Tender, mashed baked sweet potatoes combine with black beans and veggies for an easy vegan quesadilla recipe! These Black Bean Sweet Potato Quesadillas are perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner and satisfy cravings.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been making these Black Bean Sweet Potato Quesadillas for easy weeknight dinners. And they make the best leftovers for breakfast! What I love most about this recipe is that it lends itself to loads of toppings. It’s simple and easy to make, healthy, and undeniably satisfying!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Easy to meal prep. You can prep the baked sweet potatoes and the veggie and bean mix ahead of time to make this a quick weeknight meal.
- So healthy! Sweet potatoes make a nutritious filling for these quesadillas in lieu of cheese. They add fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin A, while black beans add plant-based protein.
- Only 5 main ingredients. You simply need sweet potatoes, bell pepper, mushrooms, black beans and tortillas. The rest are pantry staples like oil and spices.
- Family-friendly. I love this recipe because it’s a great option for kids too. It’s wholesome but still has that fun, finger-food experience!
Ingredients
Sweet potatoes are baked and then mashed to create a creamy filling that’s subtly sweet. Bell pepper and mushrooms are sautéed in olive oil with spices: garlic powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. These add more texture and flavor to the quesadilla filling. Black beans are added to this mix to bring in protein and savory flavor. Tortillas sandwich the filling and are fried in the pan to crispy perfection!
How to Make Black Bean Sweet Potato Quesadillas
Preheat oven to 425F. Use a fork to poke holes in the potatoes for even baking. Bake the sweet potatoes for 40-50 minutes, or until soft and tender.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Once warm, add the mushrooms and bell peppers, along with the spices. Sauté for a few minutes then turn the heat to medium low, cooking until soft (about 3 minutes) and stirring occasionally. Add the black beans to the pan and lower the heat to a simmer, keeping the pan warm until ready to assemble the quesadillas.
Add 1/2 tablespoon of oil to a second frying pan and wipe the skillet with the oil to coat the entire pan. Turn the heat to low.
When the potatoes are done, carefully remove them from the oven using tongs or a towel. Slice them in half lengthwise. Use a fork to scoop out some flesh and mash it onto one side of a tortilla. Then spoon the bean and veggie mixture over top.
Place the tortilla on the frying pan and place another tortilla over top, using a spatula to press the tortilla down. Keeping the heat at low or medium-low, fry for 2-3 minutes before flipping to the other side. Then heat for 2-3 minutes on this side before moving on to the next quesadilla.
Repeat this process to create 3 more quesadillas. See notes for instructions on how to keep the quesadillas warm.
Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to slice the quesadillas and serve with desired toppings!
Chef Tips
- Save time. You can cut back on overall cook time by microwaving the sweet potatoes before baking them. Wrap each potato in a damp paper towel and microwave for 5 minutes. The potatoes should then only take about 20 minutes to bake as opposed to 40-50 minutes.
- Minimize clean-up. When you’re ready to prepare the quesadillas, transfer the beans and veggies to a bowl and wipe the skillet. Add oil and make your quesadillas in the same pan.
- Be careful when flipping! There is no cheese to hold the tortillas together, so flipping the quesadillas can get messy. 😉 Use a large spatula and carefully use your hands to flip gently to avoid the filling spilling out.
- Keep the quesadillas warm. While preparing the quesadillas, transfer those that are done onto a baking sheet in the oven at 250F.
Quesadilla Toppings
- Vegan sour cream
- Salsa
- Guacamole
- Pickled jalapeños
- Hot sauce
- Freshly squeezed lime juice
What to Serve with Quesadillas
If you’re craving something cheesy, drizzle my Vegan Queso over top! You can also serve it on the side with chips or even drizzle it on the inside of the quesadillas before frying them. YUM.
My 5-Ingredient Black Bean Dip also makes a satisfying side dish for these quesadillas.
Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are rich in fiber and antioxidants. They support a healthy digestive system, and they are a good source of vitamin A, which benefits vision and the immune system.
Sweet potatoes are also a healthy carb option which makes them a good choice before running or other types of exercise.
Recipe Variations
- Get creative with the veggies! You don’t have to limit yourself to just mushrooms and bell peppers. You can toss in any veggie to the frying pan.
