After a Summer of indulgence, we now turn our time and attention to busier, cooler days that require recipes with a little more simplicity, both in terms of content and preparation. This recipe, in particular, was born out of the need for a simple, vegetarian dinner that could be assembled quickly and easily in the midst of a busy work week. September also marks the official start of “pumpkin season” (insert angel song here), so of course we wanted to incorporate some purée into the filling. While pumpkin and black beans might seem like an odd pairing, the combination of various squash and bean varieties is actually common enough in South and Native American cuisines that it can be considered traditional. Found mainly in stews, here we wanted to take full advantage of the marriage of sweet pumpkin and savory beans to create a non-traditional filling for a quesadilla. Don’t let the fact that this recipe utilizes some less expensive pantry denizens—namely canned pumpkin, canned black beans and assorted spices—besmirch its appeal. They make for a tasty, affordable meal that is packed with nutrients and rife with flavor.
While the version pictured here is not gluten free (the shock, we know), the only ingredients that prevent it from meeting that criterion are the tortillas themselves. Making a gluten free version is a simple matter of using (or making, hint hint) gluten free corn tortillas. The gluten free version won’t be as large, but that just means that you can make more, and that’s a trade off we think everyone can live with.
The filling itself is gluten free and vegetarian, and if you either eliminate the cheese, or use a vegan substitute (Daiya is your best bet), you can also make it dairy free and vegan. Another great feature of this recipe is that you can easily make the filling ahead of time. We actually recommend that you make a double batch, because you’re probably going to want to enjoy these on more than one occasion this week.
Bear in mind that between the smoked paprika and the cayenne, the filling packs quite a punch. While the pumpkin and cheese do their damnedest to temper that, feel free to eliminate the cayenne if you want to control the heat level. The smoked paprika is a must, though, as it doesn’t really contribute much “heat” to the dish. Frankly, the flavor is entirely too interesting and pleasing to do without, and it complements the pumpkin so beautifully. It’s one of those spices that you’ll find yourself wanting to sprinkle onto every dish you can think of. (Btw, if you’re looking for a little inspirational “jump start”, it’s great in mashed sweet potatoes or scrambled eggs.)
We had wanted to use traditional Mexican cotija cheese for this dish, but it can be tricky to find if you don’t have access to a good latin food market (or it’s too late when you’re shopping and you’re stuck with what they have at the regular, boring supermarket), so we went with feta instead and it worked just fine.
You could also go the extra Martha Stewart mile and roast and purée your own pumpkin, but A) all of the cool kids (aka Us) will call you names like “show off” and “food nerd”, and B) you’ll be defeating the purpose of our time-saving genius. It’s your call. Finish off the filling with some coarsely chopped fresh spinach and serve with some sour cream and lime wedges for a great, filling dinner or an inexpensive, envy-inducing packed lunch.
While these quesadillas were made in a pan (and done to a crispy finish, just the way we like them), if you’re cooking for a larger crowd, you can also prepare several at once on a large baking sheet, brush the tops and bottoms with oil, and cook them in a 450º oven for 3-4 minutes on each side. You’ll get the same great results in a fraction of the time it would take you to do them all on the stovetop. We’re just throwing that little kitchen hack out there as a public service.
If you’re brave and have a large enough spatula, use a full tortilla for the top and bottom, but if you have concerns about the flip turning into a disaster—especially for the larger flour tortillas—use a single round, build the filling on half, then fold it over into a half moon shape. You’ll be able to cut it into wedges just as easily, and it’ll be much easier to turn. It’s the same rule as with pancakes, when flip time comes, be bold and decisive, and remember: Many Bothans died to bring us this information. Use it wisely and enjoy.
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 6 8-inch tortillas
- ½ cup spinach, chopped
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta or cotija cheese
- To serve:
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion, smoked paprika, chili powder and cayenne and stir to combine. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
- Add black beans and cook for another minute or two. Add pumpkin and vinegar and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- To assemble the quesadillas, lay out 3 of the tortillas and spread an even amount of the pumpkin-black bean mixture over all 3 tortillas. Top each with spinach and cheese place remaining three tortillas on top.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the remaining tablespoon olive oil and place one quesadilla in the skillet. Cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip the quesadillas and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove quesadilla from the pan then repeat with remaining 2 quesadillas.
- Cut quesadillas into wedges then serve with sour cream and lime.
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