Cheese Quesadilla with Pan Roasted Vegetables

In the colder months, we stock up on warm, hearty recipes for cozy meals at home. One of our favorite soups to whip up is the Knorr Sopa Mexicana Mestiza flavor, a hearty meal rooted in Mexican heritage. Knorr Sopa Mexicana flavors contain no artificial ingredients and are made with real vegetable pieces. We often pair it with quick and hearty sides, like Cheese Quesadilla with Pan Roasted Vegetables and a creamy, zesty chipotle lime mayo made with Best Foods Real Mayonnaise. The soup contains chicken, vegetables, and real herbs and spices that pair deliciously with cheese quesadillas. The entire meal comes together in less than 30 minutes! Find Best Foods Real Mayonnaise and Knorr Sopa Mexicana in Mestiza, Minestrone, and Chicken & Rice flavors in the Bouillon/Soup aisle at your local Cardenas, El Super, Superior, and Northgate stores. Get Knorr Sopa Mexicana on sale for $0.99 from 12/8-12/28! 

Jump to:

• About Cheese Quesadillas
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Top tip
• Cheese Quesadilla with Pan Roasted Vegetables
• Food safety

About Cheese Quesadillas

Cheese quesadillas are a versatile side that pairs well with soups and salads. It can be made with your favorite add-ins, like pan roasted vegetables or just cheese. Either way, it's a delicious, cozy dish you'll want to make over and over again.

• Taste - This cheese quesadilla with pan roasted vegetables is cheesy and packed full of zesty flavors. It's a delicious recipe that pairs wonderfully with Knorr Sopa Mexicana, which comes in Mestiza, Minestrone, and Chicken & Rice. 
• Texture - A cheese quesadilla is golden and crispy on the outside, and filled with soft melted cheese and pan roasted vegetables on the inside. Dip it in chipotle lime mayo made with Best Foods Real Mayonnaise for a creamy, spicy delight. 
• Effort - This cheese quesadilla takes minimal effort! It's a great recipe for beginners or busy cooks who want a delicious meal with little effort. Plus, the Knorr Sopa Mexicana only requires a few cups of boiled water and 10 minutes to cook. 
• Time - This restaurant-worthy quesadilla will surprise your whole family when they find out it took less than 30 minutes to make! Heat up the Knorr Sopa Mexicana while the quesadillas cook to make dinner come together even faster. 

Ingredients

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• Flour tortillas - Flour tortillas are soft and chewy. Their pliable texture makes the quesadillas tender and soft. 
• Shredded Monterey Jack cheese - Monterey Jack cheese is a semi-hard cheese with a mild flavor. It melts easily and evenly. 
• Butter - Butter makes the tortilla crispy and golden brown on the outside. 
• Bell pepper - Green bell pepper adds a hint of sweet and mildly spicy flavor. 
• Onion - Onion gives the pan roasted vegetables lots of aromatic flavor. 
• Black beans - Black beans add protein and texture to the quesadilla. They contain antioxidants and fiber, making them a great ingredient to add to a weeknight meal!
• Diced green chiles - Green chiles are bright, zesty, and mildly spicy. 
• Mayonnaise - Mayo is the base for the chipotle lime sauce, which gives every bite of the quesadilla an extra hint of spice and flavor. Best Foods Real Mayonnaise, America's #1 Mayonnaise is made with real, simple ingredients: eggs, oil and vinegar.
• Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce - Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce add a spicy, smoky, tangy element to the chipotle sauce.
• Fresh lime juice - Lime juice adds a bright and zesty flavor to the chipotle lime sauce.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

1. Cook onion and bell pepper - Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the oil to the pan and warm. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, bell peppers, chili powder, and salt. Use a cooking spoon to stir the vegetables until they are evenly coated with oil and spices. Use the spoon to spread the vegetables evenly in the pan and allow them to cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring halfway through. The onions will be soft and translucent.
2. Add green chiles and beans - Stir in the diced green chiles and black beans to the vegetables. Use the cooking spoon to scrape the fonds (brown bits) from the pan and give the vegetables a good stir until well mixed. Cook the vegetable mixture for an additional 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. 
3. Fill the quesadilla - In a separate large non-stick skillet, melt butter on low-medium heat. Add a tortilla and warm for a few seconds. Add cheese to half of the tortilla, then scoop and spread a few spoonfuls of the vegetable mixture on top of the cheese, followed by more cheese. 
4. Cook the quesadilla - Fold the tortilla over to create a half circle. Cook the quesadilla for about 2 minutes or until the tortilla is golden brown on one side, then use a spatula to flip the quesadilla to cook the other side for 2-3 minutes.
5. Cut and serve - Repeat steps 3 and 4 to make additional quesadillas. Cut the quesadilla into wedges and serve with chipotle lime mayo, salsa, and guacamole.

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Hints:

• Bite-size veggies - Dice the vegetables into bite-size pieces before cooking so they can be easily eaten without falling out of the quesadilla. 
• Cook the soup - While the vegetables cook, prepare the Knorr Sopa Mexicana per the packet instructions. Just add it to boiling water in a saucepan, return to a boil, and let it simmer for 10 minutes. 

Substitutions

• Corn tortillas - instead of flour tortillas, use corn tortillas or a blend of corn and flour tortillas.
• Cheese - use a shredded cheese that melts easily, like shredded cheddar, pepper jack, and mozzarella. 
• Vegetables - instead of green bell peppers, pan roast your favorite vegetables, like corn, zucchini, Anaheim peppers, poblano chiles, and red bell pepper. 

Variations

• Spicy - turn up the heat with your favorite spicy ingredients, like sliced jalapeños, more chili powder, or red pepper flakes.
• Meat - stuff the quesadilla with your cooked meat of choice, like grilled chicken, carne asada, shrimp, or carnitas. Be sure to cook the meat before you add it to the quesadilla. 
• Deluxe - top the quesadilla with your favorite toppings, like chipotle lime mayo, sour cream, guacamole, and salsa or hot sauce. 
• Cheesy - add more cheese varieties, like a shredded Mexican cheese blend.
• Gluten free - To make the recipe gluten free, use a gluten-free tortilla. Most corn tortillas are gluten-free, which is a great option for those who do not consume gluten.

Equipment

This recipe requires just a few pieces of kitchen essentials, including a knife, cutting board, cheese grater, spatula, two skillets, and blender or food processor. 

Storage

Store leftover cheese quesadillas in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. To reheat the leftovers, let the cheese quesadillas temper on the kitchen counter for a few minutes, then warm in a pan on low-medium heat. Flip over to heat up both sides and to warm the cheese inside. 

Top tip

• To meal prep, prep the ingredients up to two days before cooking. This includes shredding the cheese, cooking the pan roasted vegetables, and preparing the chipotle lime mayonnaise.
• To add variety, make different flavors of the Knorr Sopa Mexicana for your cozy meal at home.
• For spicier chipotle lime sauce, add more adobo sauce before blending. 

Food safety

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.