Spiralized Sweet Potato & Black Bean Quesadillas
Quesadillas filled with sweet potatoes, black beans and cheese, served with creamy avocado dip! These are a great appetizer or busy weeknight dinner.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 2, 2024
I really love this job of mine, but if I had to pick a few things I don’t love about it, washing the dishes and photographing quesadillas would be pretty high on the list. Honestly, you should see my first attempt at photographing these triangular nuggets. The sweet potato noodles inside didn’t help, and the photos were not cute. Not cute at all.
So, I owe props to my friend Ali of Inspiralized, who always manages to make veggie noodles so enticing. She has a blog full of recipes, a best-selling cookbook and her own proprietary contraption that turns vegetables into noodle shapes (the Inspiralizer). She’s basically taking over the world, one veggie noodle at a time, and I’m really proud of her. Veggie power!
Last week, she invited a few bloggers (myself included) to Chicago to eat lunch at Houlihan’s, which is running a special “Inspiralized” menu through June. Ali provided direction and helped develop the menu, and I was so impressed by Houlihan’s execution. Did you know that they make everything from scratch?
Plates of creative veggie noodle dishes kept showing up, and I found myself wondering why on earth I haven’t published more veggie noodle recipes. They’re really fun, and I’ll give two thumbs’ up to anything that entices people to eat more veggies.
These quesadillas were roughly inspired by the sweet potato and corn “Mexicali” flatbread we sampled last week. They’re stuffed full of spicy sweet potatoes, which were easier to prepare and cook in noodle form—no chopping required—plus black beans and just enough cheddar cheese to hold them all together. If you’ve enjoyed my Southwestern kale salad or sweet potato burrito bowls, you’re going to love these.
Given that Ali’s book is still on Amazon’s top 100 list (one year later!), I’m guessing that more than a few of you are familiar with veggie noodles and might have your own spiralizer already. If you don’t, don’t worry—I included directions for how to cook little sweet potato cubes in the recipe below.
If you don’t have a spiralizer but want one, the Inspiralizer is now available on Inspiralized.com, Amazon and Williams-Sonoma.
Spiralized Sweet Potato & Black Bean Quesadillas
These hearty quesadillas are filled with spicy sweet potatoes, black beans and melted cheese. Serve them with creamy avocado dip to really take them over the top, so don’t skip it! These are a great appetizer or busy weeknight dinner. Recipe yields 4 quesadillas (each made from 1 tortilla folded in half, for a visual).
Ingredients
Avocado Salsa Verde
- 1 cup mild salsa verde, either homemade or store-bought
- 1 large ripe avocado, pitted and sliced into a few big pieces
- Big handful of fresh cilantro (some stems are ok)
- ½ lime, juiced (about 1 tablespoon lime juice)
Quesadillas
- 1 medium-to-large sweet potato (about 12 ounces), peeled
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt
- 4 whole grain tortillas (about 8” in diameter)
- 3 cups (about 6 to 8 ounces) freshly grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 cup cooked black beans (from one 15-ounce can), rinsed and drained
- 2 teaspoons refined avocado oil or other quality high-heat vegetable oil, for brushing
Instructions
- Make the avocado salsa verde: In a food processor or blender, combine the salsa verde, avocado, cilantro and about 1 tablespoon lime juice. Blend until the salsa until it is super creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. Scoop it into a bowl for dipping.
- If you have a spiralizer: Slice off the pointy ends of the sweet potatoes, then spiralize the sweet potatoes using blade A (the skinniest noodle option). Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until shimmering, then add the spiralized sweet potato, chili powder, cumin and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the noodles are tender and cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes (I added another tablespoon oil to my cast iron skillet to prevent the noodles from sticking; non-stick skillets may not need any extra).
