Vegetable Quesadillas with Salsa Roja

Name: Vegetable Quesadillas with Salsa Roja
Cook time: 14 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: mexican
Ingredients: 15 ml Olive oil divided; 120 g Yellow onion thinly sliced; 150 g Red bell pepper thinly sliced; 180 g Zucchini halved lengthwise and sliced; 120 g Mushrooms sliced; 120 g Corn kernels fresh or thawed frozen; 3 g Fine salt divided; 1 g Black pepper; 2 count Garlic cloves minced; 2 g Ground cumin; 2 g Chili powder; 240 g Black beans drained and rinsed; 3 g Fine salt divided; 0.5 count Lime cut into wedges; 8 count Flour tortillas 8-inch tortillas; 200 g Monterey Jack cheese shredded; 15 ml Olive oil divided; 180 g Salsa roja for serving; 10 g Fresh cilantro chopped; 0.5 count Lime cut into wedges

These quesadillas use a quick sauté to concentrate the vegetables before griddling, so the filling stays flavorful rather than watery. Black beans make the filling more substantial while keeping the dish vegetarian, and the salsa roja adds acidity and heat against the crisp tortilla and melted cheese.

By Julienne

Cook time: 14 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

15 ml Olive oil divided
120 g Yellow onion thinly sliced
150 g Red bell pepper thinly sliced
180 g Zucchini halved lengthwise and sliced
120 g Mushrooms sliced
120 g Corn kernels fresh or thawed frozen
3 g Fine salt divided
1 g Black pepper
2 count Garlic cloves minced
2 g Ground cumin
2 g Chili powder
240 g Black beans drained and rinsed
3 g Fine salt divided
0.5 count Lime cut into wedges
8 count Flour tortillas 8-inch tortillas
200 g Monterey Jack cheese shredded
15 ml Olive oil divided
180 g Salsa roja for serving
10 g Fresh cilantro chopped
0.5 count Lime cut into wedges

Instructions

Heat 15 ml of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, corn, 3 g of the salt, and the black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. The vegetables should look glossy, with browned edges and no visible raw onion.
Stir in the garlic, cumin, chili powder, black beans, and the remaining 3 g salt. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until fragrant and the beans are hot. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the juice from half the lime. The filling should smell fragrant and taste seasoned, not wet or soupy.
Wipe out the skillet. Lay out 4 tortillas. Divide half the cheese over the tortillas, then evenly divide the vegetable-bean filling over the cheese. Top with the remaining cheese and the remaining 4 tortillas. Each tortilla pair should have an even layer of filling and cheese for easy sealing.
Heat the remaining 15 ml olive oil in the clean skillet or a griddle over medium heat. Cook the quesadillas in batches, 2 to 3 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until the tortillas are deeply golden and the cheese is fully melted. The exterior should be crisp and browned, and the cheese should visibly melt when a quesadilla is cut.
Cut each quesadilla into wedges. Serve immediately with the salsa roja, the remaining lime wedges, and chopped cilantro if using. The quesadillas should slice cleanly and steam slightly at the cut edges.