These Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas are ready in just 25 minutes. They’re budget-friendly, loaded with flavor, and make a simple veggie meal the whole family will love. The recipe can easily be made vegan too.
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Why This Recipe Stands Out
We love a good quesadilla, and these Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas are a total hit. Here's why:
- Filling: The combination of sweet potatoes and black beans creates a filling that's packed with flavor and nutrients. It's one of those vegetarian recipes that even meat lovers will enjoy.
- Complete Meal: With healthy carbs, protein, and fats, these quesadillas make a complete and balanced meal. It reminds me of my Vegan Lentil Tacos!
- Easy to Make: The recipe is straightforward and easy to follow. You can easily make it on a busy weeknight.
- Budget-Friendly: You don't need any fancy or expensive ingredients to make this recipe. It’s all simple, easy-to-find items.
- Versatile: These quesadillas make a great lunch, dinner, or even a hearty snack. You can also serve them as an appetizer at a party.
Key Ingredients
- Sweet Potatoes – The star of our dish, sweet potatoes add a sweet and earthy flavor, and their natural starchiness helps bind the filling together.
- Spices (Chili Powder, Paprika, Cumin, Coriander) – This spice blend adds a smoky, slightly spicy flavor that complements the sweetness of the sweet potatoes.
- Black Beans – Black beans not only add plant-based protein and fiber but also a delicious, slightly creamy texture to the filling.
- Grated Cheddar Cheese – We love using cheddar cheese for its sharp, melty goodness that holds the quesadilla together.
- Greek Yogurt (for serving) – The tangy, creamy Greek yogurt is the perfect accompaniment to cut through the richness of the quesadilla.
Substitutions and Variations
These sweet potato and black bean quesadillas are a hit for a reason. Here are a few of our favorite variations on this recipe:
- Cheese: We love the sharpness of cheddar with the sweetness of the sweet potatoes, but feel free to get creative with your cheese choices. Pepperjack, mozzarella, or a Mexican cheese blend would all be delicious here.
- Black Beans: Not a fan of black beans? Try using kidney beans or chickpeas instead.
- Veggies: This recipe is super versatile when it comes to veggies. Try adding mushrooms, spinach, or even some diced jalapeños for an extra kick.
- Spices: The combination of chili powder, paprika, cumin, and coriander gives these quesadillas a smoky, flavorful punch. Feel free to adjust the amounts to suit your tastes, or add in some extra spices like I do in my Homemade Taco Meat.
How to Make Sweet Potato And Black Bean Quesadillas
Step 1: Cut sweet potatoes into chunks and boil until tender. Mash the potatoes and add spices.
Step 2: In a separate skillet, sauté onions and peppers until tender. Add to the mashed potatoes.
Step 3: Drain and add black beans to the potato mixture. Stir to combine.
Step 4: In a separate skillet, place a tortilla and spoon a generous amount of the filling on one half.
Step 5: Sprinkle cheese, cilantro, and a few drops of lime over the filling. Fold the tortilla in half.
Step 6: Cook the quesadilla until the bottom is crispy, then flip and cook the other side. Serve immediately with desired toppings.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
What to Serve with Black Bean Quesadillas
Protein
- If you want to add some extra protein to your meal, you can serve your quesadillas with a side of cooked chicken, beef, or pork. You can even add some shredded meat inside the quesadillas for a heartier meal.
- You can also cook up some extra black beans or lentils to serve with your quesadillas for a vegetarian protein boost.
Soups
- A warm bowl of soup can be a comforting addition to your quesadilla meal. Try our Vegetable Bean Soup or our Vegan Tomato Soup for a delicious and satisfying dinner.
Vegetables
- A simple side salad with a light vinaigrette or a creamy dressing can be a refreshing addition to your quesadillas.
- You can also serve your sweet potato and black bean quesadillas with some sliced avocado or a dollop of guacamole for extra creaminess and a dose of healthy fats.
- If you want to add some extra greens to your meal, try serving your quesadillas with a side of steamed or sautéed spinach, kale, or your favorite leafy greens.