- If you don’t have a spiralizer: Slice your sweet potatoes into ¼″ cubes. In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped sweet potatoes and toss to coat, then add the chili powder, cumin and a pinch salt. Stir to combine. Once the pan is sizzling, add a scant ¼ cup water, then cover the pan and reduce heat to low to avoid burning the contents. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potato is tender and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Make the quesadillas, one or two at a time: Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Warm one tortilla for about 30 seconds, flipping halfway. Flip once more, and sprinkle one-half of the tortilla with about ⅓ cup shredded cheese. Cover the cheese with ¼th of the cooked sweet potatoes and ¼ cup beans. Sprinkle about ⅓ cup cheese over the fillings and fold over the empty side of the tortilla to enclose the fillings.
- Quickly brush the topside of the quesadilla with a light coating of oil, then flip it with a spatula. Let the underside of the quesadilla cook until golden and crispy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Brush the topside with a light coating of olive oil, then carefully flip it and cook until the underside is golden and crispy. Transfer it to a cutting board. Repeat with remaining quesadillas.
- Slice each quesadilla into three even wedges using a sharp pizza cutter or chef’s knife. Serve immediately, with avocado salsa verde on the side.
Notes
Make it gluten free: Use gluten-free 8″ quesadillas.
Make it dairy free/vegan: I haven’t tried this, but I think you could substitute refried black beans for the whole black beans, and they might/should hold the quesadillas together.
Storage suggestions: Store leftover avocado salsa verde in the fridge with plastic wrap pressed against the top surface to prevent oxidation. Leftover quesadillas will keep well, refrigerated, for a few days—just reheat in the microwave or, better yet, the oven before serving.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I keep seeing veggie noodle recipes that make me wonder why I haven’t tried it yet. These look so tasty and easy.
This is a beautiful post and you are a beautiful person!! Thank you so much for the kindness. :*
Happy to spread the word! You inspire me. :)
These look incredible! I can’t wait to try!
This looks so good. What spiralizer are you using?
Hey Ali, it’s the Inspiralizer. You can find a link to it in the post.
These looks SO YUMMY!
Definitely going to try and make, thank you (as always) for the recipe inspiration!
I don’t know about the first photo attempt but these turned out fabulous :D I feel ya though…they seem to be close to photographing soup and casseroles!! -_-
Thanks, Brittany!
I don’t have a spiralizer so I think I’ll try shredding (not too thinly) the sweet potato instead of cubing it.
Thank you for sharing this incredibly easy yet delectable recipe. Love trying your inspiring dishes.
Thanks, Maria! I hope your shredding idea worked well. Sweet potatoes are too solid for my cheese grater, I think.
These look so scrumptious, and I think spiralizing the sweet potatoes rather than cubing or mashing them must give these little guys so much texture and crunch! Definitely adding this to our dinner rotation!
Totally does! Now I want to put spiralized sweet potatoes on everything.
These quesadillas look amazing, Kate! I love that you spiralized the sweet potatoes, that’s so creative :)
Us vegans don’t have to give up cheese! If you haven’t yet tried Daiya brand vegan cheeses (made from the protein in peas — NO SOY!) you are missing a good thing. Daiya acts like regular cheese in recipes and grilled sandwiches, melting to ooey-gooey deliciousness. Great taste, and a wide variety: cheddar (mild and sharp), Monterrey Jack, havarti, mozzarella, provolone, cream, and more. Shred it, slice it, cube it, melt it!
Thanks, Gloria! I’m hesitant to recommend vegan cheese or butter products because they don’t really jive with my whole foods philosophy, but I’m glad they work for you!
I have tried them due to a milk allergy, and didn’t find them that impressive. And I don’t like the ingredients in them, either. There are more processed or artificial ingredients than real food. Although I have found that Manchego, a cheese made from sheep’s milk, makes excellent quesadillas.
Go to Peta.org when you read how cows, goats and sheep are abused and tortured on factory farms, you’ll gladly make some concessions using healthy alternatives.
So…these sound amazing. I lovelovelove sweet potato and black beans together – and mixing them up with some cheese can only make the situation even better ;)
I don’t know what I love more — the avocado salsa verde or the spiralized sweet potatoes! So delicious dear!
