This recipe for vegetarian quesadillas is a sponsored post by Lentils.org, but, as always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that make Girl Heart Food possible and for helping me continue to do what I love – cook, eat and share delicious recipes! #GetPrepped
These easy vegetarian quesadillas are jam packed with cheese and lentils and have a little kick of spice from chipotle. For added texture and flavour, it’s mixed with corn and bell peppers. Melty cheddar cheese tops it all off for one delicious and nutritious meatless Monday dinner or Friday night snack.
Hey lovely peeps! How was your weekend? So Groundhog Day was this past Friday and, apparently, there’s a mix of results. In some areas the groundhog saw it’s shadow (which means 6 more weeks of winter). Fortunately, for us, the groundhog ’round here didn’t see it’s shadow. Do you follow any of that? I try to look at it optimistically and the fact that next month is March makes me super happy. Winter hasn’t been to bad around here so far and even if it was, it’s only an excuse to stay cozy (and maybe enjoy a big stack of these vegetarian quesadillas). Always look on the bright side, am I right?
What are Lentils?
Anywho, let’s talk food! More specifically, let’s talk lentils! Lentils are a legume and can be found in a variety of colours and sizes with each varying in cook time. A big bonus with lentils is that no soaking is required. They are ready to go when you are. Lentils make for quick dinners for busy weekdays and can be kept right in your pantry. I always have a couple of varieties on hand, mostly red lentils and green lentils (which take a tad longer to cook because they are a little larger).
Benefits of Lentils
Just like milk, bread and eggs, lentils are something that we have regularly stocked in our home. First, and foremost, they are loaded with nutrition! Lentils are an excellent source of fibre and protein, which I’m always trying to incorporate into our diet. Plus, lentils are SO inexpensive! I could make a huge batch of lentils and they could cover multiple meals in our home. Another huge plus of lentils is that they are super versatile. I regularly make slow cooker curried lentils, use them in soup, curries, dips and now for these awesome cheesy lentil quesadillas. It’s amazing how one ingredient can be used in so many delicious ways!
How to Make these Easy Vegetarian Quesadillas
The ingredients for these vegetarian quesadillas are pretty simple and I’m all about that!
Also, these quesadillas come together quite quickly. You cook the veg for just a short time so they still have some crunch and texture, remove from the pan and then cook the lentils. Then, you just purée the lentils and mix in with the veg. Spread the yummy mixture on a small tortilla, top with cheese and green onion and bake until the cheese is gooey and melty. The rest? Just dig in! Leftovers warm up beautifully too! Simply warm up in the oven for a few minutes until heated through.
These oven baked lentil quesadillas are awesome on their own or dipped in some salsa, guacamole or Greek yogurt (my personal fave).
Hope I’ve inspired you to use lentils for quick, easy, nutritious dinner ideas. The possibilities are endless and they always taste delicious every single time. What’s your favourite way to enjoy them? These cheesy vegetarian quesadillas with lentils are a great place to start…just sayin’ 😉
Looking for more Vegetarian Dinner Ideas? Check These Out
- Creamy Blue Cheese and Mushroom Pasta
- Three Bean Chili
- Vegetarian Korma
- Mushroom Risotto with Thyme
- Lentil and Kale Soup
Until next time, take care and chit chat again soon!
~Dawn
Cheesy Lentil Quesadillas
Ingredients
Cheesy Lentil Quesadillas
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion -minced
- 2 cloves garlic -minced
- 1/2 bell pepper -diced (colour of your choice)
- 1 ear corn -about 1 cup, kernels removed
- 1/2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp salt -divided
- 1/2 tsp black pepper -divided
- 2 cups vegetable stock -unsalted, divided
- 1 cup red lentils -picked over and rinsed/drained
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce -or 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 lime -about 2 tbsp, juiced
- 2 cups cheddar cheese -shredded
- 2 stalks green onion -chopped
- 8 small tortillas
Suggested Garnish
- sour cream or yogurt
- salsa
- guacamole
Instructions
Cheesy Lentil Quesadillas
- In a skillet on medium heat add olive oil. Add onion and cook 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Add pepper, corn, chili powder, cumin, coriander, half of the salt and half of the pepper. Stir to combine and cook 3 minutes. Remove from pan and lay to one side.
- To pan, add 1 3/4 cup of the stock, lentils, remaining salt and pepper and chipotle peppers (or smoked paprika). Cook on low simmer for about 10-12 minutes until lentils are cooked and liquid has absorbed. Let cool 5 minutes.
- Place lentils in food processor along with remaining 1/4 cup of stock and lime juice. Blend until combined and smooth. Mixture is thick, almost like 'refried beans'.
- Remove mixture from processor and place in bowl. Add reserved bell pepper mixture and stir to combine.
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Spread about two heaping tablespoons or so on one half of each tortilla. Top with 2 tbsp of cheese and distribute green onion amongst them. Fold over. Bake on baking sheet for 10-12 minutes until slightly brown and cheese melted.
- Let cool on baking sheet 5-10 minutes then cut each in half (makes 16 pieces in total). Serve with sour cream, Greek yogurt, salsa or guacamole. Enjoy!
