If your house is anything like mine, quesadillas are a standard fall-back meal for anytime you don’t have time or energy to actually cook anything. The recipe below is just as easy as your old standby, but by adding just a few flavorful ingredients, it's both healthier and more delicious. Even the kids will love it.
The caramelized onions add a rich depth of flavor, as does the avocado. I like to serve these with sour cream and salsa for topping. I also sometimes up the spice factor by adding a diced jalapeño pepper along with the bell pepper.
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Cooktop Cove
Vegetarian Avocado Quesadillas
4
10 minutes
15 minutes
25 minutes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
½ bell pepper, diced
½ cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon chili powder
4 flour tortillas
2 avocados, diced
¼ cup minced cilantro
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or a Mexican blend
Cooking spray
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and beginning to turn golden brown, for about 5 minutes. Stir in the beans and chili powder, and cook for a minute or 2 more. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and wipe out the skillet.
In a small bowl, mash the avocado with a fork and stir in the cilantro and lime juice.
Spray the skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Place one tortilla in the pan and sprinkle ½ of the cheese over it. Top with ½ of the bean mixture and ½ of the avocado mixture, spreading it out to an even layer. Top with a second tortilla and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the bottom is golden brown and the cheese has begun to melt. Carefully flip the whole thing over and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, until the second side is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and fillings.
To serve, cut each quesadilla in half and then each half into 4 wedges.
