Veggie Quesadilla Recipe

Clean and chop

Wipe mushrooms with a damp cloth and slice thinly so they equal about 2 cups. Peel and thinly slice the onion to make 1/2 cup. Core and seed the red and green bell peppers and cut into thin strips or small dice to make 1/2 cup each. Dice the roma tomato into roughly 1/2-inch pieces to equal 1 cup. Mince the garlic cloves. If using cilantro, roughly chop and set aside for garnish.

Sauté aromatics

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the butter. When butter has melted and the pan is shimmering, add the sliced mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release their moisture and begin to brown, about 4–5 minutes.

Add the sliced onion and bell peppers to the pan. Sauté with the mushrooms for 4 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are translucent and peppers have softened.

Stir in the minced garlic, ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt (from the seasoning list), and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.

Add the diced tomato and cook another 1–2 minutes just to warm and combine; the tomato should be softened but not overly watery. Taste and adjust seasoning with the remaining salt and pepper as needed. Remove filling from heat and transfer to a bowl to prevent excess moisture from softening tortillas during assembly.

Wipe the skillet clean and reduce heat to medium. Lay one flour tortilla flat on a cutting board. Evenly sprinkle 1/2 cup shredded cheese over half of the tortilla (leaving a 1/4-inch border).

Spoon about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the vegetable filling over the cheese, spreading it to cover but not overfill. Sprinkle another 1/4 to 1/3 cup cheese over the filling to help the top tortilla adhere.

Fold the empty half of the tortilla over the filled half to create a semicircle. Repeat assembly for remaining tortillas.

Add a thin film of oil or a small knob of butter (about 1/2 tsp) to the preheated skillet. Place the folded quesadilla in the skillet and cook over medium heat 2–3 minutes, pressing gently with a spatula, until the bottom is golden brown and the cheese begins to melt.

Carefully flip the quesadilla and cook another 2–3 minutes until the second side is golden and cheese is fully melted. If the exterior is browning too quickly before cheese melts, lower the heat to medium-low and cover the pan for 30–60 seconds to help the cheese melt through.

Transfer cooked quesadilla to a cutting board and let rest 1 minute, then cut into 3 wedges. Repeat with remaining assembled quesadillas, wiping the skillet and adding a little oil or butter between batches as needed.

Arrange quesadilla wedges on a platter. Garnish with chopped cilantro if using and serve with sour cream, salsa, guacamole, and lime wedges on the side. Serve immediately while hot and melty.