These super tasty Black Bean Quesadillas have been a runaway Budget Bytes hit since they were first posted in 2012. The spicy mix of cheese, beans, corn, cilantro, and onion makes and incredibly flavorful quesadilla that’s perfect for dipping in some cool sour cream or salsa. Make up an entire batch and freeze some for later!
Why I’m In Love with These Quesadillas ❤️
I love these quesadillas for three reasons:
- they’re bursting with flavor
- incredibly EASY to make
- perfect for the freezer!
Students and other busy people take note: this recipe is perfect for you!
I called them “hearty” black bean quesadillas because they are surprisingly filling. I hastily ate two and then promptly felt like my belly was not just full, but full-full. This is one of those vegetarian recipes that meat-eaters won’t feel deprived when eating. Promise.
How to Freeze Hearty Black Bean Quesadillas
These quesadillas are perfect for freezing and will last two to three months in the freezer. Just fill and fold your quesadillas, but before you cook them, stack them with parchment paper in between each quesadilla. Place the stacked quesadillas in a gallon-sized freezer bag (or two) and pop them into the freezer. When you want to eat one, take a quesadilla out of the freezer and reheat it slowly over medium-low heat until the outside is crispy and the inside has melted. Using a lower heat gives the black bean quesadilla time to thaw and heat on the inside before the outside overcooks or burns.
Or, for a faster method, microwave from frozen for 30-60 seconds, or until the inside is thawed, then finish in a skillet to crisp up the outside and melt the cheese on the inside.
What Kind of Taco Seasoning to Use
To make these black bean quesadillas super fast and easy, you can use a packet of store-bought taco seasoning. Or, if you have a well-stocked spice cabinet, you can use my homemade taco seasoning recipe
What to Serve with Quesadillas
I love to have something like Cumin Lime Coleslaw on the side for an extra dose of vegetable freshness. Warm Corn and Avocado Salad or Charred Corn and Zucchini Salad are also great choices. And don’t forget a little salsa or sour cream for dipping. :)
Make it Meaty
These black bean quesadillas are incredible on their own, but if you DO decide you want to add some meat, try adding some Slow Cooker Pulled Pork, ground beef, Carnitas, or something as simple as chicken breast cooked in a skillet, then diced. They’d all be delish!
Hearty Black Bean Quesadillas
Servings 10 quesadillasIngredients
- 1 15oz.can black beans ($0.49)
- 1 cup frozen corn ($0.20)
- 1/2 cup red onion ($0.22)
- 1 clove garlic ($0.08)
- 1/4 bunch fresh cilantro (about ½ cup chopped) ($0.20)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese ($1.69)
- 1 batch taco seasoning* ($0.67)
- 10 flour tortillas (7-inch diameter) ($2.00)
Instructions
- Drain the black beans and add them to a bowl along with the frozen corn (no need to thaw)
- Finely dice the onion, mince the garlic, and roughly chop the cilantro.
- Add the onion, garlic, cilantro, shredded cheddar, and taco seasoning to the bowl with the beans and corn. Stir until everything is evenly combined and coated in seasoning.
- Place a half cup of the filling on one side of each tortilla and fold over. Cook the quesadillas in a skillet over medium heat on each side until brown and crispy and the cheesy filling has melted. Slice into triangles then serve.
- To freeze the quesadillas, stack the filled and uncooked quesadillas with a piece of parchment paper between each quesadilla. Place in a freezer bag and freeze for up to three months. To reheat either microwave (for a soft quesadilla) or cook in a skillet on low heat (make sure to use low heat so that the filling has time to thaw and melt before the outside burns).
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Notes
Nutrition
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Scroll down for the step by step photos
How to Make Black Bean Quesadillas – Step By Step Photos
Add 1 cup frozen corn (no need to thaw) and one 15oz. can of black beans (drained) to a large bowl.
Next, finely dice about ½ cup red onion, mince one clove of garlic, and roughly chop about ¼ bunch fresh cilantro. These ingredients are super flexible, so you don’t need to be exact on the measurements.
You can use either one packet of store-bought taco seasoning, or make your own using my Homemade Taco Seasoning recipe.
Add the taco seasoning and 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese to the bowl. The cheese is the “glue” that holds the quesadillas together.
