Yes, you read that right! Enjoy amazing, fresh, fun variations of tasty quesadillas on a nutrient-dense plant-based diet whenever your quesadilla craving strikes.
Who Needs Cheese?
The secret to a successful quesadilla is glue. Move over dairy cheese and try these fun combinations if you need delicious inspiration! Think out of the box, store bought or homemade, there is no limit to flavor combinations.
- Hummus
- Sweet Potato
- Smushed Beans
- Vegan Cheese
- White beans
- Chickpeas
Creating the Perfect Quesadilla
Follow these simple steps for creating crispy, dunkable, satisfying quesadillas.
Lay out tortillas and slather one side (or both) with your choice of “glue”.
Top one side with veggies, beans, greens etc, as if you were making a sandwich. Make sure that both sides with “glue” will be able to touch, otherwise you’ll have trouble when you go to flip the quesadillas as they’re being griddled. Place a damp cloth over them so that the edges don’t curl so much.
Tip: If you can spread your workspace out to work with at least 6 tortillas at a time, it will make you much more efficient so you can spend more time doing what you love, which is eating quesadillas – not making them!
Heat a cast iron pan on medium, or use a grill pan, panini press, or saute pan coated with cooking spray. Once the pan is hot, start cooking off your beautiful quesadilla creation.
Cook them for about 4 minutes per side, or until crispy.
Tip: These could also be baked, but will need to be flipped over halfway through. Make sure to use parchment paper so they don’t stick.
Mix it up with Sassy Sauces and Dips
Flirt with all your options to make this process fun! Experiment with different tortilla sizes, sauces, and fillings like barbecue or marinara and you’ll never get bored!
Dips like the traditional salsa, vegan sour cream, cashew queso, or guacamole are tasty with these of course, or try barbecue sauce, vegan ranch or blue cheese dressing, marinara sauce, or anything else your plant-based heart desires.
Load these up with veggies and beans and you’ve got yourself a super satisfying meal with all your bases covered. And definitely make extra, you’ll be glad you did.
Cuisine Combinations
- BBQ: bbq dressing, garlic hummus, white beans or chickpeas, collards or chard, dunk in bbq or vegan ranch
- The New Classic: original hummus, black beans, onion, peppers, baby kale, dunk in salsa with guac
- Italian: roasted red pepper hummus, white beans, spinach, pesto, dunk in marinara.
Always a crowd pleaser, keep tortillas on hand in the freezer or fridge and you will always be ready whenever your quesadilla craving strikes!
Chef Lauren D’Agostino creates, cooks, and serves all things plant-based and high-vibe. Her virtual cooking courses and plant-based transitions coaching offers non-judgmental support for hungry people who are overwhelmed by the idea of going plant-based or vegan. Learn the what, why, and how of beginning your plant-based journey by visiting laurendagostino.com/transform