I don’t have a spiralizer but I do make veggie noodles by using a peeler and julienne. SO SO GOOD as a healthy pasta alternative. Adding them to a hearty quesadilla sounds delicious Kate, I definitely want to try this! I’ll check out Ali’s book also. Lovely post xx
Thanks, Laura! I hadn’t thought to just keep peeling the sweet potato and make ribbons.
I keep reading mixed reviews about spiralizers so think I will use my trusty box grater instead. These look just amazing and I cannot wait to try them.
p.s. I’ll do the dishes. I love washing dishes as long as I’m not asked to dry them {I also love ironing} :)
Sometimes it’s tough to make the food look as appetizing as it smells and tastes, but you did a great job! They look terrific and my husband asked if I’d be making them soon! So there you go!
Yay, hope you love them!
these look awesome! I’m vegan and use hummus in quesadillas and never miss the cheese.
also, I have the kitchenaid spiralizer attachment and it is amazing for all/any veg.
thanks for the recipe!
Good to know! I have a KitchenAid, but no attachments.
The spiralized sweet potatoes in this recipe is an awesome addition! I love that salsa too :)
Love this! I’m always looking for new ways to use my spiralizer…so fun!
Your photo looks great, Kate! Good to meet you last week for a fun day in Chicago. I am definitely going to try your quesadilla recipe, sounds yummy!
Love, love, love! That flatbread was so good, and I love that you made it into a quesadilla :)
I have a spiraliser and really want to use it more often. This recipe looks great – the sweet potato noodles look really crunchy and delicious at the edges.
What a fun way to incorporate sweet potato!
I Don’t follow many blogs but your food is so darn good how could I not.
I’m having my brother in law and his wife over for dinner tonight and I had no idea what to make until this arrived in my inbox!! Thank you so much, Kate, xx
Thank you, Sarah! Happy to hear it. :)
Haha quesadilla photographing is seriously the BANE of my existence. I don’t know how some people get such great photos (I think yours are awesome!) and mine always just look like brown blobs with mush in them. This is such a genius idea for taking the sweet potato/black bean combo to a whole new level!
Why is it so hard?! Thanks, Joanne!
i just found out im getting a spiralizer! i cant wait to make every spiralized recipe i have pinned (only half kidding).
Exciting!!! Have fun!
What an inventive recipe (at least for me) I look forward trying it.
Think I would invite some family over for a movie night and bit in in these yummy treats :)
These look amazingly yummy! Per usual! I love that you use common healthy ingredients in new and fun ways! I hope the cookbook is still coming along nicely :)
I made this tonight and it was so tasty! Since I try to cook/eat vegan as much as I can, I skipped the cheese and added sautéed mushrooms and onions. I think next time I’ll modify this a bit more and do some zucchini noodles instead of sweet potato. The avocado sauce was definitely such a treat.
Thank you, Rebecca! Glad your vegan version worked well!
Oh my goodness I hear you on both the dishes and quesadillas. Somehow certain foods (I feel) just weren’t meant to be photographed ;) but you nailed it here, so big high fives to you girl! This spiralized book and idea for using in the ‘dillas sounds totally brilliant. Thanks for sharing and inspiring once more Kate! XO
Thank you, Jessie! :)
Are there less $$ gadgets to make the spirals than the spiralizer. I don’t like to clutter my pantry with single purpose kitchen gadgets.
No, I’m afraid there’s not. You can use a julienne peeler to make “noodles” out of softer veggies, like zucchini, but it doesn’t work on sweet potato. The recipe has instructions for used diced sweet potatoes, which just requires a sharp knife.
Try the Mueller spiralizer. It is a bit pricey compared to others, but it also has blades available for uniform slicing and grading, plus juicing citrus. The biggest thing I like about it is that it has a place for me to push the vegetable in so that it doesn’t put too much pressure on the part holding the vable. I had over spiralizer break because that part got cracked. The one downside is it doesn’t work well on skinny veggies like carrots. But once you’ve started a spiralizer, you well bee using it often. It’s just as easy as using store-bought noodles but uses while veggies! I’ve come to prefer the veggie taste over regular pasta, and use the spiralizer at least once a week.
