Chipotle Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadillas

These sweet potato black bean quesadillas are the best of both worlds: creamy on the inside and crispy on the outside. With a hint of spice and smokiness from chipotle peppers, sweetness from the sweet potatoes, and (of course) gooey cheese, these quesadillas are a dinner that is loved by all.

The thing I love best about quesadillas is how creative you can get with them. Sure, you can make a healthy chicken quesadilla, but you can also think outside the box and make smashed white bean quesadillas or sweet chili chicken quesadillas with peach salsa.

Sweet potato black bean quesadillas are an amazing meatless option that is quick to prepare, especially if you pre-cook your sweet potatoes.

With a deliciously smoky southwestern chipotle flavor, serve them up with a tangy lime yogurt sauce to take them over the top!

Start with cooked sweet potatoes

These quesadillas require 1 ⅓ cups of sweet potato puree, which means you will need to cook some sweet potatoes before you can cook the quesadillas.

You can cook the sweet potatoes any number of ways including:

• in the Instant Pot
• in the Slow Cooker
• in the Oven
• in the Microwave

Once the sweet potatoes are cooked through, carefully scoop the flesh out from the skin, mash with a potato masher, and measure out the exact amount you need (1 ⅓ cups).

Quesadilla filling

Sweet potato black bean quesadillas are a delicious example of how contrasting flavors can make some seriously delicious food: the sweetness of the sweet potatoes is countered by savory cheese, and the smoky and spicy chipotle peppers are countered by tangy lime juice. It all works together to create a deliciously soft and gooey filling!

To make the filling, mash the sweet potato puree with adobo sauce, minced chipotle pepper, salt and lime juice until completely combined.

Cooking the quesadillas

I like to cook two quesadillas at a time, but if you are new to cooking quesadillas, start with one. Add a large tortilla to a non stick pan, and spread ⅓ cup of sweet potato puree over half of the tortilla. Add ½ cup black beans, then ½ cup shredded cheese. Press the other side of the tortilla over, and firmly press onto the fillings.

Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until lightly golden brown.

Recipe tips

• you will need fully cooked black beans for this recipe, either from a can, or cooked on your own in the Instant Pot or on the stove top
• this recipe is slightly spicy as written; if you want to bump the spice up a level, add a full chipotle pepper. If you want it to be smoky but not spicy, omit the chipotle pepper
• sweet potatoes may be cooked + mashed ahead; store in the fridge for up to 4 days or the freezer for up to 3 months
• quesadillas can be cooked ahead and stored, but they soften significantly in the fridge. I recommend wrapping in plastic or parchment to store, then reheating on a grill pan or in a frying pan. Do not reheat quesadillas in the microwave as they will end up incredibly soggy
• leftover sweet potato puree can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months
• leftover chipotle peppers can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months
• reader Martine swapped the sweet potato for butternut squash with success

More sweet potato recipes

• Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Smoky Sweet Potato Hummus
• Southwestern Sweet Potato Wild Rice Salad
• Crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Tots
• Sweet Potato Pancakes

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

Chipotle Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadillas

5 from 2 votes

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 25 minutes mins

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These sweet potato black bean quesadillas are the best of both worlds: creamy on the inside and crispy on the outside. With a hint of spice and smokiness from chipotle peppers, sweetness from the sweet potatoes, and (of course) gooey cheese, these quesadillas are a dinner that is loved by all.

4

Ingredients

Lime Yogurt

• ▢ 1 cup Greek yogurt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lime juice
• ▢ 2 teaspoons lime zest
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt

Quesadillas

• ▢ 1 ⅓ cup sweet potato puree (see *note)
• ▢ 5 teaspoons adobo sauce (that comes with canned chipotle peppers)
• ▢ ½ chipotle pepper (minced see **note)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 ½ tablespoon lime juice
• ▢ 19 oz can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
• ▢ 2 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded)
• ▢ 3 large tortillas

Instructions 

• Mix up all Lime Yogurt ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, mash together the sweet potato puree, adobo sauce, chipotle pepper (if using), salt and lime juice, until completely smooth and mixed together.
• Pre-heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat.
• Place a tortilla in the pan, then spread ⅓ cup of the sweet potato puree over half of the tortilla.
• Scatter ½ a cup of black beans over the sweet potato puree, then top with cheese.
• Fold the other side of the tortilla over the fillings, and press gently.
• Cook for 1-2 minutes, until bottom is lightly golden. Gently flip the quesadilla and cook for 1-2 additional minutes, until bottom is golden and cheese is melted through.
• Cut into 4 pieces and serve with the lime yogurt sauce.

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Tips:

*you will need cooked + mashed sweet potatoes for this recipe. Refer to blog post for suggestions on how to cook the sweet potatoes in the oven, in an Instant Pot, in the microwave or in the slow cooker.

** this recipe is slightly spicy as written; if you want to bump the spice up a level, add a full chipotle pepper. If you want it to be smoky but not spicy, omit the chipotle pepper

Storage

Quesadillas can be in theory be cooked ahead and stored. Because of the sweet potatoes in this recipe, these quesadillas are especially prone to softening as they sit in the fridge. I do not recommend storing for more than 2 days. 

To reheat- heat in a frying pan or on a sandwich press until crisped back up and heated through. Do not reheat in the microwave as they will end up soggy.

• store leftover sweet potato puree and chipotle peppers in the fridge for up to 4 days or the freezer for 3 months.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1/4 of batch, Calories: 482kcal, Carbohydrates: 56g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 46mg, Sodium: 1922mg, Potassium: 907mg, Fiber: 11g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 18330IU, Vitamin C: 21.8mg, Calcium: 428mg, Iron: 3.6mg

Author: Denise Bustard

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

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