Black Bean Butternut Squash Quesadillas are a meatless yet satisfying main dish idea that's full of good for you ingredients!
I’ve got a light and healthy, seasonal recipe to share with you today — Black Bean Butternut Squash Quesadillas with Lazy Girl’s Guacamole.
These crispy, cheesy quesadillas strike the perfect balance between nourishing and healthy, and decadent and satisfying.
The definition of feel-good fall comfort food!
What’s Inside
Roasted butternut squash, southwest-seasoned black beans, sweet caramelized onions, and creamy fontina cheese are sandwiched between tortillas then griddled until golden brown and crisp.
Served with my “Lazy Girl’s Guacamole” — which takes less than a minute to make — they’ll become a new easy lunch or dinner go-to.
Especially because all the components can be made up to several days ahead of time then assembled in the form of a quick quesadilla in minutes. Love that!
Pair with Chicken and Rice Soup
How to Make this Recipe
Start by caramelizing a jumbo-sized sweet onion. Cut the onion in half then thinly slice each half.
Add the slices to a large skillet with extra virgin olive oil over medium heat then cook, stirring occasionally, until they’re golden brown and very soft, 20-30 minutes. This step can be done up to several days ahead of time.
Meanwhile, prep a butternut squash for roasting. Creamy and mildly sweet, butternut squash will win over the heart of any squash hater, I can almost guarantee it!
Recipe Tip
If you don’t think your family will go for butternut squash, swap in diced sweet potato instead!
Follow my easy tutorial for how to cube a butternut squash. These photos show squash that I’d previously chopped then frozen. You don’t even need to thaw the cubes prior to roasting.
Add the cubes to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil sprayed with nonstick spray then toss with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread into an even layer then roast for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees, stirring with a spatula halfway through. The squash should be caramelized by not mushy.
This step can also be done up to several days ahead of time.
Lastly, whip up the easy black bean filling. That’s just canned black beans that have been drained then rinsed and added to a small pan with chili powder, cumin, dried oregano, a pinch of cayenne pepper, plus water then heated over medium heat.
Say it with me now — you can do this up to several days ahead of time! You could also purchase a can of seasoned black beans to make this step super quick.
You can’t have quesadillas without a little cheese and I love fontina in these quesadillas because it’s mild-tasting and melts extremely well.
Shredded Monterey Jack, gouda, or white cheddar are a few other fantastic options.
Time to cook!
Place a tortilla on an electric grill pan or in a large skillet over medium heat then layer on shredded cheese followed by caramelized onions, roasted butternut squash, and seasoned black beans.
Sprinkle on more cheese then top with another tortilla and cook until golden brown on both sides.
Zip through the quesadillas with a pizza cutter then serve ’em up hot!
I love serving these gorgeous quesadillas with a big scoop of Lazy Girl’s Guacamole for dipping. That’s just very ripe avocados mashed with garlic salt. Easy and delicious.
These black bean butternut squash quesadillas are amazing on their own — slightly sweet, smokey and perfectly cheesy — but the garlicky guacamole really takes them over the edge.
However you serve them, enjoy every delicious bite!
Black Bean & Butternut Squash Quesadillas with Lazy Girl’s Guacamole
Ingredients
- 1 jumbo sweet onion, cut in half then thinly sliced
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 4 cups 1/2" cubed butternut squash, ~1 medium butternut squash
- salt and pepper
- 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- pinch cayenne pepper
- 2 cups grated fontina cheese
- 8 tortillas
- 3 avocados
- garlic salt, to taste
Directions
- Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat then add sliced onions. Cook over medium heat stirring every so often until golden brown and caramelized, 20-30 minutes. Can be made up to 3 days ahead of time.
- Meanwhile preheat oven to 400 degrees then line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or foil sprayed with nonstick spray. Add butternut squash, remaining Tablespoon oil, salt, and pepper then toss to coat and spread into an even layer. Roast for 15-20 minutes, or until squash is caramelized but not mushy, flipping with a spatula halfway through. Can be made up to 3 days ahead of time.
- Combine black beans, water, chili powder, cumin, dried oregano, and cayenne pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat then heat through. Can be made up to 3 days ahead of time.
- Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat then place down 1 tortilla. Sprinkle on 1/4 cup cheese then layer on a quarter of the roasted butternut squash, seasoned black beans, and caramelized onions. Top with another 1/4 cup cheese then place another tortilla on top and cooke until golden brown on both sides. Slice with a pizza cutter then serve with Lazy Girl's Guacamole.
For the Lazy Girl's Guacamole:
- Mash avocados and garlic salt to desired consistency. Taste and adjust garlic salt if necessary.
Notes
- If you choose to make each component ahead of time, they do not need to be warmed back up before assembling then making the quesadillas.
- Estimated nutritional information does not include guacamole.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Looks yummy! Quesidillas are my go-to when I don’t have a lot of time to fix dinner. Thanks for another twist!
that’s how i make my guac! super easy and very yummy! sometimes i’ll chop a few tomatoes and/or onions to mix in, as well. can’t go wrong with that recipe!
What do you know, I have everything to make these beauties!!! Dinner tonight!!
This looks amazingly delicious! I love the veggie combo!
This is my kind of meal! Love the idea for lazy girl guacamole too. I think we all need a little shortcut with the busy holiday season right now.
i need to use that tip for the butternut squash! i love it, but if i don’t have any on hand, it just seems like a huge task to prep it. having some on hand would be amazing.
Thank you for a great vegetarian meal idea! I am pretty much down with adding butternut squash to anything and everything right now!
I love this!! These are all my favorite things!
These look perfect. I need them immediately!
Yum! Looks delicious. Last night I made something very similar – black bean and butternut squash enchilada skillet, found on Pinterest. I highly recommend it! We left out the chicken: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/340866265518134489/.
My mother-in-law is a vegetarian, which means I have to get creative when having her over for lunch or dinner. Gotta please the meat- and veggie-lovers alike! I think this would do the trick though :)
Black Beans + Butternut Squash = match made in heaven! I’ll definitely have to give these a shot. Great vegetarian option!
These look awesome!!! I actually made a similar quesadilla last night with sweet potato instead of squash. Such a good way to mix it up!
You read my mind. When I saw these pictures and read this recipe I thought ‘could you sub sweet potato for the butternut squash?’. Glad someone has already tired it.