Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadillas

Jazz up your kids’ Mexican favorite with these Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadillas. They’re a healthy and delicious recipe the whole family will love.

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This recipe was originally posted as part of a recipe contest sponsored by the California Sweetpotato Council. I received free samples of California sweetpotatoes mentioned in this post, but I was not compensated for my time. 

In case you missed my previous post, it’s sweetpotato season and no, I did not misspell that. California sweetpotatoes are now being known as one word to emphasize that they are not the “sweet potato” you are used to. California sweetpotatoes are grown in soft sand and are hand sorted during harvest to minimize scarring and scratching. End result: a visually higher quality, and more attractive sweetpotato. Sweetpotatoes are also not white potatoes and yams, the latter of which are imported from the Caribbean and are starchier than sweetpotatoes.

Nutritionally speaking, one medium cooked California sweetpotato contains 105 calories, 2 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, and is a good source of both vitamin C and vitamin A.

So that’s the California sweetpotato story. Now, what do you do with them? Well, you could make my Kale & Sweetpotato Lentil Salad or one of the many amazing sweetpotato recipes my fellow ReDuxers have posted (links below). Or, you could take your sweetpotatoes for more of a Mexican spin and make these nutritious and delicious (and kid approved) Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadillas!

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Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadillas

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Creamy sweet potato puree and garlicky black beans and spinach make a sweet and savory filling for gluten-free, vegetarian quesadillas. Top with salsa and guacamole for a fun Mexican night dinner!

Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Kosher

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Ingredients

• 3 medium sweet potatoes
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 5 ounces baby spinach leaves
• One 15-oz can no-salt added black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 16 soft 6" yellow corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack & Cheddar cheese blend, divided
• Salsa (optional)
• Guacamole (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Wrap sweet potatoes individually in aluminum foil. Bake for about 1 hour, until sweet potatoes are very soft and skin peels off easily. Once cool enough to handle, puree sweet potatoes using a food processor or hand immersion blender. Once sweet potato puree is smooth, use a spoon to mix in cilantro, lime juice, 1/8 teaspoon salt, cumin, and pepper. Set aside.
2. In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add spinach and saute until wilted. Add the beans, chile powder, remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of black pepper and stir to toss. Remove from heat and transfer to mixing bowl. Wipe the skillet with a paper towel, coat with nonstick cooking spray, and place on stove over medium-low heat.
3. Spread about 1/4 cup sweet potato mixture on 1 corn tortilla. Place in skillet, top with about 2 tablespoons of the black bean-spinach mixture and 1 tablespoon cheese. Cover with another tortilla and press down with spatula. Cook for 2 minutes, flip, and cook another 2 minutes until cheese is melted and tortilla starts to crisp. Repeat with the remaining tortillas; serve with salsa and guacamole if desired.

Notes

For a complete meal, serve quesadillas with a side salad, like this Spinach Salad.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  All-Clad Stainless Steel Fry Pan, 10-Inch
• 
  KitchenAid KHB1231CU Hand Blender, 2-Speed, Contour Silver

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 quesadilla
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 249Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 277mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 8gSugar: 4gProtein: 12g

Nutrition information was calculated by Nutritionix. It may not be 100% accurate.

These quesadillas were such a family favorite meal at my house. My husband, who usually isn’t one that’s into non-meat containing meals, loved them, and he even called them “restaurant quality,” and my twin girls completely devoured them:

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What’s your favorite way to enjoy sweet potatoes?

Share with me in the comments below!