Try this Vegan Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadilla for an easy, super flavorful meal packed with nutrition.
With the kids home for summer, quick meals are a must so they can get back to the fun of playing outside and just being a kid. One of my kids' favorite quick meals are these Vegan Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadillas.
These quesadillas are perfect for active little ones because they are super nutritious and filling so the kids are sure to have enough energy for all that playing. Plus they are quick and easy to make and most importantly taste great!
We really like the flavor of baked sweet potatoes for these quesadillas, but baking can take a while especially if the potatoes are large. So, to reduce the time I carefully cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and place on a baking sheet cut side down. This results in tender sweet middles with a bit of caramelization that adds a lot of deliciousness to the potatoes.
If you need to make this dish even quicker you could peel and chop the potatoes and then boil, which would take around 20 minutes. I think the extra 15-20 minutes to bake the potatoes is totally worth it though if you have the time. Plus there's no peeling and chopping necessary!
Once the potatoes are cooked just mash them up a bit with a fork and mix in beans and spices and your filling is ready to go. Spread a generous amount on half the tortilla, close it up, and brown on each side in a lightly oiled skillet. I like to use our electric griddle so I'm able to cook several at a time and dinner is on the table that much quicker.
Okay, technically a quesadilla has cheese and while I don't add any vegan cheese to ours, you certainly could add some to yours if you like.
Meal Prep: This is a great dish for making ahead and eating throughout the week too so I always bake extra potatoes to have for lunches. Just make plenty of the filling and store in the fridge. Then you can warm up some of the filling and make a fresh quesadilla in minutes.
Serve quesadillas with salsa, guacamole, or vegan sour cream for dipping for a light meal. Or serve them with a side of Spanish rice or cilantro lime rice for a heartier, filling meal.
If you try this recipe, let me know how it turns out! Leave a comment below or snap a pic and tag it @weelittlevegans on Instagram so I’ll be sure to see it!
- 2 sweet potatoes, medium sized
- 1 cup black beans, prepared
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast optional
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- dash of black pepper
- 6 8 inch tortillas
- salsa, guacamole, vegan sour cream optional
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Preheat oven to 450 degrees and set a baking sheet aside.
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Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and place cut side down on baking sheet. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until tender.
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Allow to cool enough to handle and scoop potato middles from skin into a large bowl.
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Add beans, spices, and seasoning. Stir to combine well.
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Scoop about ½ cup of mixture onto tortilla and spread over one half. Fold tortilla to cover mixture.
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Heat a small amount of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place filled tortilla in skillet and heat for 1-2 minutes. Flip and heat for an additional 1-2 minutes. Tortilla should be lightly browned.
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Cut in half and serve immediately.
Caroline
Made this tonight for dinner... really easy and tasty. Combined with a salad and cilantro dipping sauce.
Melissa
I'm so happy you enjoyed the recipe. Cilantro dipping sauce is a fantastic idea. Thank you for sharing!
Crystal
Amazing recipe! Kid friendly and so flavorful. Excited to have a vegan/dairy free quesadilla that actually holds together!!
Diana
Is there a nutrition fact profile for this recipe?