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Hello! I’m Anjali. I’m a board certified health coach, author, wife, mom and food lover from the SF Bay area (now living in Seattle, WA!); with a passion for delicious food and a desire to make healthy eating easy, tasty and fun! Learn more about me here and stay for a while!

Anjali Shah

Vegan Quesadillas

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Gooey vegan cheese, crispy tortillas, and a spicy mix of hearty veggies make these easy vegan quesadillas the BEST you’ll ever eat! Ready in just 30 minutes, these are super satisfying, healthy, and absolutely delicious!

Vegan quesadillas made with butternut squash and kale topped with pico de gallo on a cutting board.

Are you a fan of quesadillas? When we’re in the mood for something quick, simple, and healthy, we always resort to veggie quesadillas. Loaded with nutrient-dense ingredients, this easy recipe is definitely worth trying and will probably become one of your favorite meatless quesadilla recipes!

Made with sweet butternut squash and hearty, tender kale, our vegan quesadillas are a healthy vegetarian Mexican recipe that’s ready in just 30 minutes!

The great thing about this recipe that it’s very customizable – you can adapt it however you like. It’s also great for “cleaning out the fridge” since you can basically add anything as a filling and it will still taste good.

I like to use a variety of my favorite veggies, mix up the spices for different flavors, and try different filling ingredients for this veggie quesadilla recipe every time I make it. I start with butternut squash and kale and then add in leafy greens, an assortment of beans, bright sweet potatoes, and so much more!

These vegan cheesy quesadillas are an elevated version of comfort food and take meal to the next level. They are perfect for lunchbox lunches, meal prep, or for an easy family dinner!

👩🏽‍🍳 Why You’ll Love Vegan Quesadillas

  • Healthy: These delicious vegan quesadillas are healthy because they are loaded with bright and flavorful veggies and plant protein! Packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, this is a dish you can feel good about eating.
  • Easy To Make: This recipe is perfect for busy nights because it’s so simple to prepare! Just a few simple steps and you’ve got lunch or dinner ready in minutes.
  • Versatile: These vegan butternut squash quesadillas are super versatile because you can switch up the ingredients, filling and tortillas any way you like! Pack them full of your favorite fresh herbs, vegetables, beans, and so much more!
  • Kid-Friendly: These plant based quesadillas are also a great way to sneak in a bunch of extra veggies into your child’s diet. Quesadillas are perfect for kids meals because they are quick, yummy, and kids will love the small finger food pieces of their favorite quesadillas.

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🥘 Ingredients

You may already have these basic ingredients, but if not, you can easily find them at your local grocery store! Here’s what you need to make this easy vegan quesadilla recipe:

Ingredients for easy vegan quesadillas recipe on a white background.
  • Onion & Garlic: We used one diced red onion and freshly minced garlic for its pungent flavor.
  • Butternut Squash: We used frozen butternut squash cubes to cut down on the prep time, but feel free to use fresh butternut squash.
  • Kale: We also used frozen kale for these meatless quesadillas, but you can easily use fresh kale.
  • Seasoning and Spices: You will need a variety of seasonings, such as salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and crushed red pepper. Feel free to add garlic powder too! To save time, you can also use a taco seasoning or your own seasoning blend.
  • Whole Wheat Tortillas: We used whole grain tortillas because they are filled with complex carbohydrates, making them a healthy carb. But you can use whichever type of large tortilla you like!
  • Dairy-Free Cheese: The perfect addition to these quesadillas, you can use your choice of favorite vegan cheese! In our opinion, the best vegan cheese for quesadillas is any type of dairy-free cheddar cheese, or you can make your own homemade cashew cheese with raw cashews. For store brands, we like Field Roast, Follow Your Heart, Kite Hill, or Violife cheeses – these are the best for dairy-free quesadillas.

🔪 How To Make Vegan Quesadillas

Here’s how to make this easy veggie-loaded quesadillas recipe. For more detailed instructions and nutrition facts, see the recipe card below.

Follow these step-by-step photos to make the best vegan quesadillas every time!

Sauté The Veggies: First, heat a large skillet or nonstick pan over medium heat with some olive oil. Sauté the garlic and onion until translucent.

onions sauteeing in a pan

Add The Veggies And Spices: Add the veggies and saute for 3-5 minutes. Once the veggies have defrosted, add the salt, black pepper, chili powder, cumin, ground coriander, and crushed red pepper (if you want).

butternut squash and kale sauteeing in a pan

Assemble The Quesadilla: Take one tortilla and sprinkle the vegan cheese over half of the tortilla. Top with the quesadilla filling (butternut squash and kale mixture) and more vegan cheese if using it.

tortillas topped with veggie filling and cheese

Cook: Next, fold the traditional quesadilla into a half-moon shape. Spray the large skillet with cooking spray and turn the heat to medium to medium-high heat. Cook the quesadilla until golden brown, then flip and cook on the second side until you have a golden brown and slightly crispy tortilla. Repeat with the second tortilla.