Stir the ingredients until everything is mixed.
Now it’s time to stuff the quesadillas. You’ll need about 10 7-inch diameter flour tortillas for these quesadillas (the tortillas I had today were slightly larger so my quesadillas ended up being a bit thinner). Place a half cup of filling in each tortilla and fold it over. You can either cook them or freeze them at this point (see instructions for freezing in the post above the recipe).
To cook the black bean quesadillas, place the quesadilla in a skillet over medium heat and cook on both sides until golden brown, crispy, and the filling has melted. I don’t use any sort of oil or butter, but you certainly can if you want more of a fried finish to the quesadillas.
Slice then serve! You can slice each quesadilla into two or three pieces. I find that if I cut starting on the outside edge going in toward the center fold, I get less of the filling oozing out. A pizza cutter also works great!
Filled with fiber. Great for people who need it in their diet
I really like these but I think next time I might leave the cilantro and raw garlic out…they have such strong flavors that they were pretty overpowering…but I would definitely make them again…yum
I added a cup of Oriental rice noodles for crunch. I’m patting myself on the back… awesome
These quesidillas were awesome but I had to alter the recipe. To make them flavorful you need to add more taco season and cilantro. I also added garlic powder, jerk season and red pepper. I kept stirring until I got the taste I wanted. I put a layer of cheese on half of the flour tortilla then the bean mixture then another layer of cheese. Brown on both sides.
I’ve never been so excited to try a quesadilla before!
Has anyone tried warming these from frozen state in the oven? We have a large family, so thought this would speed up the process.
Thanks!
The only issue you might run into is that the top half of the tortilla may start to lift and curl in the hot oven. When you do it in a skillet you don’t get that because there is only heat on the one side.
That is exactly what we do. I make a huge batch of these (double or triple the recipe). I throw them in the freezer and the kids heat them up for afterschool or weekend snacks at 350 deg in the oven. They come out perfect! I have tried a million and one online recipes and this one has been our favorite for a few years now.
Did the question get answered? Is the tortilla counted in the calories and other nutritional info?
I have made these so many times, and they are fecking amazing. So delicious, so easy, and so cheap (especially when using home cooked beans). The only issue is making the taco seasoning – I might just have to make a giant batch to keep in the cupboard!
These are food crack! So delicious, so inexpensive and so easy! Even clean up is easy. I used reduced sodium packaged taco seasoning from Aldi, .39 cents, and a 10 ounce can of chicken breast, $1.50, and had chicken quesadillas. Thanks for a fantastic recipe.
What is the best way to cook them from frozen?
I do it in a warm skillet over medium low so they have time to thaw and melt on the inside before the outside gets too brown. I don’t add any butter or oil to the skillet.
I love these! (and so has everyone I’ve made them for) I keep them in the freezer and it is great to have an easy lunch to grab in the morning.
How much is one batch of tacos seasonning ? One tbsp ? I’m french ;)
Oh, that was supposed to be linked to the recipe for the taco seasoning! Sorry about that and thanks for catching the error. The recipe for taco seasoning that I make ends up being about 2 tablespoons. I hope that helps. :)
Someone asked so I ran it thru my recipe maker and came up with these numbers . . .
Nutrition Facts
Servings 10.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 288
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 11 g 17 %
Saturated Fat 6 g 31 %
Monounsaturated Fat 2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 27 mg 9 %
Sodium 449 mg 19 %
Potassium 180 mg 5 %
Total Carbohydrate 35 g 12 %
Dietary Fiber 6 g 25 %
Sugars 4 g
Protein 14 g 27 %
Vitamin A 8 %
Vitamin C 8 %
Calcium 33 %
Iron 11 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.
Does this include the tortilla?
I would also like to know if the values include the tortilla and if so, what size was your tortilla. Thanks
Do you have he nutritional information for this?
No, I’m sorry, I don’t have a reliable source for nutritional information.
So had to do a lot of improvising because my cupboards are bare I use the black beans Mexican cheese mix chipotle peppers from a can and chopped them up and put that in the mix I also used the sauce from the can and put them on the shell to hold it together and I also use chopped tomatoes garlic powder onion powder cumin a little bit of salt and pepper they were delicious