Black Bean Cheesy Quesadilla (Printable)

A cheesy quesadilla with black beans and peppers, ready in under 30 minutes for a satisfying meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
02 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
03 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (optional)

→ Beans & Cheese

06 - 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
07 - 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
08 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

→ Tortillas & Seasonings

09 - 4 large flour tortillas (10-inch)
10 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - ½ teaspoon chili powder
13 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
14 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ To Serve (Optional)

15 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
16 - Sour cream
17 - Salsa or pico de gallo
18 - Lime wedges

# How to Make:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped red onion and cook for 2 minutes until softened.
02 - Add diced red and green bell peppers, jalapeño, and minced garlic. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables are tender.
03 - Stir in rinsed black beans, ground cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Cook for an additional 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
04 - Lay a tortilla flat and evenly sprinkle one quarter each of cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses over half of it. Top with one quarter of the bean and vegetable mixture. Fold the tortilla in half to enclose the filling. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
05 - Wipe out the skillet and add ½ tablespoon of olive oil. Heat over medium flame.
06 - Place each folded quesadilla in the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and the cheese has melted.
07 - Cut quesadillas into wedges and serve hot with chopped cilantro, sour cream, salsa, and lime wedges as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, so you can go from hungry to eating without the fuss.
  • One skillet does most of the work, which means cleanup is blessedly simple.
  • The combination of cheese, beans, and roasted spices is genuinely addictive and feels way more indulgent than it actually is.
02 -
  • Medium heat is your friend here; if the skillet is too hot, the outside of the tortilla will burn before the cheese inside has time to melt properly.
  • Don't overfill your quesadillas or they'll burst open when you flip them, so stick to one quarter of your filling per tortilla even though you'll be tempted to add more.
  • Rinsing your canned beans isn't just helpful, it's essential for keeping the texture right and preventing the filling from becoming paste-like.
03 -
  • If your cheese isn't melting fast enough, cover the quesadilla with a lid or foil tent while it cooks in the skillet to trap the heat and speed up the process.
  • Press gently on the quesadilla with your spatula while it cooks, not aggressively, to help the cheese make contact with the tortilla without breaking everything apart.
  • Taste your filling before you assemble your quesadillas and adjust the seasonings then, not after you've cooked them, since it's impossible to add salt evenly once they're in the pan.
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