Black bean and cheese quesadillas
Black beans, cheese, and tortillas become a crisp, filling family meal with only a few minutes at the stove.
Original Helping Plate recipe · Independently written for this site. Cover image is an illustrative serving suggestion.
- Prep
- 8 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Makes
- 4 servings
- Budget note
- Often under $8
Directions
- 1
Season the beans
Place the drained beans in a bowl with cumin, garlic powder, and salt. Mash about half of them with a fork, leaving the rest whole.
- 2
Fill the tortillas
Divide the bean mixture and cheese across four tortillas, keeping the filling about 1/2 inch from the edges. Top with the remaining tortillas and press gently.
- 3
Cook the first sides
Warm 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the quesadillas one or two at a time for 2–3 minutes, until golden underneath.
- 4
Flip and finish
Turn carefully with a wide spatula and cook for another 2 minutes, until the second side is crisp and the cheese has melted. Add the remaining oil as needed for later batches.
- 5
Rest and slice
Let each quesadilla rest for 1 minute, then cut into wedges. Serve with optional salsa or yogurt.
Make it work with what you have
Use pinto beans, refried beans, or drained lentils. Corn tortillas can replace flour tortillas, although smaller tortillas are easier to fold after warming.
Simple and filling
Lightly mashing some of the beans keeps the filling in place, while a moderate amount of cheese helps each quesadilla hold together without making the meal expensive.
Storage
Refrigerate cooked quesadillas in a covered container within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Reheat in a dry skillet, toaster oven, or air fryer until the center reaches 165°F.
Stretch this meal further
These are Helping Plate’s practical additions for shopping carefully and cooking with food-distribution staples.
- Drain and rinse the beans well so the filling does not make the tortillas soggy.
- Cook over medium heat rather than high heat so the cheese melts before the tortilla gets too dark.
- Add leftover corn, cooked vegetables, or chopped spinach, but keep the filling fairly dry.
Equipment
Large skillet · Medium bowl · Fork · Spatula · Can opener
Cuisine
Mexican-inspired
Dietary notes
Vegetarian · Egg-free
Check for allergens
Milk · Wheat/gluten in flour tortillas
