Quesadillas with pinto beans and cheese Recipe
These quesadillas combine creamy pinto beans, melted cheese, and gentle spices wrapped in a crispy tortilla. In Mexico, quick pan dishes like this are a common savior for a late dinner when there’s only a bit of leftover beans from lunch in the fridge. The flavor is a bit like baked beans, just in a convenient, handheld form.
A simple, budget-friendly way to turn leftover beans into a comforting, cheesy meal that comes together in minutes and works equally well as dinner or a snack.
Chef's tips
Don’t overfill the tortillas—too much filling makes them hard to flip and more likely to tear. Lightly pressing the quesadillas with a spatula while frying helps the cheese melt evenly and stick everything together.
How to serve
Serve with lime wedges, fresh coriander, and your favorite hot sauce. A side of crunchy salad or sliced avocado makes it a more complete meal.
Ingredients
- wheat or corn tortilla medium, about 20 cm in diameter - 8 piece
- cooked pinto beans canned is fine, rinsed and drained - 300 g
- well-melting yellow cheese grated - 200 g
- onion finely diced - 0.5 piece
- garlic finely chopped - 1 clove
- vegetable oil for frying the filling and quesadillas - 2 tablespoons
- ground cumin for aroma - 0.5 teaspoons
- sweet paprika powder for color and flavor - 0.5 teaspoons
- salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and fry for 3–4 minutes, until it softens and becomes slightly translucent.
- Add the garlic, cumin, and sweet paprika and fry for about 1 more minute, stirring, until the spices become very fragrant.
- Add the pinto beans and partially mash them with a fork or potato masher directly in the pan so that some beans stay whole and some form a thick paste. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2–3 minutes, until the filling is hot and thick.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let the filling cool slightly so it doesn’t burn your hands when spreading.
- Lay the tortillas out on the counter. Spread a portion of the beans over one half of each tortilla, sprinkle with grated cheese, then fold in half and press the edges together with your hand.
- Heat a thin layer of the remaining oil in a large pan over medium heat. Place 2–3 folded tortillas in the pan and fry for 2–3 minutes on each side, until the cheese inside melts and the tortilla is golden and slightly crispy.
- Transfer the fried quesadillas to a board, wait a minute, then cut each into 2–3 triangles. Serve hot.
Storage
Usmażone quesadillas najlepiej smakują od razu, ale możesz je przechować w lodówce do 2 dni i odgrzać na suchej patelni. Farsz fasolowy można też zamrozić do 2 miesięcy.
