Cheese-Crisped Pinto Bean Quesadillas

By Courtney HillAugust 9, 2023

Makes
4 servings
Cook Time
40 minutes
Rating
5

These ooey-gooey quesadillas boast double the cheese—some is tucked inside the folded tortillas and the rest is sprinkled on the outside. As they toast in the oven, the outer layer of cheese melts and becomes deliciously crisp. Bonus: We cook quesadillas on a baking sheet to make a big batch all at once—no need to stand at the stove cooking quesadillas one by one. To make these vegetarian quesadillas heartier, we include pinto beans (or black beans), which are microwaved with chili powder to infuse them with spice; canned red or green chilies bump up the heat, while lime juice brings an acidic note.

Ingredients

3
tablespoons neutral oil
2
15½-ounce cans pinto beans OR black beans, rinsed and drained
1
tablespoon chili powder
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2
chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, chopped, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce OR ¼ cup drained canned green chilies
2
tablespoons lime juice OR cider vinegar
8
ounces pepper jack OR mozzarella cheese OR queso Oaxaca, shredded (2 cups), divided
8
6-inch flour tortillas
Optional Garnish
Sour cream OR salsa OR guacamole OR pickled jalapeños OR a combination

Step 1

Heat the oven to 475°F with a rack in the middle position. Brush the entire surface of a rimmed baking sheet with the oil.

Step 2

In a large microwave-safe bowl, toss together the beans, chili powder and ¾ teaspoon salt. Cover and microwave on high until hot, 3 to 3½ minutes, stirring once halfway through. Stir in the chipotles with adobo sauce, lime juice and ½ cup of the cheese. Using a potato masher, mash the mixture until relatively smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Step 3

Divide the bean filling evenly among the tortillas and spread it to cover half of each tortilla. Fold the unfilled sides over and gently press to seal. Arrange the filled tortillas on the prepared baking sheet, then flip each one so both sides are coated with oil. Sprinkle the tops of the tortillas with the remaining 1½ cups cheese.

Step 4

Bake until the cheese is melted and the quesadillas begin to brown and crisp on the bottoms, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and, using a wide metal spatula, flip each quesadilla. Bake until browned on the second sides, 2 to 4 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. If desired, cut the quesadillas in half, then serve cheese side up.

Step 5