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    Home » Lunch & Dinner

    Refried Bean Quesadillas

    Published: Jan 18, 2024 » Modified: Jan 18, 2024 by Haley » This post may contain affiliate links

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    Refried bean quesadillas stacked.

    These Refried Bean Quesadillas are so tasty with such minimal ingredients. Salsa is mixed with the beans to add easy flavor, then poblano peppers and onions are sautéd until soft, and it’s all topped with gooey melted cheese. An easy quick vegetarian lunch or meal that’ll definitely hit the spot. 

    Stack of quesadillas.
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Step by step instructions
    • Recipe variations
    • Tips and tricks
    • What to serve with quesadillas
    • FAQs
    • Storage and reheating
    • Make ahead tips
    • More vegetarian recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    Ingredients

    These delicious veggie quesadilla recipe is made with some simple ingredients that pack in a whole lot of flavor. Quantities are listed in the recipe card at the end of this post. 

    Ingredients for refried bean quesadillas.
    • Refried beans: Canned refried beans are great for this, but if you have homemade definitely use them! For canned beans, I prefer the following brands: Siete, Old El Paso, and Taco Bell. Refried beans are most commonly made with either black beans or pinto beans. If you are needing this recipe to be vegetarian make sure you look for canned beans that meet that criteria as some are made with meat products. 
    • Salsa: Any of your favorite jarred salsa, can be salsa roja (classic red salsa) or salsa verde 
    • Cheese: I like to just simply use a Mexican blend which is typically a blend of cheddar, monterey jack, queso quesadilla and asadero cheeses
    • Onion: One yellow onion sliced. Red onion also works fine for this. 
    • Poblano pepper: One poblano pepper seeds removed and sliced the same thickness as the onion. Poblano peppers are a mild chili pepper. They taste most similar to a green bell pepper, but a little richer, deeper, and smokier in flavor and. 
    • Tortillas: Corn tortillas are more traditional, but I prefer flour tortillas. The size tortilla is up to your discretion, but I usually use the soft shell taco size by the brand Mission; it's big enough but not too big.
      • You could use a corn tortilla but the store bought ones tend to be pretty fragile so no promises that it’ll hold up as well as flour would. Corn tortillas do have a really nice flavor though, so if you’re willing to risk a little breakage I say go for it 🙂 
    • Spices: Salt, black pepper, and a little bit of cumin are added to the sautéd pepper and onion to season and flavor. 
    • Olive oil: A little olive oil is used to sauté the pepper and onion. Really any cooking oil works. 

    Step by step instructions

    Salsa and refried beans mixed together.

    1. In a medium bowl, mix together the salsa and the refried beans.

    Sautéd peppers and onions.

    2. Warm a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil, peppers, onions, and spices and sauté for 10 minutes until soft and lightly golden brown. Set aside. 

    Assembly of quesadillas.

    3. Assemble –  evenly spread the refried bean mixture on half of each tortilla. Then evenly disperse a little of the peppers and onions, and a little of the cheese. Fold the bare half of the tortilla over the fillings. 

    Cooking the quesadillas.

    4. Cook – wipe the skillet you used for the peppers and onions clean. Warm it over medium heat and place a quesadilla in. Cook on each side for 2-3 minutes until golden brown with melty cheese. Cut into smaller triangles to eat. 

    Recipe variations

    • If you want to add more vegetables to these refried bean quesadillas I’d recommend corn, sliced bell peppers, 
    • If you want to add meat into this quesadilla, ground beef or pulled pork would be great options.
    • You can use a can of regular beans and smash them a bit with a fork, potato masher, or blitz them in a food processor. 
    • Instead of just cumin on the peppers and onions you can add chili powder or chipotle powder, or simply use a taco seasoning.

