Ooey gooey melted cheese and BBQ-soaked veggies pressed between two warm tortillas for the ultimate comfort food. These BBQ veggie and black bean quesadillas are totally plant-based and made in under 20 minutes!
One of the things I hear a lot about people trying to transition to a plant-centric way of eating is their despair about losing cheese. Whether you are lactose intolerant, switching to plant-based for health reasons or animal welfare rights or environmental impact, don’t you worry! There are so many brands that have come out with plant-based “cheese” options that truly don’t make me feel like I am missing out on anything! Take these vegan BBQ veggie and black bean quesadillas – you can’t even tell!
Becoming lactose intolerant
I became lactose intolerant 8 years ago, way before I ever became wholly plant-based. Eight years ago, there was only ONE brand of vegan cheese and it wasn’t that great. I simply learned to live without it. But for those making the transitions in 2020, there are so many options for us!
“I’m allergic to nuts though.” Previously, a lot of the plant-based cheese options were made from tree nuts and thus, those with a tree nut allergy felt like they couldn’t make the switch. The plant-based world is thinking of you! There are various brands that have come out with dairy-free and nut-free cheese options!
Two of my favorite brands are Violife and Miyokos. For these quesadillas, I’m using the Violife Mozzarella shreds. Does it really melt like real cheese? Take a look at my photos and decide for yourself 😉
Getting creative
Today I’m pairing two of my favorite things: BBQ sauce and quesadillas!
I’ve really been channeling the BBQ vibe lately and so I knew I had to create my own version of a pulled “chicken” BBQ quesadillas. To recreate the texture of the chicken, I used King Oyster mushrooms and diced them into long shreds. Mushrooms have a chewy texture that is similar to the rubbery texture of chicken and an “umami” flavor which is descriptive of more savory flavors, like meat, for example.
For the protein portion of this meal, I’m using easy canned black beans. If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I love my canned beans and there’s every reason in the book to use them: low lectins, already soaked and cooked, and fast.
For the BBQ sauce, we used the New Primal Brand of smoky BBQ sauce. Very few BBQ sauces are actually vegan because many of them are made with beef bone broth. If you are looking for some expressly plant-based options, do a careful reading of the ingredient label!
I paired this with my favorite homemade guacamole recipe (takes under 5 minutes); you can find that recipe here!
If you’re ready to dig in, check out the recipe below!
Cheers,
Stella
Vegan BBQ Veggie + Black Bean Quesadillas
Ingredients
- 2 8 inch tortillas
- 1/4 can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1/4 bell pepper, sliced
- 1/4 onion, sliced
- 4 king oyster mushrooms, sliced or any other mushroom (also optional)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp BBQ sauce
- 1.5 cups shredded cheese
Instructions
- Dice up the veggies.
- In a skillet, add the beans, peppers, onions and mushrooms with a tablespoon of oil and saute until soft over medium-high heat.
- At the very end, add the BBQ sauce and mix well with the veggies for less than minute. Shut off the heat and set aside.
- Wipe the skillet down or using a new flat pan/skillet and spray with non-stick spray.
- Lay down one of the tortillas and add a layer of cheese, covering most of the surface area. Then add the layer of beans and veggies. Then add another layer of cheese and cover with the second tortilla.
- Heat on medium-high heat, pressing so that the melting cheese acts as a "glue". Careful not to burn. When the bottom is golden and toasted, carefully flip the quesadilla over (we use a plate) and brown the other side until the cheese is melted and the two tortillas have bonded together.
- Slice into quarters and serve!
Did you make this? Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #thewholescoopblog
