CHEESY PUMPKIN QUESADILLAS
These cheesy pumpkin quesadillas may not look the prettiest but don’t let that put you off. Served with all the toppings they’re actually really tasty!
Royce didn’t notice the absence of meat until I pointed it out to him after we’d finished eating! Perhaps you might be able to trick a meat-lover in your household too?! Don’t skimp on the toppings (especially the quick pickled onions) – they really make this meal.
Vegetarian recipes seem to be a popular request. I’ll be featuring one every fortnight, so if there are any particular veggie-based meals you’re after, let me know!
CHEESY PUMPKIN QUESADILLAS
These cheesy pumpkin quesadillas may not look the prettiest but don’t let that put you off. Served with all the toppings they’re actually really tasty!
Ingredients
PICKLED RED ONION
- 1 red onion
- 1/4 cup white vinegar (60ml)
- 1/4 cup cold water (60ml)
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
QUESADILLAS
- 800 g pumpkin (1.8lb)
- 150 g portobello mushrooms (5.3oz)
- 1 capsicum
- 150 g silverbeet or spinach (5.3oz)
- 3 tsp rice bran oil, divided
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 400 g tin black beans (14oz)
- 6 wholegrain tortillas
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (120g)
TO SERVE
- 1/2 cup lite sour cream (125ml)
- 2 Tbsp aioli
- 1 fresh lime
- Handful of fresh coriander
Instructions
PREPARE ONION
Thinly slice onion and place in a small bowl. Add vinegar, water, sugar and salt and stir to combine. Leave to ‘pickle’ while you prepare the rest of the meal.
MAKE QUESADILLA FILLING
Preheat oven to 190ºC (375ºF) fan bake. Remove seeds from the pumpkin and microwave for 6 minutes. While pumpkin is cooking, roughly chop mushrooms, capsicum and silverbeet (or spinach). Carefully remove pumpkin from microwave and slice off the skin. Dice into small 1cm cubes.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the pumpkin, mushrooms, capsicum, tomato paste, cumin and paprika. Cook, stirring regularly, for 10 minutes, until vegetables have softened. Stir in black beans and silverbeet (or spinach) and cook for a couple of minutes, until silverbeet has wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
ASSEMBLE QUESADILLAS
Place one third of the vegetable mixture on top of one tortilla and sprinkle over one third of the cheese. Top with another tortilla. Repeat twice to form 3 quesadillas. Brush the remaining teaspoon of oil on top of each quesadilla. Bake for 5-10 minutes, until browned around the edges.
SERVE
Mix together sour cream and aioli. Cut lime into wedges. Drain red onion mixture, leaving just the onion behind. Serve quesadillas topped with sour cream, onion, coriander and a squeeze of lime.
Recipe Notes
WINE MATCH: A light Pinot Noir or Pinot Gris would pair well.
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: Replace wholegrain tortillas with gluten-free corn tortillas.
MEATY VERSION: Cooked shredded chicken or chopped chorizo would be a good addition. Add to the frying pan when you cook the pumpkin, mushrooms and capsicum.
INGREDIENT SWAP: You can use regular white tortillas instead of wholegrain tortillas, if you prefer.
ALTERNATIVE COOKING METHOD: If you don’t mind not having all of the quesadillas ready at once, skip heating the oven up and use a toasted sandwich press instead.
STORING AND REHEATING: Store the quesadillas separate to the condiments. Reheat in a toasted sandwich maker before topping with sour cream, onion, coriander and lime.
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2 Comments
These were delicious and very filling. In future, I would add some salt to the vegetables while cookingthem
So pleased to hear you enjoyed this one. Thank you Jenny!