spinach quesadilla on a plate with black fork, jar of pesto and cashew cream

This cheesy, creamy vegan quesadilla with white bean and spinach are flavourful, filling and take just 10 minutes to make! This healthy quesadilla recipe has it all: plant-based protein and gut-friendly fibre from the creamy white beans (which sit on my high fibre food list), and the essential minerals and anti-inflammatory properties of dark green plants. It’s an easy and nourishing meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Sometimes, you just need a really quick meal without much fuss. I’m trying to go a whole month without any takeout (even coffee!) so I’ve been brainstorming satisfying meals that simple enough for those nights when I just can’t. Quesadillas are one of those midweek wins, so I wanted to jazz them up a little bit without losing one bit of their ease. So these white bean + spinach quesadillas are just a tiny bit more involved than slapping cheese and beans in a tortilla but the payoff is BIG. 

How to create a healthy, balanced vegan that keeps you full

As a dietitian, one of the biggest slip ups I see when folks are moving towards a plant-based or vegan diet is skimping on plant-based protein and healthy plant fats. It’s a common mistake make a dish vegan by simply removing the animal products – and it will leave you feeling hangry and craving carbs 24/7.

In order to feel full and satisfied at a meal, you need a few things:

  • protein
  • fat
  • fibre
  • an appropriate volume of food for your body
  • eating foods you enjoy, that taste good to you

Animal foods offer fat and protein, so you need to replace it with plant-based sources of protein like beans, nuts and seeds. These quesadillas offer about 16-20 grams of plant-based protein from the beans, cashew and tortillas (I checked a few different brands of whole grain tortillas to get a protein estimate). Fat is critical for flavour, as many flavour compounds are fat soluble…so a little fat really helps food taste amazing! Healthy fats from coconut, nuts or seeds also helps you to create creamy textures, which I’m obsessed with.

bowls with spinach, beans, red peppers, pesto, cashew cream

What you’ll need to make this healthy vegan quesadilla really craveable

To me, a really good quesadilla is all about that soft, melty, sauciness so I’ve layered it on in a couple of ways:

  • soft white beans that are easy to smash and quite buttery all on their own
  • your favourite vegan pesto, which is a delicious and nutrient dense flavour bomb (I’ve got a great vegan pesto recipe if you want to make your own!)
  • melty vegan cheese, I find that Earth Island Pizza Shreds and Daiya both melt well but you can easily make these quesadillas without cheese if you like for a more whole food recipe
  • creamy, umami-rich cashew Alfredo which takes just 5 minutes to make but really takes these quesadillas over the top

Health Benefits of Spinach

I love baby spinach because it is such an ‘instant’ veg to have on hand. No chopping, no washing (yes, you’re really supposed to wash it but it’s much easier than field spinach!) and it’s incredibly nutrient dense. Baby spinach makes it SO easy to pump up the plant power of your meals! Just one cup of raw spinach (which isn’t a lot!) contains

Genius tip for making a golden brown, crisp quesadilla

If you want a truly golden, crisp tortilla you have to press the quesadilla down into the pan. I used to do this by simply pressing the quesadilla with my spatula until I got read this genius hack from Nisha at Rainbow Plant Life: just place a smaller skillet on the quesadilla to act like a sandwich press. So much simpler, like a DIY sandwich press!

quesadillas on plates with black fork and jars of pesto and cream

Love this? Here are more plant-based sandwich and burger ideas:

spinach quesadilla on a plate with black fork, jar of pesto and cashew cream

Protein-Packed Vegan White Bean & Spinach Quesadilla

4 large quesadillas
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 15 mins
These cheesy, creamy vegan quesadillas with white bean and spinach are flavourful, filling and take just 10 minutes to make! It’s an easy and nourishing meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
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Ingredients

White Bean + Spinach Filling

  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil, or extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups cooked white beans, navy, cannelini, butter
  • 4 large handfuls baby spinach
  • 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 clove garlic , minced, or ½ tsp (2 mL) garlic powder
  • salt
  • freshly cracked pepper

For serving

Equipment

  • High Speed Blender

Instructions 

  • If you’ve got 5 extra minutes, I highly recommend making the cashew alfredo. If you’re game, do that first!
  • Then, heat up oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add beans, spinach, red pepper and garlic with a good pinch of salt and plenty of cracked pepper. Warm until garlic softens and spinach wilts, stirring often, about 2-3 minutes. Lightly mash beans with back of spatula so they won’t roll out of your quesadilla! Remove from heat.
  • Spread tortillas with pesto along one side. Divide vegetable mixture over pesto, then sprinkle with cheese and drizzle with alfredo, if using. In the same pan, give it a quick wipe and then warm over medium heat until tortilla is golden and cheese is melty, about 1-2 minutes a side. Hot tip: place another smaller skillet over the quesadilla while it cooks to make them crispier!

Notes

Looking for a single serving quesadilla? Let me do the quick math for you, it’s, well, one of most everything (ha!) plus ½ cup white beans, ¼ red pepper and ¼ cup of cheese/cashew cream.
Cuisine: American, Italian, Mediterranean
Course: Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch
Author: Desiree Nielsen, RD

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