Black Bean Quesadilla Recipe

If you want an authentic taste of Mexican food, look no further than the quesadilla. This delicious black bean quesadilla recipe is incredibly quick to make. It can usually be made out of purely store cupboard ingredients.

The recipe only take a few minutes to make. This makes it ideal for a quick midweek supper or perfect to make when you are entertaining.

The black bean paste is the heart of the recipe. Unlike a lot of quesadilla fillings that rely on shop-bought refried beans from a tin, this version takes two minutes longer to make and tastes dramatically better — the toasted cumin and fresh coriander give it a depth that ready-made paste simply can’t match. Combined with melted mature cheddar and a quickly made fresh tomato salsa, the result is something that genuinely tastes like it came from a good Mexican restaurant rather than a Monday evening kitchen.

The recipe is also easily scaled up for a crowd — double or triple the quantities and cook the quesadillas in batches, keeping finished ones warm in a low oven while you cook the rest. They disappear very quickly.

Bean Paste Ingredients

• 1 tin of black beans
• 1 teaspoon of roasted/ground cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander seeds
• Juice from 1/2 a lemon
• pinch of salt
• 1 handful of chopped fresh coriander

Salsa Ingredients

• 2 chopped fresh tomatoes
• 1/2 finely sliced onion
• 1 x clove of garlic
• 1 x red chillie
• 1 x handful of fresh coriander
• Juice form 1/2 lime

Other ingredients

• Corn tortillas
• Sour cream for garnish
• Grated cheddar cheese

Method

1. Place all of the ingredients for the past into a food mixer and blend to a rough paste.

2. Roughly chop the salsa ingredients and mix in a bowl

3. Add 2 spoonfuls of the paste and a handful of cheddar to the centre of a tortilla then spread evenly to within 3cm of the edges.

4. Fold the tortilla in half, press down and cook on a hot griddle pan (no oil needed) until slightly charred. Turn over and cook the other side.

5. Serve with the salsa either on the side or placed inside each tortilla.

If you’re time crunched you can even freeze these quesadillas. Simply stack them before cooking them with baking parchment paper between them and freeze them in a Tupperware box. To cook them simply cook slowly from frozen until the middle is defrosted and the tortillas a crispy on the outside.

For an extra touch serve with a bowl of our famous habanero salsa on the side for that authentic Mexican flavour.

How to Get the Best Results

Don’t over-blend the bean paste. A rough, slightly chunky paste gives the finished quesadilla more texture than a smooth purée. Pulse the food processor rather than running it continuously — you’re aiming for something spreadable but still with some body.

Get the pan properly hot. The key to a good quesadilla is high heat and no oil. A cast iron griddle pan is ideal — it gets very hot, distributes heat evenly and gives the characteristic char marks. A heavy non-stick frying pan works perfectly well too. Don’t be tempted to add oil — it makes the tortilla soggy rather than crispy.

Press down firmly while cooking. Use a spatula to press the quesadilla flat against the pan during cooking. This ensures the cheese melts fully and the tortilla gets even contact with the heat source on both sides.

Corn vs flour tortillas. Corn tortillas are more traditional and give a crispier, more flavoursome result — they char beautifully and hold their structure well. Flour tortillas are softer, more pliable and less likely to crack when folded, which makes them easier to work with. Either works well.

Quesadillas Recipe Variations

Add avocado — a few slices of ripe avocado added to the filling before folding add richness and creaminess that works particularly well against the sharp salsa. Alternatively serve with guacamole alongside the sour cream.

Use your homegrown chillies — this recipe is genuinely versatile with different chilli varieties. Fresh jalapeño in the salsa or bean paste gives a grassy medium heat. A pinch of our homemade chilli flakes stirred into the bean paste adds warmth without changing the texture. A few drops of our habanero hot sauce on the side takes it somewhere significantly more exciting.

Make it vegan — substitute the cheddar for a good vegan cheese or simply omit it and use more bean paste. The salsa and bean paste are already completely plant-based. Replace the sour cream with coconut yoghurt or avocado.

Add roasted peppers — a few strips of roasted red pepper added to the filling alongside the cheese add sweetness and colour. Jarred roasted peppers work perfectly.

Chicken quesadillas — shred leftover roast chicken and add it to the bean paste layer before folding. Reduces the cooking time slightly as the filling is already cooked.

What to Serve With Black Bean Quesadillas

The fresh salsa in this recipe doubles as the primary accompaniment — it cuts through the richness of the cheese and bean paste perfectly. Beyond that:

Sour cream — the classic accompaniment. Its cooling dairy richness is the ideal counterpoint to the heat in the salsa and any chilli in the bean paste.

Guacamole — smashed avocado with lime juice, salt and a little fresh chilli. Simple is best.

Extra hot sauce — if you want more heat, our habanero hot sauce recipe is the natural companion. The fruity habanero heat works brilliantly with the earthy bean paste. Our scotch bonnet sauce is equally good if you want Caribbean rather than Mexican heat.

A green salad — quesadillas are rich, so a simple green salad with a sharp lime dressing balances the meal well.

Freezing Quesadillas

These freeze brilliantly in their uncooked assembled state — one of the genuinely practical things about this recipe. Assemble as per the recipe, stack with baking parchment between each quesadilla to prevent sticking, and freeze flat in a ziplock bag for up to 3 months.

To cook from frozen: place directly in a cold griddle pan, heat to medium and cook slowly — longer than from fresh — until the filling is completely heated through and the exterior is crispy. Don’t rush it with high heat or the outside will char before the inside has defrosted.

This makes them ideal for batch cooking. Make a double batch on a Sunday, freeze half, and you have weeknight suppers sorted for the next few weeks.

FAQ

Related Recipes

Habanero Hot Sauce — the perfect accompaniment if you want serious heat alongside these quesadillas.

Scotch Bonnet Sauce — fruity Caribbean heat that works brilliantly as a dipping sauce.

Habanero Salsa Recipe — a fiery fresh salsa that takes the accompanying salsa in this recipe to a completely different level.

Chilli Oil Recipe — drizzle over finished quesadillas for a different kind of heat.

Broccoli and Chilli Spinach Tagliatelle — another quick vegetarian weeknight recipe from The Chilli King.