Who doesn’t like a good quesadilla?! Gooey cheesy goodness between perfectly golden tortillas. Sauteed black beans and charred poblanos turn the classic cheese quesadilla into the perfect vegetarian quesadilla recipe! Additional veggies like charred red bell peppers, corn, and fresh herbs add in extra pops of flavor. More filling and nutritious than your typical cheese quesadilla!
The charred poblanos are really what give this vegetarian quesadilla recipe its unique flavor. The earthyness you get from charring the poblanos really shines through in the end product. If you have never tried charring peppers before you are certainly missing out! All you need is a broiler and you are good to go. Poblanos are also a very mild pepper so those that can’t handle spicy can still enjoy them!
Yes this recipe will take a bit more effort than just throwing some cheese between a tortilla, but you gotta put in the work to reap the benefits. Serve them cut into wedges with your favorite hot sauce (Tapatio for us!), guacamole, and salsas for the perfect appetizer to start off a backyard BBQ. Or have just have these as a great weeknight dinner for meatless Mondays!
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Other Recipes to Try
Black Bean and Poblano Vegetarian Quesadilla
Ingredients
- 4 large poblano chile
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 15oz can of whole kernel sweet corn drained and rinsed
- 1 15oz can of black beans drained and rinsed
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground chile pepper
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 pinch dried oregano
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 1 lb Mexican blend shredded cheese
- 6 large flour tortillas 10 inch
- 6 tsp vegetable oil
Instructions
Quesadilla Filling
- Preheat oven to broil setting. Place all peppers onto a large flat sheet pan. Broil peppers in oven for 20 minutes, flip the peppers every 5 minutes to ensure all sides get evenly charred.
- While the peppers are broiling in the oven, heat the 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in garlic and oregano, saute for 1 minute. Add in the black beans and corn, thoroughly mix and saute for another 1 minute.
- Season with kosher salt, black pepper, cumin, ground chili pepper, and paprika. Mix to combine. Turn down the heat to medium-low. Saute for an additional 3 minutes to help seasonings soak in, stir occasionally.
- There should be sufficient moisture from the corn to keep the beans from burning but if you notice the pan getting too dry go ahead and add a tbsp of veg broth or water. Take pan off the heat and set aside.
- Remove sheet pan from the oven, transfer the charred peppers into a heat-proof bowl and tightly cover the top with plastic wrap. This will trap the heat from the peppers and allow the peppers to steam themselves. Let sit for 15 minutes. Once peppers are cool enough to handle, peel skin off the outside and remove the seeds from the inside. Drain any liquid inside the peppers.
- Chop the peppers into a medium dice. Drain any excess liquid from the chopped peppers and transfer them into a large mixing bowl. Drain the black bean and corn mixture and add them to the mixing bowl and toss to combine. (Make sure all ingredients are at least at room temperature before continuing to the next step. Refrigerate mixture if needed to cool it down.)
- Add in the cilantro, green onions, and cheese. Toss to combine.
Building the Quesadilla
- If you have a large clean work surface lay down all six tortillas. If not, build one at a time on a large cutting board. Fill half of each tortilla with 1 cup of the quesadilla filling mix and fold over the other half to make half moons.
Cooking the Quesadilla
- For the purposes of this recipe we will be searing and cooking the quesadillas one at a time. However if you have a griddle large enough feel free to cook multiple at once.
- Heat 1 tsp vegetable oil in a large flat skillet over medium heat. Add in one quesadilla. Cook for 1 minute on each side. Lower heat to low and cook for an additional 2 minutes per side to melt the cheese. Repeat for the rest of the quesadillas.
- Serve with your favorite hot sauce or salsa and enjoy!
