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!
Yum!
I sauted the onion and garlic first because my tummy is sensitive to raw onions.
These are such a handy option to have in the freezer for a quick lunch or snack, served with some salsa and sour cream on the side.
As I pull them from the freezer bag, I leave the parchment papers in there – ready and waiting for the next batch I make, because there will definitely be a next batch!!
Great tip Erica.
If I were to write a book, could I use any of your recipes? I would credit you. I just think your recipes are great and would help so many others trying to eat healthier and more cheaply
Hi Cheryl, thanks for asking. If you are planning to write a book that will be for sale, you would need to purchase a license to reprint the recipe. If you’re interested, please use our contact form to send us an email. Thanks!
My family and friends love this recipe! I just put the black bean mixture (w/o cheese) on a bed of quinoa, topped with a little cheese, salsa, jalapenos, avocados. Its amazing! Such a yummy lunch idea.
Made these tonight. Didn’t change anything and used Monterey Jack cheese. They were so delicious and rediculusly quick and easy to make. Thank you for sharing!
Hi! I know this is an old one but figured I’d comment anyway. I work outdoors and so the most my lunch can be refrigerated is with an insulated lunch box for a few hours, plus no reheating. I’ve been trying to find more filling lunch ideas that don’t have to be reheated and came across these. If I was to freeze them and then let them thaw during the morning, and eat them room temp, do you think that would work? In that case, would I skillet cook them before freezing or just freeze them as is? Thanks!
I would probably cook them first so the cheese gets melted and acts as the glue to hold them together. They won’t stay crispy if you freeze and then let them thaw, but I bet they’d still be delicious!
These quesadillas were so delicious and easy to make! I like to try and have some meatless dishes for meals and these were perfect. My only issue was with the taco seasoning; I feel like I maybe added too much of something but the smokey flavour (perhaps the smoked paprika?) was a bit overpowering with the first batch I made. That just might be my own tastebuds however :) I added a bit of sugar to the bowl of filling and the next ones were amazing! I also added a red pepper as per another review and I thought it was a wonderful addition.
Sorry, did not mean to reply to your review, rather to post my own! :P
Just a suggestion, if you have the time… you could heat it over low heat in the morning as u got ready for work & then wrap it in foil. At least then you’d get to enjoy the crispness and melted cheese! I’ve been making these for a few years and my family loves them! Best of luck!!
Made this tonight for tea. Added leftover rice to the mix. Everyone loved them! I think Master 1 enjoyed them the most :-)
I made this with pepper jack. I freeze the mix in a gallon size zipper bag. The filling thaws as it cooks.
My husband and I decided to add some chicken to the recipe. He sliced two chicken breasts into bite-sized chunks and I cooked it with lime juice, chipotle chili powder, and garlic powder. Afterward, we mixed it in the black bean mixture and cooked as normal. With our leftovers, we mixed it with eggs and had amazing breakfast burritos. This recipe is amazingly versatile! Thanks!
These are so good! I was a bit skeptical at first, but they are delicious. I’ve made them a handful of times now with a packet of taco seasoning. Today I tried out the homemade taco seasoning and they’re even better! They freeze well. I always reheat in a skillet.
These are literally my favorite – and how I found your site. I always keep a stack of them in the freezer and swear I will never order a quesadilla from a restaurant again because these are better!!
Wonderful, thank you! I had more filling than tortillas so I mixed the rest with some leftover quinoa. Also delicious!
These came out so amazing, my girlfriend actually took the time out of her lunch break to come home and make another quesadilla with the leftovers. She’s never tried so hard for food before in her life.
Also, usually block cheese has made me a changed man. I’m never going back to pre-shredded.
I make these two-three times a month. They make great last minute lunch substitutions. I make mine “Jumbo” with burrito sized tortillas.
This is, without a doubt, one of my all-time favorite recipes. I make it so often, and it’s really easy to customize in case you want to spice up the flavor. My favorite thing to do is to add chopped up red and green bell peppers. It elevates this already-awesome recipe to a whole new level! Thanks so much for this recipe!
I wanted a simple dinner idea that was tasty and affordable and this fit the bill. My husband kept saying how much hed enjoyed them. Thanks for another winner