This Vegetarian Quesadilla recipe is not your average quesadilla. Filled with cheese, spices, and a delicious vegetable mixture, this veggie quesadilla will be a hit even with your picky eaters.
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.
Let me introduce you to this amazing Veggie Quesadilla. It 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.
How to Make a Vegetarian Quesadilla
- Sauté some of the vegetables. We want the bell peppers, onions, and garlic to be nice and tender, so we are going to sauté them in a little olive oil to start.
- Add in the beans and corn. Because the beans and corn only need to be warmed through, we are just going to toss them in at the end with some simple spices.
- Construct your quesadillas. Lightly spray a skillet that you can cover with some cooking spray. Layer a tortilla, some cheese, some of the veggie mixture, a little more cheese, and another flour tortilla.
The Best Cheese for Quesadillas
When you are thinking about what cheese to use for a quesadilla, you want to use one that melts really well. Our family loves Colby Jack Cheese and that is what we usually reach for when we make quesadillas. So that is what I’m calling for here. Cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack are also a great melting cheeses.
If you are looking to make a more authentic quesadilla, you will want to use a Mexican cheese like:
- Oaxaca: This cheese has a similar texture to Mozzarella, is sometimes known as quesillo, and is named after the state of Oaxaca in the southern part of Mexico.
- Chihuahua: This cheese is named after the state of Chihuahua in the northern part of Mexico. It is also a white cheese and is often sold in a ball.
Grating Cheese for Veggie Quesadillas
While it might be more convenient to buy pre shredded cheese, they just don’t melt as well. They are coated in preservatives that help the shreds stay as single shreds, but this preservative is also what keeps them from melting well. Good melting cheese is key to a delicious quesadilla, so I suggest buying a block of cheese and taking the time to shred it yourself.
What Veggies go in Quesadillas
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.
- Bell Peppers
- Onions
- Black Beans
- Corn
- Mushrooms
- Zucchini
- Spinach
- Poblano Peppers
Seasonings for a Vegetarian Quesadilla
I’m using a small blend of some really common seasonings that you probably already have in your pantry. We are using chili powder, cumin, paprika, and a dash of cayenne pepper. Additionally, we will throw in a little salt and pepper.
If you want to skip measuring out each one of those spices, you could replace it with 2 teaspoons of my Homemade Taco Seasoning. I highly suggest keeping a big batch of this on hand; we use it in so many different recipes.
Homemade Taco Seasoning
What to Serve with Vegetarian Quesadillas
We have some really great dishes that would go very well with this vegetarian quesadilla recipe.
If you make this Vegetarian Quesadilla recipe or any of my other recipes, please leave me a comment and let me know what you think.
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.
- Stir the black beans, corn, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper into the vegetable mixture and remove it from the heat.
- 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.
- 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.
LEAVE A COMMENT