I love making quesadillas, it’s a filling meal and you can add so much to it, and this is just that. These loaded quesadillas have so much in them- it's got a layer of refried beans, queso, and SO many veggies! I like to use spicy queso to make these to amp up the heat. When I saute the veggies for these I added tomatoes to give the tomato flavor without adding salsa inside. These can easily be meal-prepped. A crispy bite filled with so many flavors and creaminess these quesadillas are a must-make when you want Mexican food or for your taco Tuesdays!

Happy Cooking!

Servings: 6-8 servings

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cooking Time: 15-20 mins

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients: 

• 6-8 flour tortillas

• 1.5-2 cups Refried beans

• 3/4-1 cup queso; I made spicy queso -check directions

• 2 tbsp butter to cook quesadillas

• 1/3 cup Sour cream to serve optional

• 1/3 cup Tomato salsa or/and Tomatillo salsa or a mixed salsa to serve optional

• Guacamole to serve optional

Veggies:

• 1 tbsp butter

• 1/2 red onion finely chopped

• 5-7 mushrooms finely chopped

• 1 jalapeño chopped

• 1/3 cup grated carrots 

• 1 pepper chopped

• 2 scallions chopped; greens and whites separate

• 1/2 tomato chopped

• 1 tbsp garlic paste

• 1.5 tsp ginger paste

• 1 tsp Cumin powder

• 1/8 tsp Cinnamon powder

• 1 tsp Salt as per taste

• 1/4 tsp Pepper

• 1/2 tsp Chili flakes as per taste

• 1/2 tsp Paprika 

• 1/3 cup corn kernels

• 2 tbsp Parsley chopped

• 2 tbsp coriander chopped

Directions: 

1. Refried beans- Use canned beans or ideally make it at home. Click here for the recipe and video. You can make the beans 2-3 days before and keep them in the fridge in an airtight container.

2. Queso- Use canned queso or ideally make it at home. Click here for the recipe and video. You can make the queso 2-3 days before and keep them in the fridge in an airtight container. To reheat it, add milk and cook on low heat. For this recipe, I made a spicy queso using spicy cheese that had the flavors of ghost peppers. If you want to make it spicy with regular cheese, add chili flakes and paprika to it.

3. Veggies- Put a sauté pan on low-medium heat and add butter. Add onions, jalapenos/serranos, and mushrooms & cook for 6-7 mins. The mushrooms should be cooked through. Add peppers, carrots, and the whites of green onions and cook for 3-4 mins. Add chopped tomatoes, garlic paste, ginger paste, all spices & seasonings, and mix. Cook well for 4-5 mins till the tomatoes have broken down. Add corn, the greens of the green onions & chopped coriander & parsley and mix. Cook for 1-2 mins and the veggies are ready! Let it cool for 5-6 mins before layering.

4. Layering- You ideally want all the fillings a little cool so it doesn’t make the tortillas soggy

   • Layer one tortilla with a layer of refried beans.

   • Top it with a layer of queso. You want the queso to be slightly cooled so it’s easy to spread and not soggy.

   • Top with veggies and then spread it out.

   • Sandwich it close with another tortilla.

5. Cooking- Spread butter and keep the pan on medium-low. Place the quesadilla and grill on low on the pan. Flip over and cook till both sides are crispy and toasty and the queso ahs melted.

6. Serve immediately with condiments. The quesadilla will get soggy the longer it stays.

Notes/Tips:

• Use any mushrooms you like. I used button mushrooms but you can use cremini mushrooms.

• You can add more vegetables if you like.

• You can use any flour tortillas you like. Use gluten-free tortillas to make it gluten-free.

• You can make the veggies, queso, and beans and keep them from before.

• Cooking on low for a longer time helps keep the quesadillas toasty.

• You ideally want all the fillings a little cool so it doesn’t make the tortillas soggy