Frequently Asked Questions
We recommend using large flour tortillas for this sweet potato and black bean quesadilla recipe. However, you can also use whole wheat tortillas or corn tortillas if you prefer. Just keep in mind that the size of your tortilla will determine how much filling you'll need for each quesadilla.
Yes, you can use pre-cooked sweet potatoes if you have them on hand. Simply peel and dice the sweet potatoes, then sauté them in a pan with a little oil until they're tender. Once they're cooked, you can mash them and proceed with the rest of the recipe as written.
Boiling the sweet potatoes is the quickest and most efficient way to cook them for this recipe. Since we're mashing them and mixing them with the other ingredients, we want them to be very soft. Boiling ensures that they'll be tender and easy to mash.
We used cheddar cheese for this recipe, but you can use any melty cheese that you like. Monterey Jack, Colby, or a Mexican blend would all work well. If you want to make this recipe vegan, you can use your favorite dairy-free cheese.
These quesadillas are best when enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just reheat them in a skillet or in the microwave before serving.
You'll Also Enjoy These Black Bean Recipes
If you make this recipe, please leave me a comment below and rate it. I always appreciate the feedback. Also, you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.
Recipe
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas
Ingredients
- 4 tortilla wraps
- 2 sweet potatoes medium sized
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 green pepper diced
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 ⅓ cups cooked black beans I used canned
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ⅓ cups cheddar cheese grated, choose vegan cheese if needed
- ½ cup fresh cilantro
- 1 lime
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt for serving - you can also serve with guacamole or salsa.
Instructions
- Cut potatoes into 1-inch chunks. Place in a large saucepan, cover with water, then bring to a boil.
- Continue boiling until the potatoes are tender, about 8 minutes. Remove the pot from heat, and drain the potatoes, then return the potatoes to the pot and mash.
- Add the spices (chili powder, coriander, cumin, smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon salt, and chili pepper. Mix until incorporated.)
- To a skillet, heat up the olive oil and add the onion and green pepper, season with the remaining salt and cook until tender (2 to 3 minutes). Then add them to the mashed potato.
- Add the drained black beans to the mashed potatoes and stir to combine.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then lightly coat with oil.
- Place a single tortilla in a skillet, then spoon a heaping ⅓ cup of filling onto half of the tortilla (if you use larger tortillas you might need to add more filling), sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of shredded cheese, cilantro and squeeze a few drops of lime. Fold the empty half of the tortilla over the top.
- Let the tortilla cook until the bottom is browned and slightly crispy (about 1-2 minutes), then flip on the other side. Serve immediately with Greek yogurt or any other desired toppings.
Notes
- You can use canned or cooked sweet potatoes. We recommend canned as it is easier and quicker.
- Adding all the spices to the mashed sweet potatoes and not to the veggies will ensure they are evenly distributed.
- When mashing the potatoes, leave some small chunks for texture.
- For a vegan version, skip the cheese or use dairy-free cheese instead.
- Serve with a side of guacamole and salsa for a complete meal.
Nutrition
More Recipes You'll Enjoy
- Tempeh Tacos - You'll love these quick and easy Vegan Tempeh Tacos. They're perfectly seasoned and oh-so delicious.
- Vegan Lentil Tacos - These VeganLentil Tacos are one of the easiest and healthiest vegan recipes that have the perfect meat replacement!
- Jerk Chicken Tacos - Jerk Chicken Tacos are the epitome of fusion cuisine: boneless chicken marinated in Jamaican jerk seasoning and olive oil, then grilled to perfection.
- Easiest Taco Meat - This easy Taco Meat recipe is the secret to the absolute BEST tacos you'll ever make at home!
Iryna Bychkiv is the founder and writer of the culinary website Lavender & Macarons, where she shares clean, European-inspired recipes that are delicious, easy to prepare, and made with wholesome ingredients. Iryna loves creating meals that are simple yet healthy and unique, including vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Iryna is also a freelance writer for MSN and Associated Press Wire.
DEBBIE says
LOOKS YUMMY!!! CAN'T WAIT TO TRY!!
Iryna Bychkiv says
Thank you for your comment, Debbie! These quesadillas are delicious indeed. I hope you'll give them a try:)