Black-Eyed Pea Quesadilla (Printer View)

Crispy tortillas filled with seasoned mashed black-eyed peas and melted cheese, pan-fried to golden perfection.

# Components:

→ For the Filling

01 - 1.5 cups cooked black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 0.5 small onion, finely diced
04 - 1 clove garlic, minced
05 - 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin
06 - 0.25 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - Salt and pepper to taste
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
09 - 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ For the Quesadillas

10 - 8 medium flour tortillas, 8 inches diameter
11 - 1.5 cups shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
12 - 2 tablespoons butter or neutral oil for frying

# Method:

01 - Warm olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
02 - Stir in black-eyed peas, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through.
03 - Remove from heat and coarsely mash the mixture with a potato masher or fork, preserving some texture. Stir in lime juice and cilantro.
04 - Lay out 4 tortillas. Divide the mashed black-eyed pea filling evenly among them, spreading over half of each tortilla. Sprinkle cheese over the filling and fold each tortilla in half to enclose.
05 - Heat 0.5 tablespoon butter or oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place one or two quesadillas in the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown and cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining quesadillas, adding more butter or oil as needed.
06 - Slice quesadillas into wedges and serve hot with salsa, sour cream, or guacamole.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, making weeknight dinners feel less like a chore.
  • Black-eyed peas give you serious protein without the heaviness of meat, and nobody will miss it.
  • The filling keeps in the fridge for days, so you can make quesadillas whenever hunger strikes.
02 -
  • Don't skip the mashing step or make the filling too smooth—some texture is what keeps these interesting and prevents them from feeling mushy.
  • Keep your heat at medium, not medium-high, so the exterior browns before the cheese inside burns.
03 -
  • Have all your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking—these move fast once you begin, and you don't want to be dicing garlic while something's burning.
  • If your quesadilla splits open while cooking, just slide a spatula underneath and flip it quickly; a little cheese on the pan is actually how you know it's working.
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