    Tips and tricks

    • You can fold the quesadilla (half moon) or layer two (circle). This recipe provides instructions for folding, but if you’d rather a big circle: add fillings to the entire surface area of one tortilla and place a second tortilla on top. 
    • You can make these quesadillas as big or small as you’d like – if you use smaller tortillas they will be more hand-held, and a bigger tortilla will likely need to be cut into smaller pieces. 
    • To keep the quesadillas from getting soggy, place them on a wire rack over a baking sheet when they each finish cooking. This allows the air to circulate and keep the exterior crispy, as opposed to condensation forming with the heat and making them soggy.
    • While a non stick pan works great for this recipe, you can also use a well seasoned cast iron skillet or a grill pan. Use a light layer of vegetable oil or cooking spray if you're worried about sticking. 
    • To make this recipe vegan use a vegan cheese and make sure the refried beans are vegan. 
    • If the quesadillas start to get a little too brown before the cheese melts turn the heat down to medium-low. 
    • If you'd like to make homemade refried beans, here's a recipe I recommend 

    What to serve with quesadillas

    I like to serve these refried bean quesadillas with guacamole, salsa (bonus points if it's homemade salsa), and avocado crema for dipping.

    • To make avocado crema, blend together 1 avocado, juice of 1 lime, 2 tablespoon sour cream, a few tablespoon of cilantro, and salt. 

    FAQs

    Can I use only one kind of cheese instead of a Mexican blend?

    You can. The best cheese for quesadillas are either monterey jack or sharp cheddar. Even better if you can do a combination of the two!

    Are poblano peppers spicy?

    No, they are one of the most mild peppers. They range from 1,000 - 2,000 on the Scoville Scale; some of the hottest peppers are 1,000,000 SHU (Scoville Heat Units). 

    Are refried beans healthy?

    Generally speaking, yes, they have a lot of fiber and protein and are relatively healthy. However, depending on what they’re mixed with they can start to lean unhealthy (e.g., bacon fat, etc.). 

    Finished refried bean quesadillas on a platter.

    Storage and reheating

    • Store leftover quesadillas in an airtight container or bag in the fridge for up to 1-2 days.
    • To reheat, either warm in the microwave for a few minutes or in a skillet on medium low heat. 

    Make ahead tips

    While I wouldn’t recommend fully making these refried bean quesadillas in advance, you can prep some elements to make assembly and finishing quicker. 

    • You can cook the peppers and onions in advance and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
    • You can also mix the beans and salsa together in advance and store it in the fridge in a jar or container for up to 3 days.

    Then when you’re ready to cook the quesadillas you have these elements ready to go.  

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    📖 Recipe

    Close up of stack of quesadillas.

    Refried Bean Quesadillas

    These Refried Bean Quesadillas are so tasty with such minimal ingredients. Salsa is mixed with the beans to add easy flavor, then poblano peppers and onions are sautéd until soft, and it’s all topped with gooey melted cheese. An easy quick vegetarian lunch or meal that’ll definitely hit the spot. 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 servings

    Ingredients

    • 4 8" flour tortillas
    • 1 cup refried beans
    • ½ cup salsa
    • 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
    • 1 yellow onion sliced
    • 1 poblano pepper sliced
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon cumin

    Instructions

    • In a medium bowl, mix together the salsa and the refried beans.
    • Warm a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil, peppers, onions, and spices and sauté for 10 minutes until soft and lightly golden brown. Set aside.
    • Assemble –  evenly spread the refried bean mixture on half of each tortilla. Then evenly disperse a little of the peppers and onions, and a little of the cheese. Fold the bare half of the tortilla over the fillings.
    • Cook – wipe the skillet you used for the peppers and onions clean. Warm it over medium heat and place a quesadilla in. Cook on each side for 2-3 minutes until golden brown with melty cheese. Cut into smaller triangles to eat.

    Video

    Nutrition Estimate

    Calories: 349kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 1797mg | Potassium: 274mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 649IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 730mg | Iron: 2mg
    Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American, Mexican
    Keyword: Quesadilla, Vegetarian Quesadilla
    Author: Haley

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    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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