This easy vegetarian quesadilla recipe is a filling meatless dinner loaded with black beans, corn, peppers, cheese, and spices that takes just 20 minutes to make. This veggie quesadilla will appeal to meat eaters and vegetarians alike.
This year I’ve had so many readers who aren’t vegetarian ask for more meatless meals. With how expensive meat is, I totally get it. But at the same time, I understand that a lot of you aren’t looking for meat swaps or tofu recipes. You want a hearty, delicious meal that is meatless without screaming vegetarian at you.
This amazing veggie quesadilla is meatless, but also filling, flavorful, and delicious in a way that will win over even the biggest meat lover. Even better, it only takes 20 minutes to make. A budget friendly dinner that is on the table in under 30 minutes is a huge win.
Why You’ll Love These Vegetarian Quesadillas
- Ready in just 20 minutes
- Black beans make them filling
- They have 30 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber per serving
- Made with inexpensive ingredients
- Easy to customize
Key Ingredients for Vegetarian Quesadillas
- Bell Peppers: While I’m calling for a red and orange bell pepper here, any bell peppers you like would work here, keeping in mind that green bell peppers aren’t as sweet. You could even use poblano peppers.
- Black Beans: If your family doesn’t like black beans, pinto beans that have been drained and rinsed would be a great substitute.
- Frozen Corn: Cooked fresh corn and canned corn would also work here.
- Seasonings: All of the seasonings could replaced with 2 teaspoons of taco seasoning.
- Colby-Jack cheese: Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or another cheese that melts well could work as a substitute.
How to Make a Vegetarian Quesadilla
- Sauté the vegetables in olive oil so they are really tender going into the quesadilla. Then add in the beans and corn so they warm up with the seasonings.
- Lightly spray a skillet with cooking spray. Layer half a tortilla with cheese, some of the vegetable mixture, and more cheese. Fold over the tortilla over and cover the skillet, allowing the quesadilla to cook for two minutes. Flip the tortilla, return the cover, and cook for two more minutes.
Tips for the Best Veggie Quesadillas
- Eliminate moisture from vegetables. This will keep your quesadillas from being soggy. To do this we use hearty vegetables and we sauté them before adding them. Vegetables like zucchini and mushrooms can be used, but should be cooked very well so they don’t lead to soggy quesadillas.
- Use freshly grated cheese. In addition to using a cheese that melts well, grate the cheese freshly from the block. It will melt better than pre-shredded cheese that is coated in preservatives keeping the cheese from melting seamlessly.
- Keep the heat low. Low heat allows the cheese to melt without burning the tortilla. The tortilla will crisp up to a golden brown at the same time the cheese is thoroughly melted.
- Use a cover. Covering the skillet while the quesadilla cooks is the best way to ensure a perfectly cooked inside without burning the outside.
Using Vegetables You Have
The sky is really the limit when you are making a veggie quesadilla at home. If you want to use one of the vegetables listed below that isn’t in my original recipe, I suggest swapping out something that is in the recipe. That way you can keep the ratios the same.
Watery vegetables should be cooked well first. Though we are sautéing the peppers and onions first, other vegetables will need to be cooked longer to eliminate the water in them. These are vegetables like spinach, mushrooms, and zucchini.
Roast hearty vegetables first. Vegetables like sweet potatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower should be cut quite small and roasted until tender.
Storing and Reheating
Leftover quesadillas should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for four to five days. To reheat, place them back in the skillet over very low heat, covered. Flip them half way through reheating. These also reheat really well in the air fryer. You could even warm them in the oven on a baking sheet, keeping the oven temperature low.
What to Serve with Vegetarian Quesadillas
We have some really great dishes that would go very well with this vegetarian quesadilla recipe. You can make a full meatless spread with these recipes.
If you make this Vegetarian Quesadilla recipe or any of my other recipes, please come back and leave a star rating. It helps other readers so much.
Recipe Video
Vegetarian Quesadilla
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 orange bell pepper diced
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup black beans drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup frozen corn
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- dash of black pepper
- 4 cups shredded Colby-Jack cheese
- 6 10 inch flour tortillas
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the bell peppers, onion, and garlic until the vegetables are tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 red bell pepper, 1 orange bell pepper, 1 small yellow onion, 2 garlic cloves
- Stir the black beans, corn, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper into the vegetable mixture and remove it from the heat.1 cup black beans, 1/2 cup frozen corn, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, dash of black pepper
- Place a clean large skillet that you can fit with a lid over very low heat.
- Working with one tortilla at a time, spray the skillet with a very small amount of cooking spray. Place the tortilla in the skillet. On one half of the tortilla, add about 2/3 cup of a cheese, 1/2 a cup of vegetable filling and a little more cheese. Fold the tortilla over on itself.4 cups shredded Colby-Jack cheese, 6 10 inch flour tortillas
- Let it cook for about two minutes or until the shell begins to turn golden brown. Cover while it is cooking. Flip it over, recover, and cook for another two minutes.  Repeat with the other tortillas.
- Slice with a pizza cutter and enjoy.
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