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Easy Vegan Bean Quesadillas
These vegan bean quesadillas are stuffed with a spiced bean filling and baked until crispy. Easy, flavorful, and packed with plant protein and fiber!
Why We Love These Bean Quesadillas
- Quick & Easy ⟶ These quesadillas are ready in under an hour with only about 10 minutes of hands-on prep required.
- Great for Meal Prep ⟶ Bean quesadillas freeze well, so you can prep a bunch in advance and have a healthy and tasty meal ready for busy nights.
- High Protein & Fiber ⟶ Each quesadilla has about 13 grams of fiber and 17 grams of protein. That’s almost half the recommended daily fiber intake! For extra protein, serve it with a high protein dip like my cilantro lime sauce or some high protein yogurt. Or try a high protein tortilla!
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
Below is a brief look into the main ingredients and why they work in this recipe, plus any possible substitutions. See the recipe card at the bottom for the full ingredients list and quantities.
- Beans ⟶ In the photos I used kidney beans, but black beans or pinto beans would be tasty, too! Beans add protein and fiber to make these quesadillas extra satisfying. Mashing them turns them into a paste that helps hold the filling together – extra important if there’s no melty cheese holding things together.
- Tortillas ⟶ I use large whole wheat tortillas, but you can use any tortillas you like.
- Onion, Garlic, and Bell Pepper ⟶ For flavor and a bit of texture. Sometimes I also add some chopped spinach for extra veggies!
- Spices ⟶ Nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, oregano, and chili powder add lots of flavor.
- Vegetable Broth ⟶ Just a little bit of vegetable broth to help mash the beans into a thick paste.
How to Make
These bean quesadillas are super easy to make. Just cook the filling on the stove, fill the tortillas, and bake!
Cook onions in oil until translucent and softened, about 5-10 minutes. 
Add garlic, bell pepper, and spices and stir for 1 minute to bring out the flavors. 
Add beans and vegetable broth. Mash about ⅔ of the beans so the mixture thickens and holds together 
You should get a thick paste consistency. If it’s too wet, continue cooking and stirring until the mixture thickens. 
Spread some of the filling on one side of a tortilla. Sprinkle cheese on top if desired. 
Fold the tortilla over and press down to help it stick. 
Place the quesadillas on a greased baking sheet. Brush the tops with more oil. 
Bake at 400°F for 10-15 minutes until browned on bottom, then flip and bake another 5-10 minutes until browned and crispy on both sides.
Serving Suggestions
These bean quesadillas pair perfectly with my cilantro lime sauce for dipping! I also recommend serving with a simple side salad for extra veggies.
Storage & Meal Prep
These vegan bean quesadillas are perfect for meal prepping and can be refrigerated or frozen.
- Fridge, Unassembled: You can prep the filling a day in advance and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Fridge, Assembled and Baked: Leftover baked quesadillas can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, pop them in the oven at 350°F for 8-10 minutes. You can also microwave for a minute, but they will be much softer.
- Freezer, Unbaked: Let the filling cool completely, then assemble the quesadillas but don’t bake them yet. Flash freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet for 1-2 hours until solid. Wrap each quesadilla in plastic wrap and transfer to a freezer-safe bag. They will keep for up to 2 months. To heat them, follow the instructions in the recipe card but add a few extra minutes to the bake time.
- Freezer, Baked: If you have leftover baked quesadillas, let them cool completely first. Then flash freeze them, wrap each in plastic wrap, and place in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. To reheat, either thaw overnight in the fridge or microwave for a minute or so until the filling is no longer frozen, then toast in a skillet, oven, or air fryer to crisp the tortilla.
More Easy Bean-y Meals
If you try out this recipe, don’t forget to leave a comment/rating down below and tag me in your photos on instagram @ellielikes.cooking. I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
Easy Vegan Bean Quesadillas
These vegan bean quesadillas are stuffed with a spiced bean filling and baked until crispy. Easy, flavorful, and packed with plant protein and fiber!
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Servings: 4
Ingredients
Spices
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ¾ tsp smoked paprika
- ¾ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp red chili powder
Quesadillas
- 1 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 3 cups beans1
- ⅓ cup vegetable broth2
- 4 large tortillas gluten-free if needed
- 1 cup vegan cheese shreds optional
Instructions
- Mix spices together in a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat half the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened.
- Add garlic, bell pepper, and spices and stir for 1 minute.
- Add beans and vegetable broth. Mash about ⅔ of the beans so the mixture thickens and holds together. If the mixture is too wet, continue cooking while stirring until the mixture thickens and dries out a little.
- Remove from heat. Taste and add salt as desired.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with half the remaining olive oil.
- Spread some of the filling on one side of a tortilla. Sprinkle cheese on top if desired. Fold the tortilla over and press down to help it stick. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining filling and tortillas.
- Brush the remaining olive oil on top of the quesadillas.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until the bottom browns, then flip and bake another 5-10 minutes until crispy.
- Stovetop option: If you don't want to use the oven, you can cook the quesadillas in a pan on the stove. They should take about 3-5 minutes per side. Stovetop will be faster but less crispy.
Notes
1) Beans: Use any bean you like. Kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, or even lentils will work.
2) Vegetable Broth: I use water + 1/4 tsp vegetable bouillon.
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