Sweet Potato Puree Veggie and Bean Quesadillas

I love a word-of-mouth recommendation first and foremost for pretty much anything.

And that doesn’t exclude a recipe idea.

My dear friend Shalini called me to tell me about these fab quesadillas she made using canned pumpkin.

I have done that before, but I only really consider making this kind of recipe in the autumn months when orange is ALLLLLLLLL the rage.

However, I decided to swap pumpkin puree for mashed canned sweet potatoes and voila! A recipe was born!

This is a weeknight family meal idea that kids will actually eat. Nutrition packed & yummy, these can be made ahead of time. Simply add seasonal produce, beans and cheese to your sweet potato quesadillas.

Flavorful yet benign for kids and adults will think they are so yummy too! Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A and fiber, a great nutritional profile for kids and grownups alike!

If you are looking to add more iron, thrown some spinach into the veggie mix and use whole-grain tortillas.

Sweet Potato Puree Veggie and Bean Quesadillas

Serve these quesadillas with sliced avocado. Save leftover filling to eat with rice if you have any.

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 medium onion, sliced

  • 1 zucchini, thin half moons

  • 1 cup canned black beans, rinse and drained

  • 8 small corn, flour, or whole grain tortillas

  • 1 cup canned pureed sweet potato

  • 1 TBS butter

  • 1 cup shredded cheddar

  • Salsa, guacamole, and/or sour cream for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Warm a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Put olive oil in the pan over medium heat and add onions. Cook for 5 minutes or until slightly browned. Add zucchini and cooked until slightly brown. No one likes non-brown cooked zucchini. Add black beans and cook for another minute or two. Remove from skillet and add to a bowl.

  2. Add sweet potato puree evenly onto tortillas. Add veggie and bean filling on top evenly. Add cheese evenly and fold the tortillas in half.

  3. Add a little butter to the pan and cook the quesadillas one side at a time. Press down. Cover and let warm for about 2 minutes. Flip and warm for 2-3 minutes more or until cheese is melted.

  4. Remove from skillet and let rest on a plate for at least a minute before cutting into wedges. (I actually often use kitchen shears.) Serve with avocado if you like. Repeat the process to make the rest of the quesadillas.

Michele Wolfson Broder