Chef’s Plate Review: Smoky Bean and Cheese Quesadillas

I’m very excited to share today’s Chef’s Plate recipe with you because it is a new favorite at our house. Both my husband and baby Steven absolutely LOVED it and that is worth celebrating. I’m constantly trying to find quick and easy recipes that will feed myself, my husband and Steven (who is only 18 months). We ended up loving todays’ recipe so much that I have already added it to another one of our orders.

Subscription Details

Chefs Plate is putting Canadians back in the kitchen. By delivering easy-to-follow recipes and fresh pre-portioned ingredients right to your door, they take the guesswork out of cooking and have made food fun again! No more Sunday night grocery store lines, no more hunting for recipes – they handle everything so you can relax and enjoy the cooking experience!

Chef’s Plate has 3 subscription options to choose from:

Classic: The widest selection of recipes in one meal plan. Starting at $9.99 per serving. Choose 2-4 recipes per week. Each recipe is 2-4 servings.

Family: Exciting recipes the whole family will enjoy. Starting at $9.99 per serving. Choose 2-4 recipes per week. Each recipe is 2-4 servings.

Vegetarian: Delicious vegetarian recipes packed with fresh produce, whole grains and plant-based protein. Starting at $9.99 per serving. Choose 2-4 recipes per week. Each recipe is 2 servings.

Here’s a closer look at today’s recipe….

Smoky Bean and Cheese Quesadillas with black bean pico de gallo

Black beans work double duty in this recipe: as a creamy refried filling for the quesadillas, and as pops of flavour bulking up the pico de gallo. To make these ‘dillas extra addictive, we’ve also added fresh, chopped cilantro!

• Black Beans – 398 mL
• Flour Tortillas, 6-inch – 6 unit
• Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded – 1 cup
• Red Onion – 113 g
• Baby Spinach – 56 g
• Roma Tomato – 80 g
• Cilantro – 7 g
• Sour Cream  – 6 tbsp
• Seasoned Rice Vinegar – 1 tbsp
• Chili-Cumin Spice Blend

1: Preheat the oven to 450 F. Start the recipe when the oven is ready. Read the entire recipe card. Wash and dry all produce. Finely chop cilantro. Roughly chop spinach. Cut tomato into 1/8-inch pieces. Peel and cut onion into 1/8-inch pieces.

2: Drain and rinse black beans. In a large non-stick pan, heat 1 tbsp oil (double for 4 portions) over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add half the onions and two thirds of the black beans. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 min, until beans soften. Season with salt and pepper.

3: To the pan with beans, add 2 tsp Chili-Cumin Spice Blend, 2 tsp oil and 1/4 cup water (double all for 4 portions). Season with salt, then bring to a boil over high. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 2-3 min. Mash black beans roughly with a spoon, until liquid is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper. Off heat, add spinach. Stir until wilted.

4: Prepare a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle 2 tsp oil (double for 4 portions) over parchment. On a clean surface, lay tortillas flat. Evenly divide bean filling over half of each tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese, then fold each tortilla closed over filling. To the baking sheet, add assembled quesadillas. Drizzle over 2 tsp oil (double for 4 portions) . Place another baking sheet over quesadillas.* Bake on the middle rack of oven for 4-6 min, until cheese is melted. Remove top sheet and continue to bake on the middle rack of oven for 4-6 min, until crisp.

5: Meanwhile, to a medium bowl, add tomatoes, cilantro, vinegar, remaining Chili-Cumin Spice Blend, remaining black beans, 2 tbsp remaining onions and 1 tbsp oil (double both 4 portions). Season with salt and pepper, then stir to combine. (NOTE: Add more onions to taste, if desired).Cut quesadillas into wedges. Serve quesadillas with black bean pico de gallo and sour cream on the side for dipping. Enjoy!

Final Thoughts

What I love most about today’s Chef’s Plate recipe is that the whole family loved it. I also appreciate the fact that it is vegetarian and filled with healthy ingredients. I love any recipe that allows me to sneak in some extra greens and this recipe did just that. It was quick and easy to make, and baby Steven couldn’t get enough of it. I actually saved a quarter of one of the quesadillas so that he could have some leftovers for lunch the next day. This is definitely one of my favorite recipes to date and I’ve already added it to our order for October 26th. If you have a toddler at home this one is a must-try!

-AYOB Sarah