- Use your favorite type of bean. This recipe suggests black beans, but you could use pinto beans or kidney beans too!
- Other additions: Cooked brown rice or lentils would add lovely texture and even more protein. Corn would be a natural addition.
- Make it cheesy. If you are craving a cheesy quesadilla, simply add vegan shredded cheese!
- Make it “meaty.” If you are a fan of vegan chorizo, this plant-based meat alternative would be a great addition!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bake the sweet potato ahead of time?
Absolutely. You can bake the sweet potato the day before if you wish to save time.
Can I make the veggie and bean filling ahead of time?
You can prep this filling a day in advance if you wish!
Can I make these gluten-free Black Bean Sweet Potato Quesadillas?
Yes! I used cassava tortillas to make gluten-free quesadillas. You can use corn tortillas too. As long as they are not flour or wheat tortillas and they have a gluten-free label, this recipe can be gluten-free!
Storage
Place leftover quesadillas in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. The easiest way to reheat the quesadillas is to place them in the toaster oven at 350F until warm, about 5 minutes. You can also use the oven.
To freeze these quesadillas, wrap each individually and store for up to 2 months.
I can’t wait for you to try this recipe! Let me know what you think in the comments. 🙂
More Delicious Mexican Recipes!
- Mexican Breakfast Skillet with Vegan Chorizo
- Lentil and Bean Chili
- Vegan Sweet Potato Enchiladas
- Vegan Queso
- Vegan Tofu Nachos with Sunflower Seed Queso
- 5-Ingredient Black Bean Dip
Black Bean Sweet Potato Quesadillas
Ingredients
- 5 sweet potatoes* about 1 1/2 pounds
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 4 ounces mushrooms chopped
- 1 bell pepper chopped (any color)
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground (a few turns on a shaker)
- 15 ounces black beans canned, drained and rinsed
- 8 tortillas
For Serving
- Vegan sour cream
- Salsa
- Guacamole
- Pickled jalapeños
- Hot sauce
- Freshly squeezed lime juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F. Use a fork to poke holes in the potatoes for even baking. Bake the sweet potatoes for 40-50 minutes, or until soft and tender.*
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Once warm, add the mushrooms and bell peppers, along with the spices. Sauté for a few minutes then turn the heat to medium low, cooking until soft (about 3 minutes) and stirring occasionally.
- Add the black beans to the pan and lower the heat to a simmer, keeping the pan warm until ready to assemble the quesadillas.
- Add 1/2 tablespoon of oil to a second frying pan* and wipe the skillet with the oil to coat the entire pan. Turn the heat to low.
- When the potatoes are done, carefully remove them from the oven using tongs or a towel. Slice them in half lengthwise. Use a fork to scoop out some flesh and mash it onto one side of a tortilla. Then spoon the bean and veggie mixture over top.
- Place the tortilla on the frying pan and place another tortilla over top, using a spatula to press the tortilla down. Keeping the heat at low or medium-low, fry for 2-3 minutes before flipping to the other side.* Then heat for 2-3 minutes on this side before moving on to the next quesadilla.
- Repeat this process to create 3 more quesadillas. See notes for instructions on how to keep the quesadillas warm.
- Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to slice the quesadillas and serve with desired toppings!
Notes
- About 1 1/2 pounds sweet potato. This is enough for smaller 6-8 inch tortillas. Or enough for 2 large quesadillas. Increase the amount of sweet potato if using 10- or 12-inch tortillas.
- You can cut down significantly on cooking time by microwaving the potatoes before baking them. To do this, wrap each potato in a damp paper towel. Microwave for 5 minutes. Then place them in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until soft and tender. I’ve also found that the baking process is quicker in my toaster oven as opposed to the oven.
- You can also transfer the bean and veggie mixture to a bowl and use the same frying pan for making the quesadillas.
- Since there is no cheese to hold the tortillas together it will be more difficult to flip. You may need to carefully use your hands to hold part of the tortilla together as you flip. 🙂
- Turn the oven to 250F and place a baking sheet in the oven. You can place the quesadillas on the pan in the oven to keep them warm until ready to eat.
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