Vegan White Bean Quesadilla

I plan to one day have a quesadilla party. You often hear of taco parties or pizza parties where there is a bar of toppings set up and you can build your own exactly as you like it… but have you ever heard of a quesadilla party? There are so many delicious filling combinations! I feel like it would be a big hit. But until I get around to hosting that party I will share with you one of my favorite quesadilla combinations and the best part, it’s VEGAN! This quesadilla recipe uses a creamy white bean queso with some tasty veggies sandwiched in a folded (and perfectly cooked) tortilla to give you creaminess and lots of flavor in every bite.

To start, we need to make the white bean queso. And this recipe is super easy and doesn’t use a crazy list of ingredients. Blend the beans with a little water until creamy and that gives you the base. Then cook onions and garlic until soft and fragrant and add green chillies, these add tons of flavor and a little kick. Pour the white bean purée into the pan and add nutritional yeast which gives the queso the cheesy flavor. Add a little salt and agave to the mix and the queso is all done. 

Now for the quesadilla filling…  I love the flavor combination of roasted red peppers, corn and spinach with this queso. I have made these where I roasted my own corn and red peppers and I have used the store-bought variety... both options work. For the spinach, I like to sauté it with a little garlic and salt which adds more flavor and it takes two minutes. WORTH IT! As I often say with my recipes, if you don’t like spinach (or red peppers or corn) simply leave it out. Or if you really want a kick try adding some jalapeños!

And then it is time to assemble! I like to make my quesadillas folded in half… Meaning I spread the white bean queso all over one side of the tortilla (like the whole circle) and then layer the filling on to one side of that side (like a half a circle) and then fold the tortilla in half. (Some people prefer to layer two tortillas together. Use whichever method is going to make you happy!) Cook the quesadilla in a pan over medium heat with just a light coating of oil for about 2 minutes on each side until perfectly golden brown and crispy. I would just add to keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn and adjust your heat as needed. 

As for serving suggestions, you could just eat these ‘dillas straight out of the pan and they will be delicious. I have also layered them with some avocado slices and cilantro (maybe a squeeze of lime). Or if you prefer to dip, serve with guacamole, salsa or try my vegan cashew cilantro crema. Enjoy!

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Vegan Quesadilla

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min

Ingredients

White Bean Queso

• 1 - 15 oz can white beans (such as cannellini or great northern beans), drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup onion, finely diced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons diced green chilies (from the can)
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon agave 

Vegan Quesadilla

• 5-6 medium size tortilla
• 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
• 1/2 cup roasted corn
• 1/2 cup cooked spinach ( I like to sauté it with a little garlic and salt)

Instructions

1. BLEND: Place the beans and 1/2 cup of water in a high powered blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
2. COOK: Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add a little oil. Then add the onion and cook until fragrant and starting to get translucent, about 4 minutes. Then add the garlic and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the green chilies and mix well. Pour in the creamy white bean purée, followed by nutritional yeast, salt and agave. Mix well until everything is well combined. Allow to cook for about a minute all together and remove from the heat. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. 
3. ASSEMBLE: Lay the tortillas out flat and spoon a thin layer of the white bean mixture over the entire tortilla. Then layer on the red peppers, corn and spinach to cover one half of the tortilla. Fold the side without the filling to meet the other half with the filling. 
4. COOK: Heat a clean pan over medium heat. Spray with a little non-stick spray or wipe down with a little oil. Add the folded tortillas to the pan, one or two at a time. Cook on the first side for a minute or two until golden brown. Flip and cook on the other side for another minute. Repeat with remaining tortillas. 
5. ENJOY: Serve with avocado, your favorite guacamole or salsa or try my vegan cilantro cashew crema.