Veggie Quesadilla with Plant-Based Chipotle Cheese Sauce
“Being vegan and gluten-free must be so restrictive” they say. Think again, folks. Veggie quesadilla with plant-based chipotle cheese sauce has entered the building.
What’s in a Veggie Quesadilla with Plant-Based Chipotle Cheese Sauce?
This vegan quesadilla is a concoction of red bell pepper, mushroom, onion, sweet corn, spinach, and black beans. Seasoned with cumin and smoked paprika, and loaded up with Violife “Just Like” Cheddar shreds, this delicious lunch & dinner recipe will have you coming back for more (seriously, I’ve been eating these non-stop).
Our plant-based chipotle cheese sauce is made simply using potatoes, carrots, and onions as the base. The nutritional yeast brings the cheesiness, while the chipotle pepper in adobo brings the zest. This sauce makes your quesadilla oh so creamy and tastes amazing as a dip or drizzle as well.
If you have some chipotle cheese sauce left over, store in the fridge for up to a week. Use for quesadillas, tacos, nachos, and more!
Veggie Quesadilla with Plant-Based Chipotle Cheese Sauce
Recipe Author: Nicole Riggs
100% vegan and gluten-free quesadilla made with 8 whole food ingredients. Drizzled in chipotle cheese sauce and served with fresh shredded lettuce and dairy-free sour cream, this restaurant-worthy meal gives the non-vegan quesadillas a run for their money.
Equipment:
Medium pot for boiling, large stove-top skillet, blender, strainer, cutting board, measuring cups/spoons, liquid measuring cup
Ingredients:
Quesadilla
2 large gluten-free tortilla shells [we use Siete Foods Burrito Size]
1/4 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
6-8 white button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped spinach, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup corn, fresh or frozen
2 tbsp olive or avocado oil
1/2 cup vegan cheddar cheese shreds
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
fresh cilantro (for garnish)
Chipotle Cheese Sauce (with leftovers)
2/3 cup carrots, diced
2 cups yellow potatoes, skinned and diced
1/4 small yellow onion
1 chipotle pepper in adobo
3/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup warm water
2 tbsp vegan sour cream (optional)
Instructions:
Chipotle Cheese Sauce
Boil water in a medium-sized pot and add potatoes, carrots, and onions. Let boil until fork tender.
Drain and allow to cool before blending with the remainder of the ingredients.
(you’ll probably have some leftovers - save this cheese sauce for up to a week in the refrigerator. Use it for nachos, tacos, quesadillas, and more)
Veggie Quesadilla
In a large skillet, heat 1-2 tbsp oil on medium heat. Add onions and red bell pepper. Let cook for 1-2 minutes before adding in mushrooms, corn, spinach, and black beans.
Cover and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until veggies are soft and heated through. Add seasonings and mix until well combined.
Set aside and heat 1/2 more tbsp oil in separate large skillet. Once hot, place 1 tortilla shell in the pan and cook until crisp.
Flip over and spread chipotle cheese sauce onto the entire tortilla. Add a layer of veggie and black bean mixture, then vegan cheddar cheese shreds. Place another tortilla shell on top, flip, and cook until the bottom is crisp.
Cut into 4’s or 8’s and garnish with fresh cilantro. Enjoy with shredded lettuce, vegan sour cream, or guac!
Health Benefits of Veggie Quesadilla with Chipotle Cheese Sauce:
This recipe contains a whopping 7 vegetables, taking you beyond the old “5 a day” rule with just one meal.
Red Bell Pepper: an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A and fiber. Bell peppers also have lots of antioxidants, which may help to protect against certain diseases.
Mushrooms: A review of 17 cancer studies from 1966 to 2020 shows that eating just 18 grams of mushrooms (equal to about a 1/8-cup or two medium mushrooms) a day may lower your risk of cancer by as much as 45%. Mushrooms are a powerful source of ergothioneine, an amino acid and antioxidant that prevents or slows cellular damage.
Onion: The antibacterial properties of “allicin” in onions helps your body fight off harmful bacteria, toxins, and sicknesses. Onions also contain a flavonoid, quercetin, that has been linked to lower chances of developing Alzheimer’s.
Black Beans: a good source of iron, providing 2.3 mg or 13% of the DV. Additionally, black beans supply 0.28mg of manganese (12% DV), 42 mg of magnesium (10% DV), and 0.17mg of thiamin (14% DV). Eating this iron-rich food with Vitamin C-rich red bell pepper increases your body’s absorption of the iron by a large percentage.
Sweet Corn: corn has a high fibre content. Dietary fiber is important for our health - it aids digestion, can decrease the risk of heart disease, strokes, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers, while leaving you feeling fuller for longer.
Spinach: Just one-fourth cup of frozen spinach contains about 300% of your daily vitamin K needs. Vitamin K may help to lower your risk of bone fractures, and both vitamin K and magnesium improve bone density.
Yellow Potatoes: a good source of vitamins B6 and C, as well as fiber and potassium. One medium Yukon gold potato meets one half of your daily vitamin C needs.
Carrots: Carrots are an exceptionally good source of beta carotene, fiber, vitamin K1, potassium, and antioxidants.
Nutritional Yeast: contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. Complete proteins are important for tissue repair and nutrient absorption.
