Buckle up guys… I am in the mood for some quesadillas. They are my one of the go-to quick dinner ideas which can never fail. You can mix and match and play with it’s fillings in so many ways without getting bored. So, now I am gonna share my favourite and simplest version of this awesome Mexican delight.

These lovely quesadillas are stuffed with a smoky sweet potato mash which are the easiest to prepare and refried spicy black beans which take less than 10 minutes to get ready. This combination of sweet potatoes and black beans is a marriage made in heaven! And of course, let’s not forget the cheese people. A quesadilla ain’t a quesadilla if there is no cheese! When you serve these with the smooth, creamy and zesty avocado dip, this perfection of taste and health really stands out. You can treat these either as appetizers or, as in my case, fulfilling lunches and dinners, on any given day. All of this, in a jiffy too.

Another thing to add, these quesadillas are deceivingly filling and nutritious. With the carb frenzy sweet potatoes and protein packed beans wrapped in high fiber tortillas, these quesadillas are a blast!

For the dip, I chose to go with avocado spiced up with cilantro and mild salsa verde. So tasty and sublimely addictive! I am absolutely in love with this one.

You can also use corn tortillas for a gluten free meal.

Ingredients:

To make the avocado dip –
– 1 ripe avocado
– 1 cup mild salsa verde
– A handful of cilantro
– 1 tablespoon lime juice
– A pinch of salt (if required)

For the sweet potato filling –
– 1 large sweet potato
– 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
– 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
– 1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
– Salt & pepper as per taste
– 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the black bean filling –
– 1 can cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
– 1 tablespoon olive oil
– 1 garlic clove, minced
– 1 small yellow onion
– 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
– 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
– Salt & pepper as per taste

To assemble –
– 6 whole wheat tortillas
– About 6 to 8 ounces of shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
– Olive oil for brushing

 Instructions

-To make the avocado dip, in a food processor, combine the avocado, mild salsa verde, cilantro and lime juice. Blend until it is creamy. Taste and if required add a pinch of salt. Transfer the dip into a bowl and refrigerate it while you are getting the quesadillas ready.

– To make the sweet potato filling, start with preheating the oven at 400 degrees F.

– Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them in cubes.

– Place the sweet potato cubes on a line baking tray and drizzle some olive oil. Add smoked paprika, ground roasted cumin, salt & pepper over it and give them a good mix to coat them nicely.

– Place it in the oven and let it roast for about 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes have softened and caramelized.

– Meanwhile prepare the black bean filling. Heat some olive oil in a pan and add minced garlic and onions. Sauté it for 5 minutes. Once done, add the black beans, ground roasted cumin, chili powder, salt & pepper and cook for another 5 minutes.

– Now take the sweet potatoes out of the oven and using a potato masher or a fork, roughly smash the sweet potatoes.

To make the quesadillas –
– Preheat the oven at 400 F. You can also skip preheating as the oven might already be hot after roasting the sweet potatoes.

– On a lined baking tray, spray some olive oil. Place the tortillas and cover one half of each tortilla with the prepared sweet potato and black bean fillings. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the filling and fold over the empty side of every tortilla to enclose the fillings. Brush the top of the tortilla with some olive oil and pop it into the oven for about 8 to 10 minutes. Keep a check on them while in the oven and if required, flip them in between.

– Once done, transfer them to a cutting board and slice each quesadilla into three even wedges using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter.

– Serve immediately with the avocado dip.

Enjoy these fresh, or if you have some veggie leftovers, tweak up the recipe in your own way… in either case, you are left with plates full of awesomeness. Dive in!