a savory filling of cheese and veggies. Then they're then toasted on a hot griddle and folded in half to make a half-moon quesadilla.
Check out another delicious Mexican recipe - Cilantro Lime Brown Rice, Mexican Black Beans, and Vegetarian Taco Soup.
Why you’ll love these Black Bean Quesadilla
- They're loaded with flavor
- Ridiculously easy to prepare.
- Need only a few pantry staples
- The filling can be meal prepped
- Healthy with the addition of both beans and veggies
- And my family loves them!
Ingredients you’ll need
- Oil - I use olive oil, you can also use avocado or another plant based oil as well.
- Black Beans: Dry black beans can be pressure cooked and used in this recipe, but I like canned black beans for the convenience in this recipe. If you plan to make your own black beans at home, check out my instant pot black beans recipe.
- Lime Juice: It will adds up tanginess to the filling.
- Veggies: You’ll need onions, bell pepper and spinach. Cut into thin slices and chop spinach. However, feel free to experiment with other veggies.
- Spices: I mainly used taco seasoning. I used readymade store bought seasoning.
- Tortillas: I have used flour tortillas, , but feel free to use wheat tortillas or even almond flour low carb tortillas if you prefer.
- Cheese: Use your preferred Mexican or Cheddar cheese. I have used mexican blend here.
How to make?
Make the veggie filling
- In a pan over medium-high heat, sauté onion and bell pepper in oil for 2-3 minutes, or until tender.
- Combine the black beans, chopped spinach, taco seasoning, and salt. Cook for another 1-2 minutes. Set aside the mixture.
Make the quesadilla
- In a large pan or griddle, drizzle a thin layer of oil or spray with cooking spray over the top.
- Heat one side of the tortilla, and flip it.
- Assemble: Spread the cheese(optional), beans mixture and again some cheese on the tortillas. Wrap the tortilla into half around the filling.
- Cook: Cook for 2-3 minutes per side on medium-high heat, or until the outside is crispy and the cheese has completely melted. Repeat until all tortillas are filled and all fillings are used.
- Serve with salsa or sour cream on the side.
What to serve with quesadillas?
Serve the quesadillas hot with guacamole, salsa, or sour cream on the side. We also enjoy pairing them with Pineapple Mango Salsa or avocado cilantro crema.
Variations for Black Beans Quesadilla
This loaded black bean filling for these quesadillas is delicious, but if you want to change things up a bit, here are some suggestions.
Vary the Veggies: Corn kernels, mushrooms, chopped tomatoes, or any other color bell pepper; in addition to the green already included. Instead of spinach, swiss chard or kale leaves can be used instead. However, keep in mind that they may take a bit longer to cook.
Change the beans: You can use different beans such as pinto beans, red kidney beans, or chickpeas in this recipe.
Topping: Chopped cilantro, sliced avocado or guacamole, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, or freshly shredded lettuce are all excellent topping alternatives.
Make it spicy: Add jalapenos when making the filling.
Tips to make perfect Loaded Black Beans Quesadilla?
Veggies: Thinly slice the veggies for the filling. Large hunks of stuff will fall out of a quesadilla, and you'll wind up with molten cheese streaming down. Cut them off as thinly as possible!
How to: For each quesadilla, use one tortilla. Then fold it in half to make a half-moon shape. This method allows you to make two quesadillas at once, snuggled in the pan with their folded sides adjacent to each other. Giant, circular quesadillas created from two tortillas are difficult to flip and slice.
Be patient: Don't turn the heat up too much. Moderate heat is ideal for slowly melting the cheese and crisping the tortillas without burning them. Reduce the heat as needed, and then cook each side long enough for them to get deeply brown and crisp. The crispiness is the key.
Use a packet or container of store-bought taco seasoning to make these loaded black bean quesadillas very quick and simple. We love the taco seasoning we buy from Costco.
It is best to make the filling ahead of time, and assemble/cook the quesadillas when eating. But in a pinch, quesadillas can be assembled and cooked ahead of time, but they wont be as good as the fresh ones. Reheat them in a pan on the stovetop or in the oven before serving. They will last for about 2-3 days.
Yes, quesadilla's can be filled and freezed. You want to make sure to separate each with a parchment paper, so they don't stick together. Freeze for up to 2 months in freezer safe containers or bags.
Reheat on a stovetop on a cast iron skillet, or in the oven at 350F for 10-15 minutes (or air fryer for 5 minutes).
Easy Loaded Black Bean Quesadillas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 cup Onion sliced
- 1 cup Bell Pepper sliced
- 1 cup Black Beans I used canned
- 1 cup Spinach chopped (optional)
- 2 tablespoon Taco Seasoning adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon Salt adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon Lime juice
- 4 Tortilla medium
- 2 cup Mexican cheese blend or Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the canned black beans (or use precooked homemade black beans). Put them aside.
- In a pan over medium-high heat, sauté onion and bell pepper in oil for 2-3 minutes, or until tender.
- Combine the black beans, chopped spinach, taco seasoning, and salt. Cook for another 1-2 minutes. Set aside this filling.
- In a large pan or griddle, drizzle a thin layer of oil or spray with cooking spray over the top.
- Spread the cheese(optional), beans mixture, and again cheese on the tortillas. Wrap the tortilla into half around the filling.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes per side on medium-high heat, or until the outside is crispy and the cheese has completely melted. Repeat until all tortillas are filled and all fillings are used.
- Serve with salsa, guacamole or sour cream on the side.
Video
Notes
- For each quesadilla, use one tortilla. Then fold it in half to make a half-moon shape. This method allows you to make two quesadillas at once, snuggled in the pan with their folded sides adjacent to each other. Giant, circular quesadillas created from two tortillas are difficult to flip and slice.
- Don't turn the heat up too much. Moderate heat is ideal for slowly melting the cheese and crisping the tortillas without burning them. Reduce the heat as needed, and then cook each side long enough for them to get deeply brown and crisp. The crispiness is the key.
- Thinly Prepare your fillings by slicing them. Large chunks of stuff will fall out of a quesadilla, and you'll wind up with molten cheese streaming down. Cut them off as thinly as possible!
Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
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