Simple Black Bean Quesadillas Recipe

Super simple black bean quesadillas recipe that’s perfect for a quick lunch or dinner served with salad or soup. It’s a delicious meatless main dish that you can make in large batches for a family using an oven.

Quesadillas are a wonderfully simple and quick meal. I almost wonder if a recipe is needed here, but I did get some questions about these black bean quesadillas after they appeared on one of my menus, so I think it’s worthwhile.

If nothing else, just to inspired us to move beyond the basic cheese-and-tortilla, right?

Quesadillas are perfect for easy pantry meals that are wonderful ways to use up leftover meats, beans, and veggies as well as canned foods. So stocking your fridge with tortillas (corn or flour) and cheese means you can have a quick and easy pantry meal anytime!

What is a quesadilla?

For anyone wondering, a quesadilla is sort of a Mexican pizza – or maybe calzone since it’s got a crust on the top and the bottom. At its simplest, is is just cheese sandwiched between two tortillas cooked until melted and crisp.

However, you can add all kinds of ingredients to the cheese filling to create your own version. This is a great way to use up small amounts of meats and vegetables you may have in the fridge.

Black beans and chopped vegetables has become my staple ingredients, though, since the whole family loves the combo and the ingredients add a bit of protein, crunch, and health with added vegetables (I have been known to layer some spinach leaves, too, though you’ll need to chop them – there’s nothing like pulling a hot cheese-covered spinach leaf out in a bite to make you realize that.)

Ingredients & Variations

The ingredients needed to make black bean quesadillas are things you probably have in your pantry and fridge most of the time:

• Tortillas: I like to use whole wheat flour tortillas (less calories and more protein than regular), but you can use any kind of flour or corn tortilla.
• Black Beans: Bonus points if they are from your cooked and frozen bean stash! Out of black beans? Use pinto or white beans.
• Cheese: Cheddar, Jack, or Pepper Jack melt the best, but again – use what you have.

Other optional ingredients you can include are:

• Chopped onions or sliced green onions
• Diced red peppers and/or  jalapeño peppers
• Shredded cooked chicken, turkey, or beef
• Other vegetables like spinach, tomatoes, sautéd mushrooms, etc.

How to Make Black Bean Quesadillas

1. Start with a thin layer of grated cheese on 2 to 3 tortillas (for our family of 4 – adjust for your needs).
2. Add black beans next.
3. Sprinkle with chopped onions, peppers, or other ingredients if using.
4. Add another thin layer of grated cheese to “glue” the beans to both tortillas.
5. Top filling with another tortilla.

How do you cook quesadillas?

There are lots of ways to cook quesadillas once you have them filled:

• A skillet on the stove.
• An electric griddle.
• Even a panini maker.

These are great when making just one, but what if you’d like to make three or more and have them all done at the same time for a family?

My favorite way to cook a number of quesadillas at once: the oven

Using an oven allows you to make a number of quesadillas at once and cooks them evenly with nice crispy edges. Plus, you can create them right on a baking pan as shown above with no need to transfer to a skillet.

How to cook quesadillas in an oven

• Preheat oven to 400 degree.
• Place the pan with the quesadillas on a lower rack of the oven for about 5 minutes.
• Flip and cook for 4 to 5 minutes more or until you see the edges browning and cheese bubbling.

Remove the quesadillas to a cutting board and slice into triangles for serving with a chef’s knife or pizza cutter.

Quesadilla Meal & Serving Ideas

• As an appetizer set out with bowls of guacamole and salsa.
• Alongside soup in the winter (try it with homemade tomato soup or spicy beef, tomato, and corn stew)
• With a taco salad or spicy cumin lime slaw in the summer.
• On their own for lunch anytime.

Other Simple Meals to Try

• Vegetarian Indian Sub-jee Curry Wraps
• Healthy Lemon Vegetable & Fish Foil Packets (Grill or Oven Bake)
• Chicken Lime Lettuce Wraps – a 10 Minute Meal!
• Chipotle Spice Rubbed Grilled Chicken Salad with Guacamole, Corn & Black Beans