Black Bean and Butternut Squash Quesadillas are healthy, cheesy, and satisfying. They're easy to make vegan or gluten-free and will easily become your new favorite flavor combo!

Black Bean and Butternut Squash Quesadillas on a plate topped with jalapenos and sour cream.

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This has been hands down my favorite quesadilla filling for over ten years. Let's talk about it!

We're using staples like black beans, butternut squash, salsa, and cheese to make an easy vegetarian dinner. This recipe is incredibly simple and inexpensive, but it's full of flavors and textures that I find really satisfying.

Quesadilla filling ideas

Quesadillas are great because you can mix and match different fillings to create different flavors or use up what you have on hand. I've found black beans and butternut squash to be a few of my favorites, but it would also be great with sweet potatoes, bell peppers, or mushrooms.

The butternut squash is so incredibly creamy, and the black beans give these quesadillas plenty of protein. That's what makes this one of my favorite meatless meal ideas for a busy weeknight.

We're roasting the butternut squash for maximum flavor, then turning it into a puree. If you don't want to make butternut squash puree you can use roasted butternut squash cubes or even just mash up some cooked butternut squash.

You can even buy pre-diced squash at most grocery stores if you're afraid of cutting open a squash. So many options!

Ingredients

Flour tortillas
Cheddar and monterey jack cheese mix
Butternut squash puree
Black beans
Salsa

How to make black bean and butternut squash quesadillas

Drizzle olive oil on a large griddle or skillet and heat over medium heat.
Working in batches as necessary, place one tortilla on the griddle and spread one half with ¼ cup squash.
Sprinkle with ¼ cup cheese. Add a quarter of the black beans and drizzle with about 3 tablespoons of salsa. Top with another ¼ cup cheese and fold over the tortilla.
Heat 5 minutes per side or until browned and crispy as desired. Transfer to a plate and use a pizza cutter to slice into wedges. Serve hot with sour cream, avocado, and lime.

Top tips

How to cook butternut squash for quesadillas

I really like cutting my squash into cubes and roasting for maximum flavor before turning it into a puree. If I'm feeling super lazy, sometimes I won't puree it and will just add the cubes right to the quesadilla.

If you're set on a puree and don't want to do a lot of cutting, you can simply cut your squash in half, remove the seeds, and roast cut side down in a roasting pan at 400ºF for 60-90 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork.

How to cook quesadillas

I always make these quesadillas (and a million other things) on my Presto Griddle (<-- affiliate link) because it makes it easy to cook a few at a time. You could also make them on a stovetop griddle or in a skillet.

What to serve with vegetarian quesadillas

I love serving vegetarian quesadillas with sour cream, avocado, and even more salsa (here's my personal favorite salsa for adding to recipes) on the side. You could also serve alongside your favorite rice or quinoa.

Ideas to customize your vegetarian quesadillas:

Use salsa verde as the salsa
Swap the butternut squash puree for sweet potato puree
Swap the black beans for cooked shredded chicken or pork if cooking for a meat eater
Use corn tortillas in place of flour tortillas for a gluten-free option
Leave out the cheese to make it vegan or swap it for a more traditional Mexican cheese like Oaxaca
Add a layer of guacamole on top of the squash

More quesadilla ideas

More butternut squash recipes

Recipe