quesadillas grilled on a grill pan on the stove

Cool Down: Remove the quesadilla from the pan and turn off the heat. Allow the quesadilla to cool before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

vegan quesadillas cut into triangles on a plate

💭 Expert Tips

  • Use Frozen Veggies: For ease and convenience, use frozen vegetables to make these vegetable quesadillas. You can use fresh kale in place of frozen if you like, but if you use fresh squash, you will have to adjust the cooking time!
  • Adjust Spices: If you like things spicy, add cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or your favorite spicy taco seasoning.
  • Don’t Slice Right Away: To make sure all of the filling and cheese doesn’t ooze out of these quesadillas, make sure to let them cool for about 5 minutes before slicing them. Cut these quesadillas with a pizza cutter or a very sharp knife for clean cuts.
  • Be Patient When Cooking: Don’t turn up the heat too high, because otherwise your tortillas will burn before the cheese has melted! Be patient, cook on medium-low heat, and change to low heat if needed to prevent overcooking the tortillas.

📖 Variations

There are lots of ways to make this vegetarian quesadilla recipe in your own signature style.

  • Vegan Black Bean Quesadillas: Make these vegan quesadillas with black beans for an extra protein boost! You can also use pinto beans, refried beans, or even white beans for this recipe.
  • Cheese-less Quesadillas: You can easily make a vegan quesadilla without cheese, you’ll just need to substitute in a binding ingredient to help these quesadillas hold together! Instead of cheese, try hummus or guacamole for an amazing no-cheese quesadilla.
  • Different Veggies: Use up any veggies you have in your fridge for this recipe! You can make sweet potato quesadillas by substituting roasted sweet potato instead of butternut squash, try baby spinach instead of kale, or add in bell peppers, sweet corn, zucchini, and anything else you like!

🍽 Serving Suggestions

Serve this delicious meal all on its own or alongside a number of other dishes! Here are some of our favorite ways to serve these vegan quesadillas:

🙌 Dietary Adaptations

Gluten-Free Option: Just swap in gluten-free tortillas for an easy modification to make these quesadillas suitable for a gluten-free diet.

🫙 Storage Directions

  • To Refrigerate: Allow the quesadillas to cool down, then store them in an airtight container. Place in the refrigerator for up to four days.
  • To Freeze: Once the leftover quesadillas have cooled completely down, then transfer them to a freezer-safe storage container or bag. Label the bag with the date and contents and store it for three to four months!
  • To Reheat: When ready to reheat these vegan quesadillas, transfer them to the refrigerator and thaw them overnight. Reheat the quesadillas in a skillet on the stovetop. You can also reheat in the oven at 350 degrees. Transfer the quesadillas to a prepared baking sheet with parchment paper and place in the oven for 5 minutes or until warmed through.

❓ Recipe FAQs

Are quesadillas vegan?

Most quesadillas are actually not vegan, but these quesadillas are! As long as you aren’t using any animal products or by-products (dairy, meat) in these quesadillas, then they are vegan!

What can I use instead of cheese in quesadillas?

While dairy-free cheese is a great option for making cheesy, healthy vegan quesadillas, you may not like the taste or feel of vegan cheese. In that case, you just need an ingredient that helps bind the other ingredients together so that the quesadilla will stick together. Try hummus, refried beans, guacamole, mashed avocado, or tahini!

What kind of tortilla is used for quesadillas?

All types of large tortillas can be used for quesadillas, such as spinach tortillas, whole-wheat flour tortillas, corn tortillas, gluten-free tortillas, chia and quinoa tortillas, etc. Note: vegans can have tortillas since most tortillas are vegan. Just make sure to always read the ingredients list to make sure there aren’t any animal products in the preservatives.

How do you make quesadillas not soggy?

The key to a crispy quesadilla is not overfilling your tortilla and using less fat in the pan! I like using olive oil cooking spray to get my grill pan completely coated but not too greasy. Also, make sure to cook the quesadilla low and slow – don’t turn the heat up too fast and allow the cheese to melt and the tortilla to cook slowly. This way, you’ll end up with a crispy, not soggy, quesadilla every time!

Vegan quesadillas made with butternut squash and kale topped with pico de gallo on a cutting board.

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📋 Recipe Card

🎥 Watch How to Make It

Vegan quesadillas made with butternut squash and kale topped with pico de gallo on a cutting board.
Print Recipe
5 from 10 votes

Vegan Quesadillas

Gooey vegan cheese, crispy tortillas, and a spicy mix of hearty veggies make these vegan quesadillas the BEST you’ll ever eat! Ready in just 30 minutes, these are super easy, healthy, and absolutely delicious!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican, Vegan
Diet: Low Calorie, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 253kcal
Author: Anjali Shah

Ingredients

  • 4 whole wheat flour tortillas
  • 8 oz frozen butternut squash cubes
  • 8 oz frozen kale
  • 1 red onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup vegan cheese you'll use ¼ cup per quesadilla; can be omitted
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • tsp cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper optional, if you like things on the spicier side

Instructions

  • First, heat a large skillet over medium-heat with a tablespoon of oil. Sauté the onion and garlic until translucent.
  • Next, add the butternut squash and kale, sauté until cooked through.
  • Once the veggies have defrosted, add in all of the spices (salt through ground coriander; or through crushed red pepper flakes – if using). Cook for another ten minutes until all of the ingredients have combined and the squash is slightly soft.
  • Assemble the quesadilla! Take one flour tortilla and sprinkle 1/8 cup of vegan cheese on half of the tortilla. Top with ¼ of the butternut squash/kale mixture, then top again with 1/8 cup of cheese.
  • Spray a skillet with cooking spray and brown your quesadilla on both sides until golden brown and slightly crispy.
  • Let the quesadilla cool for a couple minutes after removing from the pan, then slice and serve with your choice of toppings.

