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Refried Bean and Cheese Quesadillas {A Meatless Monday Recipe

Published · By Debbie · 17 Comments

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Easy refried bean and cheese quesadillas made with simple ingredients. A quick vegetarian dinner perfect for Meatless Monday.

These refried bean and cheese quesadillas, filled with refried beans, roasted poblano peppers and cheese and can be made with unlimited vegetarian toppings. | TheMountainKitchen.com

Looking for an easy Meatless Monday dinner idea that’s comforting, quick, and full of flavor? These refried bean and cheese quesadillas are the perfect solution. Made with warm refried beans, melty cheese, and customizable vegetarian fillings, this simple Mexican-inspired recipe comes together in minutes and is always a crowd-pleaser.

Whether you’re craving classic comfort food or a meatless Mexican dinner, these vegetarian quesadillas are endlessly adaptable. Add roasted poblano peppers, pickled jalapeños, black olives, salsa, or extra cheese to make them your own.

Why This Quesadilla Recipe Works

  • Simple ingredients you likely already have
  • Easy to customize with vegetables or toppings
  • Ready in minutes
  • Perfect for Meatless Monday or quick lunches
These refried bean and cheese quesadillas, filled with refried beans, roasted poblano peppers and cheese and can be made with unlimited vegetarian toppings. | TheMountainKitchen.com

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Tortillas: Soft, flour tortillas work best for quesadillas since they hold the filling together and flip easily. Use any size you prefer.
  • Refried Beans: Acts as the base of the filling and adds the best creamy texture. Use canned or homemade, and choose traditional, vegetarian, or seasoned varieties.
  • Cheese: Helps bind the quesadilla and adds richness. Any good melting cheese works well, or use a blend of what you have on hand.
  • Oil: Use butter or cooking oil to lightly coat the pan, creating a crispy, golden tortilla; either works. You only need a small amount.

Optional Add-Ins and Toppings

These quesadillas are easy to customize. Try adding:

  • Sautéed mild or spicy peppers
  • Olives or pickled vegetables
  • Salsa, sour cream, or cilantro
  • A squeeze of lime for brightness
flour tortilla in pan with beans, cheese and vegetables
flour tortilla covering the beans, cheese and vegetables
crispy refried bean and cheese quesadilla
cutting refried bean and cheese quesadilla with pizza cutter

How to Make Refried Bean and Cheese Quesadillas

  • Step 1: Warm the Beans
  • Step 2: Heat the Pan
  • Step 3: Assemble the Quesadilla
  • Step 4: Cook Until Crispy
  • Step 5: Slice and Serve

Tips for Easy Quesadillas

  • Soft flour tortillas work best for holding the filling together
  • Don’t overfill. Less makes flipping easier
  • Assemble the quesadilla directly in the pan to avoid a mess

These refried bean and cheese quesadillas are a simple, satisfying way to enjoy Mexican flavors without the meat. Whether it’s Meatless Monday or a busy weeknight, this recipe is sure to become a go-to favorite.

refried bean and cheese quesadilla topped with salsa and sour cream
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Refried Bean and Cheese Quesadillas

Easy refried bean and cheese quesadillas made with simple ingredients. A quick vegetarian dinner perfect for Meatless Monday.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 2
Calories 846kcal
Author David & Debbie Spivey

Ingredients

  • 2 10-inch flour tortillas*
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 cups cheese shredded
  • 1 cup refried beans heated

Additional Filling (optional)

  • poblano chili peppers roasted and sliced
  • pickled jalapenos sliced
  • black olives sliced

Additional Toppings (optional)

  • salsa
  • sour cream
  • fresh cilantro chopped
  • scallions or chives chopped
  • lime wedges for juice

Instructions

  • In a small pot, warm the refried beans, over medium-low heat.½
  • It is best to build the quesadilla in the pan in which it is going to be cooked in. That way there is less chance of everything falling apart before you get it to the pan. Set a cast iron frying pan, over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter; melt and spread around the pan.**
  • Lay a tortilla on a plate or flat surface. Spoon some of the warmed refried beans onto it and smooth out all over the tortilla as you were icing a cake. Leave about ½-inch of space around the outer edge and place it in the preheated pan.
  • Quickly, add the cheese and optional peppers.
  • Top with another bean-covered tortilla. This time turn the beans downward so that it sandwiches the other ingredients underneath.
  • Let the quesadilla cook for about 1 to 1 ½ minutes before flipping***.
  • Flip and allow the other side to crisp for 1 to 1 ½ minutes.
  • Carefully slide onto a plate. We always use a pizza cutter to slice it up as you would a pizza. Garnish with any toppings you choose.

Notes

* With tacos, we always use corn tortillas. But with quesadillas, you need the pliability of flour tortillas to hold the cheese and the filling together. It needs to withstand the flip.
**Flour tortillas absorb a lot of oil, so you only want to coat the pan lightly. I used cooking spray to get the best coverage without over-greasing.
***The half-moon technique is more straightforward to flip than a quesadilla made with two tortillas. Just spread your filling over half the tortilla, then fold the other half over it. When the time comes to flip the quesadilla, slide a spatula under the open side, then flip the quesadilla over on the fold.

Nutrition

Calories: 846kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 32g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 1873mg | Potassium: 217mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1580IU | Calcium: 929mg | Iron: 4.2mg
Did you try this recipe? We’d love to hear your thoughts! Give it a star rating and leave a comment below to let us know how it turned out for you. If you’d like, share a photo of your dish on Instagram, don’t forget to mention @TheMountainKitchen or use #TheMountainKitchen!
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About Debbie & David

We live on the side of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in Virginia. I am the author and photographer here at The Mountain Kitchen, where I share delicious homemade recipes using clean food ingredients, and stories about mountain life. Read more...

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Comments

  2. cookingwithauntjuju.com says

    I always have tortillas in the fridge (usually flour) so I can make tacos or quesadillas any time. So many different ingredients you can use – refried beans, salsa, peppers and cheese are always favorites. I just might make some today!

    Reply

  5. Debbie - Mountain Mama says

    Ok, I wasn’t craving Mexican food, Mountain Sister…but NOW I am!! I love quesadillas, usually I make them with chicken but these are perfect for a meatless Monday. Oops, I left out Italian sausage for dinner so I guess we’re not going meatless today at my house, oh well! I’m making my Deconstructed Lasagna….recipe can be found on the blog if you are interested, by doing a search!

    Reply

    • The Mountain Kitchen says

      Yum!! We had homemade lasagna this weekend. I forgot how much work it was to make… Sheew! So worth it. Enjoy yours and I’ll definitely check out your recipe. Thanks, Mountain Sister! ?

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