Black Bean and Two-Cheese Quesadillas

I am inevitably thrown into a tizzy when the Nine Days approach, the period of time during the summer months when we mourn the destruction of the First and Second Temple and Ashkenazim refrain from eating meat or poultry, except on Shabbat. Eating meatless or dairy meals is already a part of my weekly meal rotation twice a week. But it’s the other four days that send me deep diving into my cookbook collection. This recipe for black bean and two-cheese quesadillas by Bonnie Stern, published in her epic cookbook, HeartSmart: The Best of HeartSmart Cooking, is an easy, light, summer meal.

Black Bean and Two-cheese Quesadillas

I first became acquainted with quesadillas when I saw my teenage grandson preparing a late breakfast for himself one morning. A quesadilla is a Mexican dish consisting of a tortilla that is filled primarily with cheese, and sometimes beans, vegetables, and other fillings, and then cooked on a griddle or stove. Traditionally, a corn tortilla is used, but it can also be made with a flour tortilla. Crispy on the outside and filled with a savory combination of two different types of melting cheese, black beans for a little extra protein, ripe tomatoes and smoky, roasted peppers, this savory quesadilla is the equivalent of a grilled cheese sandwich with a “doctorado” degree. Eaten for lunch, a casual dinner, or even brunch for a hungry, growing boy, this recipe for quesadillas is one that you should keep in your back pocket all year round.

Assemble your ingredients. Seed the tomato by slicing it in horizontal slices about 1/2-inch thick and remove the seeds and jelly around the seeds with a spoon. Dice the tomato into a small dice.

Roast peppers: Slice down the sides of a red bell pepper, cutting it into 4 large pieces. Lay the pieces of pepper on a foil-lined baking sheet. (Do not use parchment paper unless you would like a visit from the fire department.) Broil until blackened. Place the blackened pieces of pepper in a paper bag to steam for 10 minutes. Remove the peppers from the bag and peel off the blackened skin. It should peel right off. Dice the peppers.

Combine the black beans, tomato, red pepper, chipotle, garlic, green onion, basil, parsley, shredded cheese and feta cheese.
Place the tortillas or wraps on the counter in a single layer. Spread the filling evenly over the lower half of each tortilla or wrap. Fold the unfilled half of the tortilla or wrap over the filled side and press together. Brush the top of the quesadilla with just a swipe of oil.

Preheat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Brush the pan with a half teaspoon of oil. Cook the quesadilla pressing down with a spatula for 2 minutes on each side. You want a moderate heat that will slowly melt the cheese and crisp the tortillas without scorching them. Serve hot, with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole.

Print Recipe

Two-cheese Black Bean Quesadillas

Dairy and Meatless Mains

By Bonnie Stern, Best of Heartsmart – Serves: 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cooking Time: 4 minutes – Total Time: 19 minutes

Wraps filled with a savory combination of two different types of cheese, black beans, chopped ripe tomatoes and smoky, roasted peppers, crisped up in a hot frying pan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked black beans, rinsed and drained (I used most of a 19 ounce can)
• 1 tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1 sweet red pepper, roasted, peeled and chopped
• 1 teaspoon chipotle purée or chopped jalapeno pepper (optional, but delicious!)
• 1 clove garlic grated or minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped green onions (the white part only)
• 2 tablespoons shredded fresh basil and Italian parsley, combined
• 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar and mozzarella cheese combination (an 8 ounce bag)
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese
• 8, 10-inch wheat tortillas or wraps

Instructions

To roast pepper:

1

Slice down the sides of a red bell pepper, cutting it into 4 large pieces. Lay the pieces of pepper on a foil-lined baking sheet. (Do not use parchment paper unless you would like a visit from the fire department.) Broil until blackened. Place the blackened pieces of pepper in a paper bag for 10 minutes, to steam. Remove the peppers from the bag and peel off the blackened skin. It should peel right off. Dice the peppers.

2

Combine the black beans, tomato, red pepper, chipotle, garlic, green onion, basil, parsley, shredded cheese and feta cheese.

3

Place the tortillas or wraps on the counter in a single layer. Spread the filling evenly over the lower half of each tortilla or wrap. Fold the unfilled half of the tortilla or wrap over the filled side and press together. Brush the top of the quesadilla with just a swipe of oil.

4

Brush a non-stick frying pan with a half teaspoon of oil. Preheat the pan over medium heat. Cook the quesadilla pressing down with a spatula for 2 minutes on each side until the cheese starts to melt and the outside of the quesadilla gets crispy. The quesadillas can also be cooked in a grill pan. Serve hot with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole.

Notes

I used Derlea chipotle purée. You can also used canned chipotle in adobo and dice the chipotle very finely. The cooked quesadillas can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat them in the toaster oven before serving. The filling for the quesadillas can be prepared in the morning and the quesadillas can be assembled and pan fried when ready to eat.