Refried Bean Quesadillas
Refried Bean Quesadillas are a crispy, cheesy, melty and delicious delight. And incredibly easy too! Using either canned or made from scratch refried beans (I recommend my quick and spicy homemade version), simply spread some over a tortilla wrap, add plenty of cheese plus vegetable salsa, then fold in half. Fry or griddle until browned and crunchy, the filling hot and melting. Irresistible for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
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WHAT ARE QUESADILLAS?
At their most basic, quesadillas consist simply of cheese (queso in Spanish) folded in a thin flatbread (tortilla). They’re then warmed until the bread is crispy and the cheese melting. The word quesadilla is often translated as ‘little cheesy things‘ and yes, they ARE as perfectly delicious as that sounds. In this form, quesadillas are thought to have originated in Mexico several centuries ago. But they’ve come a long way since then.
Now a staple of Tex-Mex cuisine and popular way beyond their homeland, quesadillas often include things like vegetables, meat, or fish. These days, the original corn tortilla is also likely to be replaced with a more pliable wheat flour tortilla. But the basic principle is the same. Fill, fold, fry or griddle. And once you’ve got the quickly acquired skill of making quesadillas you might, like me, find it rather addictive.
I’ve been known to put all sorts of things in a quesadilla. Two favourites are a breakfast quesadilla with sausage, eggs, spinach and cheese, and a samosa quesadilla with Indian spiced potatoes and peas! But today I’m sharing ever-popular Refried Bean Quesadillas.
WHAT ARE REFRIED BEANS?
Refried beans is the usual English name for the Mexican/Tex-Mex dish of mashed beans called frijoles refritos. However, the beans (traditionally pinto, but others can be used) are not actually fried twice, so a better translation is ‘well-fried’ beans. While tins of refried beans are widely available, I think they’re often bland. For example, the UK’s best-known brand is 60 per cent beans, plus water, salt, oil, and onion powder. If you’re going to eat them with other well-flavoured things like salsas or spicy accompaniments, perhaps it doesn’t matter. But I much prefer to make my own spicy Refried Beans.
I make no claims of authenticity for my version. It’s just how I like my refried beans. Quick and easy with much more spicy flavour than you’ll find in traditional recipes. As well as tinned beans (I use borlotti, kidney, or black when I can’t get pinto), you’ll need oil or fat for frying, stock or water, onion, garlic, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, chilli flakes or fresh chilli, plus coriander leaf and lime juice.
My Refried Beans can be ready in little more than thirty minutes, so I hope you’ll click through to the recipe and take a look. They also freeze well if you want to keep some on standby.
REFRIED BEAN QUESADILLAS
One of the benefits of my spicy refried beans is that you don’t need any extra hot or spicy condiments in your quesadillas. I do like a fresh vegetable salsa though. Nothing fancy, just finely chopped peppers, a little tomato (not too much: you don’t want a wet filling), onion, coriander, and lime.
Some fresh and/or pickled chilli is nice too. If your refried beans are the traditional sort with little or no spice, you can add a few pinches of ground cumin, smoked paprika, and chilli flakes to your salsa. Of course, you can always buy a ready-made salsa instead.
HOW TO MAKE REFRIED BEAN QUESADILLAS
You’ll find a recipe card at the end with suggested ingredient amounts and full instructions. But making quesadillas is so easy and adaptable to your own tastes that you’ll barely need it once you have the basic idea.
You start by spreading the refried beans over one half of a tortilla, leaving a bare edge all around. Then add some of your fresh veggie salsa and follow that with grated cheese. Traditionally, stringy Oaxaca cheese would have been used. But any flavoursome, melting one will work. I most often use Cheddar and/or Manchego, sometimes with a little mozzarella too (the semi-hard, grated kind) if I have it.
Now fold the tortilla in half and gently press down all over.
