Skillet Black Bean & Corn Quesadillas
Crispy golden blistered tortillas loaded with seasoned black beans, sweet corn, and melted pepper jack cheese for under $6 total.
skillet Timer
Set for 8 mins @ Medium Heat (350°F / 177°C) (Flip at 3m)
Ingredients
Base recipe calibrated for 4 adults.
Get to the Point Execution
Mix 1 can drained black beans, 1/2 cup canned corn, 1/2 tsp cumin, and salt in a bowl.
Lay a 10-inch tortilla in a lightly buttered skillet over medium heat.
Cover one half with cheese, bean-corn mixture, and more cheese; fold tortilla in half.
Cook 3 minutes per side until golden blistered and cheese is completely melted.
Step-by-Step Guided Instructions
In a bowl, combine 1 can (15 oz) rinsed and drained black beans, 1/2 cup sweet corn kernels, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Lightly mash a quarter of the beans with a fork.
Mashing a few beans creates a binder so the filling doesn't spill out when kids pick up the folded slice.
Melt 1/2 tsp butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Lay one 10-inch flour tortilla flat. Scatter 1/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese across one half of the tortilla.
Putting cheese down first creates an edible adhesive that binds the tortilla to the filling.
Spoon 1/3 cup of the seasoned bean and corn mixture over the cheese. Top with another 2 tbsp of cheese. Fold the empty half of the tortilla over the filling to form a half-moon.
The half-moon fold is 10x easier to flip cleanly than sandwiching two whole round tortillas.
Cook for 3 minutes until bottom is deep golden brown and crispy. Slide spatula underneath and flip. Cook 2 to 3 minutes more until cheese is fully melted and bubbling. Transfer to cutting board and slice into wedges.
Let rest on cutting board 60 seconds before cutting with a pizza wheel so melted cheese doesn't ooze out.
Always fold tortillas in half into a half-moon instead of stacking two whole tortillas. You can flip a half-moon with one spatula stroke in 1 second with zero spilled filling.
Cut into mini pizza-shaped triangles and serve with mild salsa and sour cream.
- Tortilla chips with guacamole
- Fresh melon slices
- Spanish rice
Reheat in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes per side or in air fryer at 350°F for 3 minutes.