Notes

  • Use frozen veggies for ease and convenience. You can use fresh kale in the place of frozen if you like, but if you use fresh squash you will have to cook it first!
  • If you like things spicy, add cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or your favorite spicy taco seasoning.
  • Cut these quesadillas with a pizza cutter for an easier way of preparing them.
  • Adjust the temperature to low heat if needed to prevent overcooking the tortillas.
  • For an extra protein boost, make black bean quesadillas with any bean mixture with pinto beans or black beans!
  • If you’re on a gluten-free diet, then use gluten-free tortillas.

Nutrition

Serving: 1quesadilla | Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 637mg | Potassium: 99mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g

Anjali Shah

38 responses to “Vegan Quesadillas”

  1. This healthy, nutritious and fabulous quesadilla is a perfect Mexican recipe for my family. It works for lunch or dinner.5 stars

  2. They’re bursting with flavor and the combination of veggies and vegan cheese is simply divine. I could eat them every day!5 stars

  3. This was such a unique and unexpected recipe that does not disappoint! Easy, hearty and delicious; my whole family loved it!5 stars

  4. What a fantastic recipe, and so healthy too! I love anything that includes kale, so this is going at the top of my list of recipes to try. Thanks so much for sharing!5 stars

  5. We love these quesadillas. So many veggies and the spices are perfect. This is a great weeknight meal. Thank you.5 stars

  6. What a great looking dish! Adding this to my dinner line up for the week; looks too good to pass up!5 stars

  7. I love this healthier version of quesadillas! This recipe will be perfect for Meatless Mondays!5 stars

  8. I love all the vegetables and spices packed into these quesadillas! They come together so easily too. Definitely perfect for weeknights.5 stars

  9. Hi Anjali! I stumbled across your blog this past weekend, and I want you to know that I am so excited about these recipes!! We tried this one tonight, and it was fantastic. I’m looking forward to trying the others. Thank you!

    • Hi Kristen! Thanks so much – it’s so great to “meet” you!! And I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying my recipes – thanks for letting me know! 🙂

  10. Made this tonight with the busband and we both loved it! Unique take on quesadillas, will def make again. congrats on the new addition!

  11. Looks delicious, Anjali! Can’t wait to try it out. Butternut squash definitely seems to be the veggie of the month- all my favorite food blogs- including yours- have posted amazing recipes with it!

    • Thanks Olivia!! I’m totally into butternut squash right now — it’s one of my favorite veggies of the season 🙂 You’ll have to let me know if you end up trying this recipe! Can’t wait to hear how you like it!

  12. just letting you know we tried these- they are amazing!! Lol in true indian style i didn’t follow the spices proportion exactly as specified, but still turned out great! THe tortillas you recommended from trader joes are great, just the right texture. Now i’m hoping my kid will eat some tomorrow… here is hoping!! I was bummed our whole foods doesn’t carry the butternut squash you recommended, but i just microwaved the 365 brand organic with a little water for a few mins before sauteeing and it worked really well. Thank you!!

    • Yayy!! I’m so happy to hear that Nina!! And yeahh – I love those tortillas from Trader Joe’s – I use them for everything! 🙂 Good tip for the butternut squash substitution too 🙂 Let me know how your kid likes it!!

  13. YAY!!!!! I cannot wait to try this squash recipe! This looks really yummy-licious! I have never tried frozen kale but love the taste of it! Thanks for always having healthy and creative recipes!

    • Thanks Eisha!! I’m sure you will love this recipe 🙂 And the best part is — the frozen kale, once it’s cooked, tastes just like fresh kale!

  14. Hi Anjali,

    It’s Janhavi! I love your blog! Anytime I am looking for a quick, healthy dinner recipe, this is my go-to resource! These quesadillas were delcious! I didn’t use frozen squash though… had no idea that squash takes so long to cook! Am I doing something wrong?

    • Hi Janhavi!! Awww thanks so much!! It’s so great to hear from you! I hope you’re doing well 🙂 Ohhh so yeah – if you don’t use frozen squash it will take FOREVER to cook! Fresh butternut squash can take up to 30 minutes to cook – depending on how you cook it (e.g. 30ish minutes for roasting in the oven, 20ish minutes for cooking on the stovetop – less if you cover the pot – but then it won’t get caramelized as well). That’s another reason why I used the frozen squash in this recipe! So no, you probably didn’t do anything wrong — you just have to adjust the cooking time if you’re using fresh butternut squash. Hope that helps!

    • Thanks Rejane!! It is super easy to make so I’m sure you will have no problem recreating it at home! 🙂 Enjoy!

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