Beany quesadillas
A super-quick way to make a Tex-Mex style supper in under 20 minutes! These cheesy chilli-beany pockets are quick to assemble and bake quickly in the oven rather than one at a time in a pan on the hob. Any leftovers can be eaten cold the next day or reheated in the microwave.
This recipe is part of a Budget meal plan for four. In September 2023 this recipe was costed at an average of £3.77 (excluding the optional serving suggestion) when checking prices at four UK supermarkets. This recipe is designed to be made in conjunction with a low-cost store-cupboard.
Ingredients
- 400g tin mixed beans in chilli sauce
- 400g tin red kidney beans in water, drained
- 150/5½dz frozen sweetcorn
- 8 regular flour tortillas
- 150/5½dz cheddar, finely grated
- 100/3½dz cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (optional)
- 1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)
- ground black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Put all the beans and the sweetcorn in a frying pan or saucepan and warm over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes, or until hot, stirring regularly.
Take one of the tortillas, place on a board, and spoon a couple of heaped spoonfuls, roughly an eighth of the bean mixture, over half of it, leaving a 15mm/⅝in border around the edge.
Top with a small handful, roughly an eighth, of the grated cheese. Fold over and press tightly around the edges to seal – this is easier if a little of the cheese is on the border. Place on a large baking tray.
Continue making another seven quesadillas in the same way. Don’t worry if they overlap slightly on the tray, or if the edges open slightly once they are placed on the tray – the melted cheese will keep them together as they bake.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are lightly browned in places. Scatter the tomatoes over, if using, season with ground black pepper, and serve with lime wedges for squeezing if you like.
Recipe Tips
You can mix kidney beans in chilli sauce with a can of mixed beans if that is easier – and cheaper – for you. The sauce is the important bit as it adds flavour and keeps the beans moist.
If you don’t have frozen sweetcorn, use a drained can of sweetcorn instead.
Soured cream and guacamole go well, so use them here if you have some.
Using tinned beans helps keep the costs down, but you could also fill with leftover beef chilli – or even tinned chilli con carne if you like – for a meaty version.
Don’t worry if the oven isn’t quite up to temperature when you add the tray, it will be hot enough to bake the quesadillas but you may need to add a little extra cooking time.
If you prefer, you can cook the quesadillas on the hob instead of in the oven (handy if you're not eating together). To do this, follow the recipe until step 3, then place the individual quesadillas in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side, or until the filling is hot and the cheese melted.