Dr Mobeus
Spicy Bean and Cheese Quesadillas
Quesadillas are one of those things that sounds like a treat but is actually one of the cheapest meals you can put together. A tin of kidney beans, some value tortillas and a bit of cheese, and you have four decent portions for under £1.60 total.
The bean filling is deliberately simple because the cheese is doing a lot of the work. You mash the beans with cumin and chilli so they hold together inside the tortilla rather than rolling out everywhere, and the cheese melts around them to glue the whole thing shut.
Cooking them in a dry pan is the trick. No oil needed on the outside, the tortilla goes crisp on its own and gets those dark char marks that make it look like it came from a proper kitchen rather than a student hob.
Spicy Bean and Cheese Quesadillas
Ingredients
Method
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft, then add the garlic, cumin and chilli powder and cook for another minute.
- Add the drained kidney beans to the pan with a splash of water. Mash them roughly with the back of a fork or a potato masher, leaving some chunks for texture. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through. Remove from the heat.
- Lay out 4 tortillas. Divide the bean mixture between them, spreading it over one half of each tortilla. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the beans, then fold each tortilla in half to make a half-moon shape.
- Heat a large dry frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the quesadillas one or two at a time for 2-3 minutes on each side until the tortilla is crisp and golden with char marks, and the cheese is melted inside.
- Cut each quesadilla into 3 wedges with a sharp knife or scissors. If using the chopped tomatoes, heat them in a small pan with a pinch of salt to make a quick dipping sauce.
- Serve immediately while the cheese is still molten. A spoonful of natural yogurt or sour cream on top is good if you have some.
Tips and Variations
Swap kidney beans for black beans or baked beans (drained and rinsed) if that is what you have. Add a handful of sweetcorn to the bean mixture for extra bulk. If you are making these for kids who do not like spice, skip the chilli powder and use smoked paprika instead for flavour without heat. Leftover quesadillas reheat well in a dry pan the next day, but do not microwave them or they go soggy.
