These Spicy Pepper Jack Mushroom-Spinach Quesadillas are meatless and they are AMAZING!
If you are craving Mexican food on Meatless Monday, try this recipe for Spicy Pepper Jack Mushroom-Spinach Quesadillas. The quesadillas are made with sautéed mushrooms, onions and spinach sandwiched in between two lightly toasted tortillas with gooey pepper jack cheese; garnished with our favorite toppings.
How To Make Spicy Pepper Jack Mushroom-Spinach Quesadillas:
PREPARE FILLING:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet, over medium-high heat, add onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Saute over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pan and continue to cook until the mushrooms are cooked through; about 5 minutes.
Add a handful of spinach to the pan at a time. Let the spinach leaves cook down before adding the next batch. (This process will go very quickly). Cook spinach until it is wilted, but still bright green.
Remove the pan from the heat. Pour the filling mixture into a sieve over a bowl and allow to drain and cool, about 5 minutes.
ASSEMBLE QUESADILLAS:
Using a paper towel, smear about 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the bottom of a large cast-iron pan (see notes). Preheat the pan over medium heat.
Place the one tortilla in the preheated pan.
Quickly, add the cheese and ½ of the filling mixture, leaving about a ½-inch of space around the perimeter of the tortilla.
Add additional cheese on top of the filling mixture, then top with another tortilla.
Let the quesadilla cook for about 1 to 1 ½ minutes before flipping (see notes).
Flip and allow the other side to crisp for 1 to 1 ½ minutes. Carefully slide onto a plate. Repeat with remaining tortillas and other ½ of the filling.
Slice quesadillas into four wedges (We always use a pizza cutter to slice it up as you would a pizza.)
Garnish with any toppings you choose. Serve immediately.
Optional Toppings For Mushroom-Spinach Quesadillas:
salsa black olives, scallions, sour cream, pickled jalapenos, cilantro, limes or any toppings you wish for serving.
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 lightly coat the pan with oil. I used cooking spray to get the best coverage without over greasing.
The half-moon technique is easier to flip than a quesadilla made with two tortillas. Just spread your filling over half of the tortilla, then fold the other half over the filling. When the time comes to flip the quesadilla, slide a spatula under the open side, then flip the quesadilla over on the fold.
This quesadilla recipe is such a quick and easy recipe. One that will definitely satisfy your inner Mexican cravings on Meatless Monday! It did for David and me!
Spicy Pepper Jack Mushroom-Spinach Quesadillas
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
- ½ medium onion diced
- 9 ounces baby spinach
- 4 flour tortillas* (10-inch)
- 8 ounces pepper jack cheese shredded
Garnish: salsa black olives, scallions, sour cream, jalapenos, cilantro, limes or any toppings you wish for serving.
Instructions
PREPARE FILLING
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet, over medium-high heat, add onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then saute over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pan and continue to cook until the mushrooms are cooked through; about 5 minutes.
- Add a handful of spinach to the pan at a time. Let the spinach leaves cook down before adding the next batch. (This process will go very quickly). Cook spinach until it is wilted, but still bright green.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Pour the filling mixture into a sieve over a bowl and allow to drain and cool, about 5 minutes.
ASSEMBLE QUESADILLAS
- Using a paper towel, smear about 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the bottom of a large cast iron pan**. Preheat the pan over medium heat.
- Place the one tortilla in the preheated pan.
- Quickly, add the cheese and ½ of the filling mixture, leaving about a ½-inch of space around the perimeter of the tortilla.
- Add additional cheese on top of the filling mixture, then top with another tortilla.
- 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.
- Repeat with remaining tortillas and other ½ of the filling.
- Slice quesadillas into four wedges
- Garnish with any toppings you choose. Serve immediately.
airdnaa says
This looks delicious! I wish it was easier to find pepperjack here (Montreal), it’s perfect for quesadillas! Great idea for a meatless meal.
Debbie Spivey says
Bummer! I used Sargento pepper jack slices… Perhaps you could use cheddar and put in some pickled jalapeno slices instead?
Thanks so much for your comment! Hope you have a great week! 🙂
Andria A says
Good idea. Definitely have more than a few jalapeños pickled, frozen, dried…I got a bit overzealous!
Debbie Spivey says
Haha! I hope you’ll try it and let me know how it is. Have a great day!
"Cheffie Cooks" says
Oh my how I love quesadillas! So many variations…Have a great day! Cheryl.
Debbie Spivey says
Thanks for stopping by Cheryl. Have a good week!