A healthy vegan black bean and sweet potato quesadilla recipe that comes together with minimal effort.

Lately I haven’t been going to the grocery store as often as I typically would so I’m trying to get creative with leftover ingredients. My refrigerator was looking pretty sparse and I wasn’t sure what to do with leftover refried beans. I happened to have an aging sweet potato and this recipe came together pretty easily.
I just popped the sweet potato in the oven while I was working this morning as it does take a bit to cook. Other than baking the potato, this recipe is actually super quick and easy. It all comes together in less than 15 minutes once you’re actually preparing the food.
My secret ingredient for this quesadilla is cinnamon. It sounds weird, but it really brings out the savory flavor of the sweet potato and compliments the other spices really well. Don’t knock it until you try it!

This recipe could be easily mixed up depending on what you have on hand. I was originally planning to have a layer of spinach or kale to add some greens, but as I mentioned my fridge is quite empty. Other things you could add to this include corn, jalapenos, bell peppers. You could even throw some vegan cheese in there if you wanted to get fancy. I added salsa on top which really took it to the next level. I would definitely suggest including some sort of topping like salsa or a quick guacamole.
I wrote this recipe just using a can of black beans, but you could also easily use refried beans if that’s what you have around. I like the fat free vegan ones from Trader Joes. If you are making a double batch and have both, try mixing the refried beans with the black beans. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
P.S. To make this gluten free, just use corn tortillas or another favorite gluten free option.
Print
Vegan Black Bean and Sweet Potato Quesadilla
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 3 quesadillas 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 sweet potato
- 6 medium tortillas
- 1 shallot
- 1 can of black beans
- 1/8 tsp of cinnamon
- Sprinkle of salt
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp coriander
- Sprinkle pepper
- 1/4 of a lime
Instructions
-
Using a fork, poke holes all around the sweet potato. Bake it on a silicon mat for 45 minutes at 425 degrees. It will be ready when you can easily put the fork all the way into the potato at the thickest part.
-
Cut the potato in half and scoop out the flesh into a medium bowl. Mash with a fork until an even texture forms. Add in all seasonings and mix again.
-
Next, add in beans and shallots, mixing until well combined. If you are using refried beans, don’t add them in yet.
-
Bring a pan to medium heat
-
Spread a third of the sweet potato mixture on each of three tortillas. Add a layer of spinach on top. If you are using refried beans, you can add a layer on top of the spinach. Top with a second tortilla.
-
Add this into the pan and cook each side for 3 minutes or until the tortillas turn golden brown.
-
Top your finished quesadillas with a squeeze of lime, green onions, salsa, or whatever your heart desires. Enjoy!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Quesadilla
- Calories: 291
- Sodium: 387mg
- Fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 10g
- Protein: 12g
Keywords: vegan, sweet potato, protein, healthy
1 Comment
Pingback: 18 Vegetarian & Vegan Super Bowl Recipes - Homemade Haley