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a refried bean quesadilla topped with avocado, sour cream, pickled onions, and sour cream on a blue background
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5 from 5 votes

Refried Bean Quesadillas with Spinach

This easy and satisfying vegetarian quesadilla recipe is equally at home as a family dinner or a party appetizer.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Mexican-Inspired
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: refried bean quesadilla, refried bean quesadillas
Servings: 4
Calories: 423kcal
Author: Carolyn Gratzer Cope

Ingredients

For the quesadillas

  • 4 12- inch flour tortillas burrito-sized
  • 16 ounces (454 grams) canned vegetarian refried beans
  • 8 ounces (227 grams) shredded Mexican cheese blend
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
  • 6 garlic cloves chopped
  • 10 ounces (280 grams) baby spinach

To serve, optional

Instructions

  • Place two of the tortillas on work surface. Spread each with half of the refried beans and sprinkle evenly with half of the cheese, leaving about a ¼-inch border around the edge to account for melting. 
  • In a 12-inch skillet (nonstick or cast iron), warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. If there is liquid in the pan, drain it before proceeding. Divide spinach between tortillas and arrange over cheese.
  • Place one of the remaining tortillas on top of each quesadilla. 
  • Wipe out the skillet and set over medium heat, then cook quesadillas one at a time until lightly browned and crisp on the outside and melty on the inside, flipping once, a few minutes per side. (Or see below for oven instructions.)
  • Cut into wedges, top with pickled onions, cilantro sauce, sliced avocado and sour cream if you want to go nuts like I always do. Otherwise, they're great with sour cream and your favorite jarred salsa.

Notes

  1. Flour tortillas make great quesadillas, but you can use corn or other gluten-free ones if you prefer. If you prefer, use 6- or 8-inch tortillas for individual dinners.
  2. Here's how to make your own refried beans. To make this recipe vegetarian, use vegetarian beans.
  3. Mexican-style shredded cheese blend makes things easy and tasty, but you can use jack or pepper jack, cheddar, or any other cheese that melts well and has an amenable flavor profile.
  4. To cook quesadillas in the oven, preheat oven and two sheet pans to 400°F. Spray hot pans with cooking spray. Place one quesadilla on each sheet pan and bake for 5 minutes, then flip and bake about 5 minutes more. I(f you're the type of cook who likes top-secret pro-tip life hacks, you can bake your quesadillas between two sheet pans to crisp both sides at the same time and not have to flip them.)
  5. Quesadillas will be at their best shortly after cooking, but you've got options. You can prep and assemble them in advance and store, tightly wrapped, in the fridge for up to a couple of days or in the freezer for a few months, then cook and top right before serving. (To freeze, wrap well and place on cookie sheets until frozen solid to preserve their shape.) Or you can cook them up to a few hours in advance and reheat in a 300°F oven right before serving.
  6. Leftovers (especially if not topped) will keep for a few days in the fridge. You can reheat them in a toaster oven or 300°F oven before serving.
I first published this recipe here in 2018. I've updated the post for clarity, but the recipe remains the same.

Nutrition

Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 43.9g | Protein: 25.1g | Fat: 16.9g | Fiber: 5.8g