The Ultimate 10 Minute Vegan Quesadilla

A totally delicious, plant-based version of the classic Mexican dish. This ultimate 10 minute vegan quesadilla makes the perfect snack or light meal.

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Quick Quesadillas

For me, quesadillas are the perfect quick meal!

They’re so easy to make, they’re extremely versatile, as you can use almost any ingredients to fill them. Above all, they’re super speedy to create.

These ultimate 10 minute vegan quesadillas are the absolute perfect treat for a quick and easy meal that’s both cheap and healthy.

I really love using soft tortilla wraps in so many of my quick recipes! They just lend themselves to quick cooking so brilliantly that I always keep a stash of them in my pantry.

Check out some of my other speedy recipes that use soft flour tortillas, including these 10 Minute Ham & Cheese Quesadillas, these 10 Minute Chicken, Avocado & Spinach Wraps these 10 Minute Quesadillas and finally, this really quick 5 Minute Ovenless Pizza recipe. So much choice!

So, where do the quesadillas that we know and love come from? This deliciously famous dish originated in Mexico, and traditionally uses flat corn tortillas that are then stuffed with a range of tasty fillings including meat and cheese.

Corn-based wraps are still very popular to use in quesadillas but increasingly, people use wheat-based ones. I find that the wheat-based wraps are more readily available in stores than corn wraps are. However, either type of wrap will make a delicious quesadilla so you can use whatever is available to you.

Beans, Beans, Beans….

In any plant based recipe it’s important to think about ensuring there is enough protein. Happily, these ultimate 10 minute vegan quesadillas pack a powerful protein punch!

These yummy vegan quesadillas use two kinds of beans – black beans and refried beans.

Black beans have been a staple food in the diets of Mexican people for thousands of years and continue to be super popular to this day. It’s not difficult to see why – they are rich in fibre, protein and a range of nutrients such as vitamins A and C plus folate and iron. They have an earthy flavour and meaty texture that I just love in my quesadillas!

What about refried beans? What exactly are they ?? Well, they’re basically just beans that have been boiled, mashed, and then finally either fried or baked to perfection. (So the term refried isn’t exactly true as they’re only fried once).

Pinto beans are most often used to create the classic refried bean, although other types of bean can be used instead.

Not only do refried beans pack a fabulous protein and fibre punch, but they are smooth and rich in flavour. This this makes it a perfect ingredient to sit snugly in the centre of the quesadilla. That’s exactly why I have chosen to include them in these 10 minutes ultimate vegan quesadillas!

Veritable Veg

Aside from the beans, what else goes into making the ultimate vegan quesadilla? Well, the veg of course!

And what could be more traditionally Mexican than the avocado? This gorgeous green fruit is full of healthy fats and vitamins and is synonymous with delicious Mexican cuisine. It forms the basis of guacamole – one of my all-time favourite dips.

Along with avocado, these super quick ultimate 10 minute vegan quesadillas contain another ingredient that I adore – tinned sweetcorn.

This sunny coloured vegetable is crunchy, sweet, healthy, and most importantly, lends itself wonderfully to quick cooking. All you do is open the tin, scoop it out and you’re done! It’s no wonder I love to include this particular vegetable in so many of my quick recipes.

Choosey Cheese

The final ingredient crowning of the ultimate 10 minute vegan quesadillas is some plant-based cheese. 

There are many types of plant-based cheese available, these days and many of them are made with coconut oil. They’re also often enriched with vitamin B-12, which can sometimes be lacking in a plant-based diet.

For this vegan quesadilla recipe I’ve used Italian style, grated plant-based cheese. However, any sort of grated vegan cheese would work perfectly well. Not only does it add a salty, savoury taste but also once melted, it helps to stick together the two tortillas, so the quesadilla doesn’t fall apart.

Perfect Paprika

Ok, so I am a teeny bit obsessed with one particular spice – sweet smoked paprika! It adds a tangy, smokey and slightly sweet flavour that just screams Mexican deliciousness. This is why I’ve included it in this recipe.

I also love the powerful, spicy kick of jalapenos. You can get these pre-sliced in jars – either green or red. I prefer the red as they are a little sweeter than green jalapenos which is why I’ve included them in this ultimate 10 minute vegan quesadilla recipe.

Of course, if you aren’t a spice fan then feel free to omit the chilies altogether- the final quesadilla will still be super delicious without them.

Service

What to serve these ultimate 10 minute vegan quesadillas with? Well, the choice is yours really! A bowl of plant-based natural yoghurt and some chunky salsa is perfect for dunking in your quesadillas. I love having a crunchy colourful salad on the side as well to complete the meal.

10 minute ultimate vegan quesadillas – step by step method

Now, lets take a peek at this useful step-by-step guide that’ll help you to make your perfect warm, crispy and totally vegan ultimate quesadillas….

Makes 1 Quesadilla; usually enough to share between two people for a snack or light meal. Or you can eat it all yourself if you’re really hungry!

1. Start by popping a large frying pan over medium/high heat on the hob to get nice and warm. Don’t add any oil – keep the pan totally dry.
2. Scoop out the flesh of half a ripe avocado and place it into a small bowl. Mash it with a fork until soft. It doesn’t have to be totally smooth – in fact, it makes for nicer texture if you have a few little lumps in there. Dollop this smashed avocado onto one large soft tortilla wrap and spread it around with the back of the fork until evenly covering the wrap. Make sure to leave about a 1cm (1/2 inch) filling-free rim around the outside – this is to reduce the risk of the filling spilling out during cooking.

3. Next, spoon 3 level tablespoons of refried beans on top of the avocado and spread this around with the back of the spoon until also coating the tortilla base.

4. Evenly scatter 2 rounded tablespoons of black beans onto the avocado and refried bean-covered base. Then do the same with 2 rounded tablespoons of tinned sweetcorn.

5. Now it’s time to get spicy! (If you enjoy spice, that is). Place 8-10 slices of red jalapeño evenly onto the base, on top of the other fillings. This is an optional step and can be skipped if you aren’t keen on spice.
6. Nearly there! Now, scatter 3 rounded tablespoons of plant based grated cheese over the top of the other fillings on the tortilla base. On top of this scattered cheese, sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of sweet smoked paprika and a generous pinch of salt. Lay a second soft tortilla wrap on top of the fillings to seal everything off.

6. Pop the uncooked quesadilla into the preheated dry frying pan and cook it for around 3-4 minutes on each side, until it’s turning golden and crispy. Once it looks ready, remove the cooked quesadilla from the pan, slice it into 6 pieces and dig in! Perfect served with a tomato salsa, plant-based natural yoghurt and a crispy, fresh salad.