These Rice and Bean Quesadillas are so easy to make and call for just a few ingredients. They’re great for lunch or dinner.
Hi friends! How are you all doing? We’re living in crazy and scary times right now, and I needed to take a mental health break this past week. I’m not sure what posting schedule I’ll be able to stick to right now with a limited food supply, but I will try to share as many easy pantry recipes as I can!
These rice and bean quesadillas are easy to make with mostly pantry ingredients. My pantry is usually pretty full of beans and rice, but I made sure to stock up on extra cheese and tortillas because I knew they would come in handy.
Why Your Body Will Love These Filling Quesadillas
- Blood Sugar Regulation – Beans are high in fiber and protein, giving them a low glycemic index. This means they digest slowly and don’t cause blood sugar levels to spike or rise too quickly. This makes beans a healthy choice for people with diabetes who need to control their blood sugar levels more.
- Digestive Health – Beans are high in insoluble fiber, which helps bulk up the digestive system and prevent constipation. The fiber in beans also acts as a prebiotic that feeds the good bacteria in the large intestine and carries out toxins in the system.
- Protein and Fatty Acids – Cheese provides the body with essential proteins. Fatty acids (especially those found in goat cheese) provide medium-chain fatty acids, which are easily metabolized by the body and are a great energy source.
What You’ll Need For These Rice and Bean Quesadillas
- Rice – I usually buy white basmati rice because it’s my favorite, and my kids enjoy it. You can use any kind of rice you like. Brown or even cauliflower rice will also work well. You can also use quinoa or a different grain of choice.
- Beans – I decided to use black beans because they’re my favorite and go so well with rice, but you can use any kind of bean you have on hand.
- Cheese – I usually buy a block of cheese and grate my own, but bought a few big bags of grated cheese that I’m storing in the freezer. I used cheddar cheese, but any other cheese, including vegan, will work well.
- Tortillas – I bought a huge bag of large flour tortillas and have been using those, but any kind of tortilla will work, even small corn tortillas.
- Spices – I pretty much always have salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, and garlic powder on hand, so I used them to season the rice and beans, and they were perfect!
How To Make A Quesadilla
Quesadillas are SO easy to make! We make them around here for the kids, my husband, and me. We usually just do plain cheese quesadillas, but adding rice and beans makes them more of a meal. Here is how I made them:
- Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add olive oil, rice, beans, and spices. Cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.
- Lay your tortilla on a cutting board. Sprinkle one half with a small handful of cheese (1/4 – 1/3 cup) and then top with an equal amount of rice and bean mixture. Fold the tortilla over and place it in a lightly greased pan. Cook the quesadilla until the cheese is melted and each side of the tortilla is golden brown, flipping once.
- Let quesadillas cool for a few minutes before slicing.
Quesadilla Tips and Tricks
- I made a big pot of rice at the beginning of the week, so I had leftovers I could use for this recipe, but if you don’t, you can cook your rice according to the package directions.
- Heat the rice, beans, and spices for just a few minutes until warmed through. Lay your tortilla out and place a handful of cheese on half of it. Then, top it with an equal amount of rice and bean mixture. Fold the tortilla over and cook in a pan until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is golden brown.
Quesadillas are great because you can make them with whatever ingredients you have on hand. You could add frozen veggies, canned veggies, salsa, or anything else you like! Kids also love quesadillas, so they’re a great option for an easy family dinner 🙂
If you have a question about this recipe, ask me in the comments, and I’ll get back to you ASAP.
Looking For More Quesadilla Recipes?
Pumpkin Quesadillas with Black Beans and Green Chile
Brie Cheese Quesadillas with Strawberry Salsa
Print
Easy Rice and Bean Quesadillas
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Rice and Bean Quesadillas are so easy to make and use mostly pantry ingredients!
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil-
- 1 cup cooked rice, I used basmati rice
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 4–6 tortillas
- Shredded cheese, I used sharp cheddar
Instructions
- Heat a large pan over medium heat and add olive oil, rice, beans and spices. Cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.
- Lay your tortilla on a cutting board and and sprinkle one half with a small handful of cheese 1/4 – 1/3 cup and then top with an equal amount of rice and bean mixture. Fold tortilla over and place in a lightly greased pan. Cook quesadilla until cheese is melted and each side of the tortilla is golden brown, flipping once.
- Let quesadillas cool for a few minutes before slicing.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Vegetarian
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
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