When my little brother was younger, he was the Quesadilla King. We went through 20 lb. packs of tortillas and a huge block of cheddar cheese from Costco that would kill someone if it fell on them. Every damn day, as soon he got home from school it was quesadilla time. He knew how to cook eggs and quesadillas and that was about it. I have no idea how this happened. Ease, perhaps? Eggs are easy and quick enough and the same is true with quesadillas. His quesadilla consisted of a comical amount of cheese sandwiched between two tortillas and microwaved into a gooey, oily limpness. He apparently didn't have a very sophisticated palate at the age of ten. We'll cut him some slack.
How my parents allowed him to make quesadillas everyday of his pre-teen life is beyond me. He still probably has that damn cheese all clogged up in his arteries. Okay anyways, that quesadilla is fine for a ten year old maybe, but not for a vegan foodie! For my quesadilla I wanted something basic but delicious. Crispy tortillas, layered with beany, cheesy goodness. Goodbye greasy, limp cheese quesadillas, it's the age of the Toasty Bean & Cheese Quesadillas! A classic comfort food and mostly healthy too. I'll have to introduce you to my little brother.
Toasty Bean & Cheese Quesadillas
Inspired by Sugar Coated Vegan
Makes 2 full quesadillas
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped small
- 5 large garlic cloves, minced fine
- 2 15 oz. cans of black beans (or your bean of choice), drained and rinsed
- 1 cup of salsa, divided in half
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
- 1 bag of Daiya cheddar cheese
- 4 medium flour tortillas
- 7 small sweet peppers, sliced thin
First, drain and rinse your beans. Then chop the onions and cilantro (set aside) and mince the garlic. In a medium pot heat the olive oil, then add the onion and garlic. Saute until the onions are soft.
Next, add the beans, 1/2 cup of salsa and the salt to the pot and combine with the onions and garlic. Make an effort to mash the beans up while stirring. Cook until the bean mixture is thoroughly heated. Add in the cilantro and stir to combine. Slice up the sweet little peppers and set aside. Aren't they just darling?
Heat a medium frying pan and spray with a nonstick cooking spray. Place one tortilla in the pan and add 1/2 of the cheese , scattering it over the tortilla. Over medium-low, allow the cheese to melt ensuring not to burn the bottom of the tortilla.
Once the cheese is mostly melted, add half of the bean mixture on top and half of the sliced peppers on top of that. Place a tortilla on top and gently flip. Cook until the new tortilla has browned and the cheese is fully melted.
Cut it up however you'd like and serve with your favorite salsa!
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped small
- 5 large garlic cloves, minced fine
- 2 15 oz. cans of black beans (or your bean of choice), drained and rinsed
- 1 cup of salsa, divided in half
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
- 1 bag of Daiya cheddar cheese
- 4 medium flour tortillas
- 7 small sweet peppers, sliced thin
- In a medium pot heat the olive oil, then add the onions and garlic.
- Saute until soft and add beans, 1/2 cup of salsa and salt to the pot.
- Mash the beans up while stirring cooking until thoroughly heated.
- Add in the cilantro and stir to combine.
- Heat a medium frying pan and spray with a nonstick cooking spray.
- Place one tortilla in the pan and add 1/2 of the cheese.
- Allow the cheese to mostly melt then add half the bean mixture on top and half of the sliced peppers on top of that. Place a tortilla on top and gently flip.
- Cook until the new tortilla has browned and the cheese is fully melted.
- Cut it up however you'd like and serve with your favorite salsa!
