This sweet potato black bean quesadilla recipe is a delicious and easy vegetarian meal that can be made in less than 30 minutes. They're the perfect quick dinner and so versatile.

A quesadilla is one of my favorite dinners when I can't be bothered to do much cooking. Typically, I'll go for a super quick refried bean and cheese quesadilla, but this sweet potato and black bean quesadilla recipe is just a little more effort and brings in some excellent additional nutrients, texture, and flavor.

For more Mexican-inspired recipes, try my Mexican pinto bean recipe, these black bean tacos, or these easy skillet nachos.

Ingredient Notes 

The exact quantities of the ingredients you need for this recipe are included in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here, I've added a few notes on the ingredients you need, plus a few potential substitutions you could make if you can't eat/find a certain ingredient.

• Tortilla Wraps: You'll need two large flour tortillas for this quesadilla recipe (makes two). You could make your own, but it will add additional cooking time on to the recipe.
  
• Black Beans: This recipe uses canned black beans, which makes the cooking time much quicker. If you want to use dried black beans, you'll need to soak and cook them before making your quesadillas.
  
• Sweet Potato: Sweet potato and black beans pair together so perfectly. Sweet potato also adds some good nutrients to this recipe, not to mention texture, color, and flavor. I wouldn't recommend swapping out the sweet potato for regular white potato - it won't have the same effect.
  
• White Onion & Garlic: These form the base of the quesadilla mix. I used white onion, but red would also work.
  
• Seasonings: For this quesadilla recipe, I used a combination of paprika, cumin, cayenne chili pepper, dried oregano, and salt and pepper. Add more chili powder for a spicier recipe.
  
• Sour Cream: A large tablespoon of sour cream adds a nice creamy texture to the black beans and sweet potato and also helps to hold everything together in the quesadilla.
  
• Other fillings: In addition to the above, we also add diced jalapenos and grated cheddar cheese to the quesadillas.

Making Your Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadilla

In the recipe card below, you can find the exact ingredient quantities and instructions for this quesadilla recipe. 

Below is a brief overview so you can see how this recipe comes together.

Step 1) Boil Your Sweet Potato

For this recipe, I boiled the sweet potato (after peeling it and cubing it) for about 10 minutes before adding it to the black bean mixture.

This is because boiling it is the fastest way to cook your potatoes, allowing this recipe to be ready in under 30 minutes! If you have time, you might want to roast your sweet potato to caramelize the edges for a deeper flavor.

Step 2) Make The Black Bean Mixture

While your potatoes are boiling, saute your onion and garlic in a little oil in a pan, then add your seasonings, followed by the black beans.

By the time you've done this, your sweet potato should be ready to drain and add to the pan.

Step 3) Mash The Quesadilla Filling

Lightly mash about ⅔'s of the black bean and sweet potato filling to give it a creamy but chunky consistency - enough that you've broken up the sweet potato and the black beans won't all fall out of your quesadilla. Stir in the sour cream.

Step 4) Assemble Your Quesadilla

Assemble your quesadilla by lightly brushing a tortilla wrap with some oil, then placing it oil-side down in a large pan. Spoon the black bean and sweet potato filling over half of the tortilla, then sprinkle over the diced jalapenos and grated cheese.

Fold over the tortilla to cover the filling, then turn on the heat and fry on each side until golden brown and crispy (6-8 minutes).

Slice your quesadilla into triangles and serve!

Top Tips

If you have more time, roast your sweet potatoes in the seasonings for a deeper flavor and caramelized crispy potato edges.

If you're worried about the filling falling out when you flip your quesadilla, place a plate over your pan and use oven gloves to turn the plate and pan upside down - then slide the quesadilla back into the pan for the other side to crisp up.

Storing

Quesadillas are best served fresh to retain their crispy exterior - but if you do have leftovers, wrap them in foil or store them in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.

Reheat in the oven or the air fryer for 5 - 10 minutes until warmed through and crispy again.

Serving

Try serving your sweet potato black bean quesdailla with one of these dips:

• Creamy Jalapeno Sauce (Copycat Taco Bell Quesadilla Sauce)
• Cream Salsa Dressing
• Vegetarian Guacamole Recipe
• Avocado Lime Crema