Vegan Quesadillas Recipe (Easy, Veggie Packed!)

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Gooey vegan cheese, crispy tortillas and a spicy mix of hearty veggies make these vegan quesadillas the BEST you’ll ever eat! Ready in just 30 minutes, these are super easy, healthy and absolutely delicious!

Are you a fan of quesadillas? When we’re in the mood for something quick, easy, but healthy, we always resort to veggie quesadillas. Loaded with nutrient-dense ingredients, this vegan quesadilla recipe is definitely worth trying and will probably become one of your favorite quesadilla recipes!

Made with sweet butternut squash and hearty, tender kale, this is a healthy vegetarian Mexican recipe that’s ready in just 30 minutes!

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These easy cheesy quesadillas are an elevated version of comfort food, and brings any lunch or dinner to the next level. They are perfect for lunchbox lunches, meal prep, and even camping.

You can also adapt this recipe however you like! I like to use a variety of my favorite veggies, mix up the spices for different flavors, and try different filling ingredients for this veggie quesadilla recipe every time I make it! I start with butternut squash and kale, and then add in leafy greens, an assortment of beans, bright sweet potatoes, and so much more!

👩🏽‍🍳 Why This Recipe Works

• Healthy: These delicious vegan quesadillas are healthy because they are loaded with bright and flavorful veggies! Packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, this is a dish you can feel good about eating.
• Easy to Make: This recipe is perfect for busy nights because it’s so simple to prepare! Just a few simple steps and you’ve got lunch or dinner ready in minutes.
• Versatile: These vegan quesadillas are super versatile because you can switch up the ingredients, filling and tortillas any way you like! Pack them full of your favorite fresh herbs, vegetables, beans, and so much more!
• Kid-Friendly: These easy vegan quesadilla recipe is totally kid-friendly! It’s also a great way to sneak in a bunch of extra veggies into your child’s diet. Quesadillas are perfect for kids meals because they are quick, yummy, and kids will love the small finger food pieces of their favorite quesadillas.

🥘 Ingredients

You may already have these basic ingredients, but if not, you can easily find them at your local grocery store!

• Onion & Garlic: We used one diced red onion and freshly minced garlic for its pungent flavor.
• Butternut Squash: We used frozen butternut squash cubes to cut down on the prep time, but feel free to use fresh butternut squash.
• Kale: We also used frozen kale for this recipe, but you can easily use fresh kale.
• Seasoning and Spices: You will need a variety of seasonings such as salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and crushed red pepper. Feel free to add garlic powder too!
• Whole Wheat Tortillas: We used whole grain tortillas because they are filled with complex carbohydrates, making it a healthy carb. But you can use whichever type of tortilla you would like!
• Dairy-Free Cheese: The perfect addition to these quesadillas, you can use your choice of favorite vegan cheese! In our opinion, the best vegan cheeses for quesadillas is any type of dairy-free cheddar cheese or you can make your own homemade cashew cheese with raw cashews. For store brands, we like Field Roast, Follow Your Heart, Kite Hill or Violife cheeses.

🍽 Equipment

• Griddle or Skillet
• Cutting board
• Sharp Knife
• Spatula
• Measuring cups

📖 Variations

• Add Beans: Make these vegan quesadillas with black beans for an extra protein boost! You can also use pinto beans, refried beans, or even white beans for this recipe.
• No Cheese: You can easily make a vegan quesadilla without cheese, you’ll just need to substitute in a binding ingredient to help these quesadillas hold together! Instead of cheese, try hummus or guacamole!
• Different Veggies: Use up any veggies you have in your fridge for this recipe! You can make sweet potato quesadillas by substituting roasted sweet potato instead of the butternut squash, try baby spinach instead of kale, or add in bell peppers, sweet corn, zucchini and anything else you like!

🔪 Instructions

Follow these step by step photos to make the best vegan quesadillas every time!

Sauté the Veggies: First, heat a large skillet or nonstick pan over medium heat with some olive oil. Sauté the garlic and onion until translucent.

Add the Veggies and Spices: Add the veggies and saute for 3-5 minutes. Once the veggies have defrosted, add the salt, black pepper, chili powder, cumin, ground coriander, and crushed red pepper (if you want).

Assemble the Quesadilla: Finally, assemble the quesadilla! Take one tortilla and sprinkle the vegan cheese over half of the tortilla. If you want cheeseless quesadillas, then leave the cheese off! Top with the quesadilla filling (butternut squash and kale mixture) and more vegan cheese if using it.

Cook: Next, fold the traditional quesadilla into a half-moon shape. Spray the large skillet with cooking spray and turn the heat to medium to medium-high heat. Cook the quesadilla until golden brown, then flip and cook on the second side until you have a golden brown and slightly crispy tortilla. Repeat with the second tortilla.

Cool Down: Remove the quesadilla from the pan and turn off the heat. Allow the quesadilla to cool before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

❓ Recipe FAQs

🧊 How to Store

• Refrigerator: Allow the quesadillas to cool down, then store them in an airtight storage container. Place in the refrigerator for up to four days.
• Freezer: Once the leftover quesadillas have cooled completely down, then transfer them to a freezer-safe storage container or bag. Label the bag with the date and contents and store it for three to four months!
• Reheat: When ready to reheat these vegan quesadillas, transfer them to the refrigerator thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat the quesadillas in a skillet on the stovetop. You can also reheat in the oven at 350 degrees: Transfer the quesadillas to a prepared baking sheet with parchment paper and place in the oven for 5 minutes or until warmed through.

👨‍👩‍👧 Serving Suggestions

Serve with your favorite toppings and sides such as fresh cilantro, a dollop of vegan sour cream, nutritional yeast, hot sauce, lime juice, or pico de gallo, guacamole, and salsa. You can serve these quesadillas as your main Mexican dish with refried beans, nachos, salads, soups, vegan cheese sauce with chips, and so much more.

💭 Expert Tips

• Use frozen veggies for ease and convenience. You can use fresh kale in the place of frozen if you like, but if you use fresh squash you will have to adjust the cooking time!
• If you like things spicy, add cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or your favorite spicy taco seasoning.
• Cut these quesadillas with a pizza cutter for an easier way of preparing them.
• Adjust the temperature to low heat if needed to prevent overcooking the tortillas.
• If you’re on a gluten-free diet, then use gluten-free tortillas.

🍲 More Mexican and Vegan Recipes!

• Black Bean Tostadas
• Tamale Cakes
• BBQ Jackfruit Burrito Bowl
• Sweet Potato Tacos
• Vegan Guacamole
• 50 Beginner Vegan Recipes

If you have tried these vegan quesadillas, or any other recipe on my blog, then please leave it a star rating and let me know how it turned out in the comments below the recipe card! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM  and PINTEREST to see more delicious, healthy, family friendly food!

Anjali Shah