To cook your Refried Bean Quesadillas, you’ll need a non-stick frying pan or a griddle. I use my brilliant electric tabletop grill (paid link) as I can easily fit two or even three folded tortillas on it. But don’t worry if you don’t have a large pan or griddle: you can just cook one tortilla at a time. Tip: if you only have a small pan, first cut the unfilled tortilla into two semi-circles, then fill and fold each one into a triangle.
To get the outside extra-crispy, I brush a thin layer of oil on the griddle. Alternatively, you could use a cooking spray and/or spritz the folded tortilla instead. When the pan or griddle is heated to medium, add the tortilla(s) and cook for 2 – 3 minutes until the underside is browned and crispy. Now carefully turn and cook the other side.
When done, the filling should be hot and the cheese nicely melted. Because I like my quesadillas quite crispy, I’ll often turn them a few more times before serving.
SERVING REFRIED BEAN QUESADILLAS
To serve, transfer the quesadillas to a board and cut into triangles. It’s up to you what size you make them; cut each semi-circle into 2 large, 3 medium, or 4 small quesadillas.
Already spicy and full of flavour, I most often don’t serve anything extra with my Refried Bean Quesadillas. But a little chilli sauce and/or soured cream can be nice for dipping. Or maybe some creamy guacamole.
I most often eat them for a quick lunch, especially when I’ve got some leftover refried beans in the freezer. But these delightful ‘cheesy little things’ can work well as part of a larger meal too. Try some of the piping hot triangles with a big mixed salad and maybe some freshly cooked corn-on-the cob topped with Spiced Chilli Butter and you’ll have quite a feast!
If you’ve made this recipe, I’d love to know what you thought. Please do leave a comment and rating.
Refried Bean Quesadillas
Tortilla wraps filled with refried beans, salsa and cheese, folded, then fried or griddled until crunchy on the outside, hot and melting in the middle. Irresistible for lunch or dinner.
Can be made with either tinned refried beans or homemade spicy refried beans.
It's recommended that you read the accompanying blog post before starting the recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 large flour tortillas
- 150 g refried beans (see Recipe Notes)
- 4 tbsp fresh salsa (see Recipe Notes)
- 100 g grated cheese (e.g. Cheddar, Manchego, semi-hard mozzarella) Can be increased to 120g
- 1 - 2 tsp oil (or cooking spray)
Instructions
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Divide the refried beans between the two tortillas, spreading over one half of each and leaving a bare edge all around.
Sprinkle the fresh salsa over the refried beans.
Sprinkle the cheese over the salsa.
Fold the tortillas in half and gently press down.
Tip: if you only have a small frying pan, you can cut the tortillas in half before filling then folding.
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Heat a large frying pan, griddle, or electric tabletop grill (paid link) to medium and brush over 1 tsp of the oil, or spray with cooking spray.
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When hot put in the folded tortillas (if they don't both fit, you can cook in batches or use two pans).
Cook until the undersides are golden brown (2 - 3 minutes)
Carefully turn (add the remaining tsp of oil or spray again if necessary) then cook for another 2 - 3 minutes or until both sides are crispy, the filling hot, and the cheese melting.
Tip: for an extra crispy outside you can cook for longer, turning as often as necessary.
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When done, remove to a board and cut each tortilla into 2, 3, or 4 quesadillas.
Serve straight away, with dipping sauce if liked (e.g. chilli, soured cream, guacamole).
Best eaten straight away. Storing not recommended.
Recipe Notes
Refried Beans or frijoles refritos can be bought in cans, although homemade is easy and much nicer. For filling quesadillas I recommend my spicy Refried Beans.
Fresh salsa. An easy homemade vegetable salsa that goes well in quesadillas: mix together finely chopped red and green pepper, deseeded tomatoes (not too many or the salsa will be too wet), onion, fresh and/or pickled chilli, and coriander leaf. Season with salt and add a squeeze of lime. Optional: add a few pinches of ground cumin, smoked paprika, and chilli flakes.
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