Veggie Quesadilla Recipe

Prep vegetables

Thinly slice the yellow onion and red bell pepper. Dice the zucchini into small half-moon pieces so they cook quickly. Rinse and drain the black beans if using canned. Measure out corn and spinach.

Cook aromatics and vegetables

Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook 3 minutes until starting to soften. Add the red bell pepper and zucchini and cook 4–5 minutes until vegetables are tender and slightly browned.

Add remaining filling ingredients

Stir in the corn and black beans and cook 2 minutes to heat through. Add the ground cumin, smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper; stir to combine and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Add the baby spinach and cook 1–2 minutes until wilted. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tbs lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Transfer filling to a bowl.

Heat pan and prepare tortillas

Wipe the skillet clean and return to medium-low heat. Spread a thin layer of butter or oil (about 1 tbs total) in the pan and heat until shimmering. Lay one tortilla flat on a clean work surface.

Assemble each quesadilla

Sprinkle about 3/8 cup (roughly 1/3–1/2 cup) shredded cheese over half of the tortilla, leaving a small border. Spoon about 1/4 of the veggie filling evenly over the cheese. Top the filling with another light sprinkle of cheese (this helps the quesadilla stick). Fold the tortilla in half to enclose the filling.

Cook until golden and melty

Carefully transfer the folded quesadilla to the hot skillet. Cook 2–3 minutes per side over medium-low heat, pressing gently with a spatula, until the tortilla is golden brown and cheese is melted. If the outside is browning too quickly before the cheese melts, lower the heat and cover the pan for 1 minute. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling, adding a touch more butter or oil to the pan as needed.

Rest and slice

Transfer cooked quesadillas to a cutting board and let rest 1 minute. Slice each into 3–4 wedges with a sharp knife or pizza cutter.

Plate the quesadilla wedges and serve immediately with optional toppings: sour cream, salsa, sliced avocado or guacamole, and chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges if desired.