Pinto Bean & Cheese Quesadillas

5/15/2024

Prep Time: 10 Min
Cook Time: 20 Min

Yields: 4 Quesadillas / 16 Pieces

WHAT YOU NEED

8 x 6" Corn Tortillas
1 C Extra Old Cheddar, shredded
3 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
EVOO
3 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1 Yellow Onion, finely diced
540ml can Pinto Beans, drained & lightly rinsed
SPICES - 2 Tsp. Tex-Mex Seasoning, 1 Tsp. Cumin, 1/2 Tsp. Garlic Powder, 1/2 Tsp. Onion Powder, 1/2 Tsp. Dried Oregano
Fresh Cilantro
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
SERVE WITH - Salsa, Cilantro, Green Onions, Red Onions, Sour Cream

Preheat a large skillet with the butter, a drizzle of EVOO, garlic, and pepper flakes on just about medium heat. Once heated, stir and let everything sizzle together for about 30 seconds before adding half of the spices. Let the spices toast up in the skillet for another 30 seconds or so before adding the onion and a good pinch of both salt n pepper. Continue to cook another 5 minutes.
Add the beans to the skillet along with about 1/4 C water, and once that starts bubbling, stir the beans, add the remaining spices and a good pinch of salt. Reduce the heat slightly, cover, and cook about 10 minutes, stirring a couple times. At this point, take a potato masher and mash up the beans in the skillet until they're creamy. Chunks are perfectly fine, you're not looking for a completely mashed texture, just creamy. Taste and adjust the salt if needed.

Lay out your tortillas and divide the beans between 4 of them. Mash the beans on to the tortillas so they stay put. Top each one with 1/4 C cheddar and a a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. Press a second tortilla on top, gently pressing it down.
Heat a little oil in a cast iron skillet set to medium. Once heated, fry up the quesadillas on both sides until crisp and golden. Do this in batches of two if needed to avoid overcrowding. Make sure your pan is properly preheated or the tortillas will soak in oil and not get crispy. Once they're golden brown, transfer them to your cutting board and let them cool.
Once they've cooled a bit, cut them in to 4 equal sized triangles each. Serve them up with sour cream, some salsa of your choosing, fresh cilantro, and diced red / green onions. ENJOY!