Mexican Lentil Quesadillas

5 from 7 votes

I make these cheesy Mexican lentil quesadillas whenever I want a wholesome, easy weeknight dinner or quick lunch full of authentic flavor. I make them with whole wheat tortillas, pre-cooked lentils, shredded cheese, and toasted cumin seeds. In just 30 minutes, I have a crispy, cheesy meal with all the classic flavors and none of the guilt.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Diet: Low Calorie, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 250kcal

Author: Anjali Shah

Ingredients

1 tsp cumin seeds
4 Sprouted Wheat or Whole Wheat Tortillas (To make this recipe gluten free, use gluten free tortillas)
½ cup shredded Mexican 4 cheese blend
1 cup cooked small lentils I used Trader Joe's Steamed Packaged Lentils
1 cup frozen or fresh corn
pico de gallo for serving
Optional Toppings: Diced avocado, green onions, guacamole, Plain Greek Yogurt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Toast cumin seeds in large, dry skillet over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, or until fragrant, shaking pan constantly. Transfer to small bowl, and set aside.
Toast corn in the same skillet, shaking the pan for about 5 min or until cooked through. Transfer to small bowl, set aside.
Arrange 4 tortillas on a baking sheet sprayed with olive oil cooking spray.
Sprinkle half the tortilla with ~2-3 Tbsp grated cheese, and 1/4 tsp toasted cumin seeds. Top with 1/4 cup lentils, 1/4 cup corn, and fold the other side over. Repeat for the next 3 tortillas.
Put the tortillas in the oven and broil for 5-10 min until the tops are lightly browned and crispy. Serve with Pico de Gallo, avocado, guacamole, Plain Greek Yogurt, or diced green onions on top!

Notes

My #1 Secret Tip for this cheesy Mexican lentil quesadillas recipe is to keep your pan moving while dry toasting the whole cumin in the skillet. If you stop shaking the seeds take on too much direct heat at once, causing them to scorch and turn bitter very quickly. These seeds are essential to the flavor, so I recommend keeping a close watch on them.
Spray tortillas lightly: Before broiling, I lightly mist the top of the folded tortillas with olive oil. This keeps the tortillas moist while also helping them to crisp up under the heat.
Do not overfill: To avoid spillage and soggy tortillas, I stick to my measurements for the filling.
Season the corn and lentils: For extra spice and depth, I sprinkle 1 teaspoon of my Old El Paso taco seasoning over my corn and lentils before adding them to the tortilla.
Select cheese carefully: I always select a cheese blend that is a perfect balance of melt and flavor. Using just one kind of cheese may make the quesadillas taste a bit flat.
Warm tortillas: I warm my tortillas to keep them pliable. This makes them easy to fold without cracking.

Nutrition