This loaded vegetarian quesadilla recipe is one the tastiest around—and it’s packed with veggies! It’s perfect for healthy dinner ideas for kids, and adults too.
Here at A Couple Cooks, we try to avoid the “sneaking veggies” into food philosophy and go the other way: loading them in! And this loaded veggie quesadilla recipe is here to prove it. We designed it as a lunch or healthy dinner idea for kids. But honestly: it’s one of my favorite things we’ve made lately! So let’s just say it extends to all people, no matter your age.
It’s full of sweet potato, black beans, spinach, cumin, and garlic, and features a new natural American Colby cheese variety that’s just come on the market. Put it over the top and make our Homemade Spinach Tortillas to up your veggie quotient even more! This quesadilla also works for packing in a healthy kids lunch. Keep reading for the recipe and a bit more about the cheese.
Related: Easy Vegetarian Recipes for Beginners
How to make a veggie quesadilla
OK, so maybe you’re thinking why does anyone need a quesadilla recipe? A quesadilla is as simple as putting two tortillas together and adding cheese! We do agree with you there. On the flip side, we eat a lot of those throw-together quesadillas, and there’s not a lot of nuance in flavor. They satisfy, but lack depth. Now I am not exaggerating when I say that this veggie quesadilla recipe is one of the best quesadillas I’ve had! The reason is that it’s flavored very intentionally, and each component adds something special. Here are all the secrets to this loaded veggie quesadilla recipe:
- Cheese: If you’re going to make a standout veggie quesadilla, it’s got to have high quality cheese. We used an American style Colby, but you can also use mild cheddar, Mexican blend, etc.
- Sweet Potato: Sweet potato is our new trick to making a supremely delicious veggie quesadilla. Why? Not only does it add a lightly sweet flavor, it makes the entire quesadilla fluffy and gooey without the need of additional cheese. Plus, it’s packed with nutrients.
- Black Beans: No real secrets here, but who doesn’t love the perfect combination of sweet potato and black beans?
- Spinach: Greens are nutrient-dense and undeniably one of the best things for you. This recipe doubles up on spinach, using sautéed spinach in the veggie filling and then spinach in the tortillas themselves! If you have time, making our Homemade Spinach Tortillas is a fun project–especially with kids.
We’d recommend making this veggie quesadilla once and measuring all the quantities so you see the general idea. Then later you can get away without measuring and adding in your own veggie substitutes!
Related: 10 Easy Recipes for Kids | Easy Dinner Recipes for Family
Looking for more healthy dinner ideas for kids?
This veggie quesadilla recipe is great for healthy dinner ideas for kids (and adults, honestly). It went over very well in our house! If you’re looking for more healthy dinner ideas for kids, see these recipes:
- Mexican Pinwheels (vegan and gluten free variations)
- Vegetable Hummus Tortilla Rollups (vegan)
- Creamy Vegan Tomato Soup with Stars (vegan, gluten free)
- Bliss Bites (vegan, gluten free)
- Loaded Quinoa Tacos (vegan, gluten free)
This recipe is…
This Loaded Veggie Quesadillas recipe is vegetarian.* For gluten free, use corn tortillas.
Print
Superfood Veggie Quesadilla
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 quesadillas (8 wedges) 1x
Description
This loaded veggie quesadilla recipe is one the tastiest around—and it’s packed with veggies! It’s perfect for healthy dinner ideas for kids…and adults.
Ingredients
- ½ cup mashed sweet potato (about 1 medium)
- 4 cups spinach
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ½ cup black beans
- 4 8-inch flour or corn tortillas, like our Homemade Spinach Tortillas
- 4 slices Colby cheese or 3/4 to 1 cup shredded mild cheddar, Colby Jack or Mexican blend cheese
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Cook the sweet potato: Cook it in an Instant Pot (note that this method requires 4 sweet potatoes to be cooked at once for the timing to be accurate). Or, you can bake it using these baking instructions, or prick holes in it and microwave it on high for 8-10 minutes until tender, turning halfway through. (Do this step in advance and refrigerate the sweet potatoes before cooking the quesadilla; the cook time below does not include this step.)
- Cook the spinach: Roughly chop the spinach. Warm the olive oil in a skillet and add the spinach, garlic powder, cumin, and a pinch of kosher salt. Cook until spinach is wilted and bright green, about 2 minutes, then remove it to a bowl.
- Assemble the tortilla: Cut the sweet potato in half and slide off the skin: place the flesh into a bowl and mash it with a fork. Spread ¼ cup of the mashed sweet potato onto one tortilla. Drain and rinse the beans, then top the sweet potato with ¼ cup of the black beans. Sprinkle sweet potatoes and black beans with a pinch of kosher salt. Then top with sprinkles of the cooked spinach (use your hands and leave any liquid at the bottom of the bowl). Top with 2 slices of cheese, tearing it as necessary to fit onto the tortilla. Cover with the second tortilla. Then repeat these instructions for the second quesadilla.
- Cook the quesadilla (or bake it in the oven): Lightly coat a skillet with olive oil and heat it to medium heat. Place one quesadilla in the pan, cheese side down. Cook for 2 minutes per side until lightly browned and the cheese is melted. Cut into wedges and serve. (Note: For lunch boxes, you can keep the quesadilla wedges refrigerated for a few days and place them into lunch boxes each morning.)
Notes
*Note: This cheese is made with rennet, which is not fully vegetarian. If you are a strict vegetarian, look for a vegetarian cheese.
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Quesadilla, Veggie Quesadilla, Healthy Quesadilla, Quesadilla Recipe, Sweet Potato, Black Beans, Spinach Quesadilla, Sweet Potato Quesadilla
Sweet potatoes, black beans, and cheese sound AMAZING together! :)
Hey Sonja and Alex, great blog, such a simple idea but this recipe sounds delicious! We are going to try this ASAP!
I have been a full time vegetarian for over 3 years now and my husband is on the verge of being converted to our side!
Such a great recipe to have on hand with all the Sunday game parties we have coming up. Looks so yummy. Thanks for sharing.
This is my kind of recipe! Cheesy and loaded with veggies! Plus I love the green tortillas <3
My youngest loves quesadillas, but I’ve honestly never tried adding veggies. Thanks for this brilliant recipe upgrade!
Made this for my son’s lunch box and I got two thumbs up! Thank you for this delicious recipe!
Oh my gosh. I made this recipe with a lot of hesitations but I actually loved it! I didn’t have a can of black beans so I used a can of vegetarian refried beans that I had but other than that everything else was the same. I’m not usually a fan of sweet potatoes unless I eat them mashed or with a little butter on them, but this was a great way for me to feel good about my quesadilla! Thanks for the great recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! :)
This was a perfect blend of flavors. We do meatless at least twice a week and this one will definitely be in the rotation. Love your name, Sonja! :-)
Aww I am so happy to hear this! And even more thrilled to meet another Sonja. Thanks for making it!
These are dang good! Making your own tortillas is the game changer though, I was surprised at what a difference that made!