These quesadillas look so good! I just got my insparilizer a couple weeks ago and I am having so much fun using it. This recipe is on my agenda for this week since my kids love quesadillas. I do have to admit that I made the Avocado salsa verde this weekend and served it with nachos. Everyone loved it!
Thanks, Abby! Glad you’re having fun with your new spiralizer. I hope you all enjoyed the quesadillas. I want to put avocado salsa verde on everything!
I made these for lunch Saturday and loved them so much I made them again for Sunday lunch. The second time around, drained a can of Hot Rotel and stirred it into the sweet potatoes. SO good!
Awesome! Thanks, Amanda! I wish I had some for lunch today.
These look delicious! Do you think some diced up onion would taste good in this recipee! Thank you!
Probably! I would definitely cook it with the sweet potatoes. Green onions would be great, for sure.
Thanks for sharing
Beautiful Pictures
I made these for my husband who is a meat lover and he actually liked them! He is such a picky eater and will not eat sweet potatoes or beans…the two main ingredients of the dish! I still wanted to give it a try since he loves Mexican food. I mashed up the black bean just a little bit so he was less likely to detect them and it worked! :) He loved the sauce and gave me a big high five while he was eating…I think he enjoyed it since usually when I cook something vegan or vegetarian he will not say a word and pick around the food. Thanks for the recipe!
Success!!! Happy to hear that he enjoyed these, April!
Thanks for recipe Kate!
I will try next weekend with my friends!
looks so nice! =D
Looks SO delicious! I bought a spiralizer not too long ago and I literally just spiralize everything because it’s so fun…made spiralized sweet potato noodles yesterday and it was one of my favorites! So I’ll have to add this to my to-make list :)
Just made this and it turned out better than I had hoped! Thanks!!
Thanks, Kareena! Glad to hear it!
Hi Kate,
Just wanted to let you know I made these this past weekend when my mom was visiting, and they were absolutely DELICIOUS! I don’t know why I haven’t thought about using sweet potatoes before in quesadillas, but it is just genius! Loved how simple and tasty this recipe was. Not to mention great for week night dinners. Thanks again!
Kathryn
I made these tonight for dinner and it was love at first bite. Even my sometimes picky 9 year old loved them. The only change I made was using Daiya “cheese” because I am vegan. This recipe will be in permanent rotation. I’m excited to have another reason to use my new spiralizer. <3
Right now I have avocados, a sweet potato and tortillas to use up…and a Costco quantity of black beans! This looks like a perfect recipe to make. Thanks!
This recipe was AH-MAZING! LOVE the avocado salsa verde sauce! Very filling, colorful, and easy!
Got some new pans and some corn tortillas to finally try this dish. Wonderful! Another winner, Kate. Tasty, healthy and easy. What more could a budding vegan, GF cook ask for? Keep ’em coming.
This recipe turned out great! I found a great little mini spiralizer on Amazon that made this really easy http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J19AR7W?psc=1. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes Kate and please post more spiralizer recipes!
My family is trying out vegetarian cooking this month and this is the first recipe we tried. It was a delicious hit! Husband direct quote: “These are the best quesadillas we’ve ever made.” Thanks for great recipes as we start our vegetarian journey!
This recipe was simply amazing. The sauce is so good – we’re eating the leftovers with homemade pita chips! It was the perfect way to use the homemade salsa verde my mother-in-law gave to us, thank you!
I have been making this at least once a week since you posted this! It is my absolute FAVORITE. The flavors are just perfect! Very well-done! Thank you!!!! :-)
I loved this quesadilla! I bought the Inspiralizer — so easy to use. I used the organic uncooked flour tortillas from Tortilla Land, which i bought at Costco. I highly recommend them. I will be making this again!
Hello, this recipe sounds great but I have no sweet potato could I substitute with butternut squash? Thanks
I used homemade cashew cheese to make these vegan and they turned out great!