Vegan Quesadillas with Smoky Cheese and Refried Beans
User Reviews
4.9
78 reviews
Excellent
Vegan Quesadillas with Smoky Cheese and Refried Beans
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These Vegan Quesadillas combine homemade smoky cashew cheese, flavorful refried beans seasoned with garlic and spices, and sautéed onions between flour tortillas. The cheese is creamy and tangy with smoked paprika and nutritional yeast. The quesadillas are cooked by pan-frying or baking to achieve a crispy exterior and melty filling.
Description
The recipe involves making three key components: smoky cashew cheese created from soaked cashews blended with nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, garlic, and lemon juice for a spreadable sauce; refried beans cooked with garlic, oregano, chili powder, and cumin for a spiced, creamy layer; and sautéed onions seasoned simply with salt and pepper. These elements come together to create a rich, flavorful filling for flour tortillas.
The assembled quesadillas can be folded in half or stacked with layers of cheese, beans, and onions. Cooking is done in a skillet with light oil and a press to get a crisp, browned tortilla exterior while melting the cheese inside. Alternatively, baking is an option. The final texture combines creamy cheese and beans with the tender onions, encased in a crunchy tortilla shell.
This vegan quesadilla offers a plant-based alternative loaded with smoky, tangy, and spiced flavors. It works well as a main dish or casual snack, paired with salsa or guacamole if desired. The component techniques allow for versatility and adaptation with other fillings.
Note that tortilla number depends on size and assembly method. Use caution with the cashew cheese thickness depending on whether a sauce or spreadable cheese is desired. When using canned beans, adjusting liquid with water may be necessary for proper consistency during cooking.
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Ingredients
Ingredients
- 4 to 8 flour tortillas or tortillas of choice*
- cooking oil oil of choice for frying/baking quesadillas
- cashew cheese recipe below, smoky
- refried beans (recipe below)
- onion recipe below, sautéed
Smoky Cashew Cheese**
- 1 cup cashews raw, soaked in water overnight or in boiling water for 1 hour; 140g
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast about 25g
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder (optional but adds a nice sharp tangy flavor)
- 4 garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 2 1/2 tablespoons tapioca flour (see notes above on “spreadable cashew cheese” for substitutes and tips)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice fresh
- 1 cup plant-based milk creamy, unsweetened; examples: oat milk, lite coconut milk, soy milk; 240 mL
- 2-4 tablespoons jalapeños optional, pickled, with brine
Refried Beans***
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or neutral cooking oil
- 2 garlic minced, cloves
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 pinto beans or black beans; canned 15-ounce / 440g; drained and rinsed
- 2 bay leaf
- 2/3 - 1 cup water or vegetable broth or canned bean liquid; 160-240 mL
- kosher salt or sea salt to taste
- black pepper freshly cracked, to taste
- 1 tablespoon lime juice if you don’t have lime, sub lemon juice or half the amount of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, fresh
- 1 cilantro optional), chopped, small handful
Sautéed Onions
- 2 onion thinly sliced, yellow
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil of choice
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- water as needed
Instructions
- Make the Smoky Cashew Cheese, Refried Beans, and Sautéed Onions.
- Assemble the quesadillas using the Folded Method. Spread a bit of the cheese onto only one half of a tortilla. Top with a bit of the beans and onions on the same side (don’t overfill). Fold the side without the toppings over into a half-moon shape.
- If using this method, you can either pan-fry the quesadillas or bake them.
- Or, assemble the quesadillas using the Stacked Method. Spread a generous layer of the cheese onto one tortilla. Arrange some of the refried beans and the sautéed onions on top. Place another tortilla on top to cover.
- To pan-fry the quesadillas (either stacked or folded), lightly grease a large skillet with a bit of oil (not too much) and place over medium heat. Once hot, add the prepared quesadilla to the skillet. Place a smaller skillet on top of the quesadilla so that it presses down on the quesadilla, resulting in a nice crispy exterior.
- Cook the quesadillas for 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook another 1-2 minutes, or until both sides are crispy and nicely browned. Repeat with the remaining cheese, beans, onions, and tortillas.
- To bake folded quesadillas, preheat the oven to 425°F/218°C. Brush a baking sheet with a bit of oil. Add the folded quesadilla and brush a tiny bit of oil on the top side. Bake for 8 minutes, then carefully flip and bake for 6-8 minutes more.
Smoky Cashew Cheese Directions
- Drain the soaked cashews.
- Add all of the ingredients to a high-powered blender or food processor. Blend until the sauce is completely smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes for a high-powered blender, or 4-5 minutes in a food processor, scraping down the sides with a silicone spatula as needed. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly, adding more salt as needed or more lemon juice for more acidity.1. NOTE: the tapioca flour will make it taste chalky, but that will go away once it’s cooked on the stove.
- Transfer the cheese sauce to a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high. Whisk almost constantly, until the sauce is very thick and almost stringy and you have a spreadable consistency, about 3-4 minutes. Take off the heat immediately.
Refried Beans Directions
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown
- Add the oregano, chili powder, and cumin and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add in the drained beans, bay leaves, and broth or water. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the beans are warmed through. Remove the bay leaves.
- Using an immersion blender or a potato masher, mash most of the beans, but leave some beans whole for texture. If the beans appear dry, add more broth or water as needed to moisten. Continue to cook the beans, stirring often, for 2-4 more minutes.
- Season the beans with salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat, and stir in the lime juice and cilantro, if using.
Sautéed Onions Directions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the oil. Once shimmering, add the onions and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until a light brown fond starts form on the surface of the pan, about 4-5 minutes. Add a few spoons of water to deglaze the pan, and continue cooking until the onions are softened and browned, about 9-10 minutes total.
Notes
- Tortilla quantity varies by size and assembly method; choose based on personal preference.
- For a cheese sauce consistency, follow spreadable cashew cheese tips; adjust tapioca flour accordingly.
- Use water or broth instead of canned bean liquid if digestion is sensitive; may require supplementing liquid amount.
- Heating method affects texture; pan-frying with a press crisps tortillas nicely, baking also works.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
584kcal
(29%)
Carbohydrates
66g
(22%)
Protein
20g
(40%)
Fat
29g
(45%)
Saturated Fat
5g
(25%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
7g
(41%)
Monounsaturated Fat
15g
(75%)
Trans Fat
1g
(50%)
Sodium
1220mg
(51%)
Potassium
875mg
(19%)
Fiber
11g
(44%)
Sugar
9g
(18%)
Vitamin A
604IU
(12%)
Vitamin C
15mg
(17%)
Calcium
254mg
(25%)
Iron
7mg
(39%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 584 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 584kcal | 29% |
| Carbohydrates | 66g | 22% |
| Protein | 20g | 40% |
| Fat | 29g | 45% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 7g | 41% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Sodium | 1220mg | 51% |
| Potassium | 875mg | 19% |
| Fiber | 11g | 44% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
| Vitamin A | 604IU | 12% |
| Vitamin C | 15mg | 17% |
| Calcium | 254mg | 25% |
| Iron | 7mg | 39% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
78 reviews
Excellent
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