This post is years overdue. I throw “Kitchen Sink Quesadillas” up on my menu fairly regularly and I’ve always just linked to a page with the recipe typed straight out of a Real Simple magazine, with no notes or pictures. Since it’s such a reliable go-to meal around here, I figured it deserved a bit of attention!

I got the recipe from Real Simple long before I started this blog. In fact, it was one of my first attempts at vegetarian cooking. I’ll never forget the first time I made kitchen sink quesadillas. As Nate and I finished eating, he looked at me and said, “I didn’t even realize there wasn’t any meat.” We were both surprised how delicious and filling our dinner was!

Our family has come along way since then – nowadays about half of our dinners are vegetarian. I really think this recipe all those years ago helped me realize that eating less meat is no big deal!

Anyway, vegetarian or not, this is a great go-to meal and a nice step up from the basic quesadilla with very little extra work. They are simple and fast to prepare and there is also an option to cook the quesadillas all at one time, which can be especially helpful when cooking for a family.

Kitchen Sink Quesadillas

 

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Adapted from Real Simple

Author: Jane Maynard

Recipe type: Main Dish

Ingredients

• Quesadilla ingredients:
• 1 can black beans, drained
• 1 can corn kernels, drained
• ¾ cup salsa, drained (you don’t have to drain the salsa, but it makes for a much less messy quesadilla, so if you don’t mind the step it’s good to do)
• Small flour tortillas (twice as many as the number of quesadillas you want to make
• Shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack
• Optional side salad ingredients:
• 1 tablespoon minced red onion
• ⅓ cup fresh cilantro leaves
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• Juice of 1 to 2 limes
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped

Instructions

1. If cooking the quesadillas in the oven, heat oven to 400° F. In a medium bowl, combine the beans, corn, and salsa.
2. Place 4 tortillas on a parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with cheese. Lightly spread the bean-corn-salsa mixture over the cheese, then top with more cheese. Place flour tortillas on top. Bake until cheese is melted, about 5-7 minutes. You can also cook the quesadillas on the stovetop one at a time if you prefer.
3. If you would like to whip up the side salad, while the quesadillas are in the oven, combine the onion, cilantro, salt, pepper, lime juice, oil and sugar. Mix well. Toss with the chopped lettuce. (I hardly ever make the salad!)
4. Cut quesadillas into wedges and serve with the salad. Also good with salsa, sour cream and guacamole!

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