I created this recipe in an effort to use the apples I picked the weekend prior. I remembered how much you all loved the Lentil Chili with Apples and Cheddar and thought I’d create a quesadilla version. It sounds like an odd combination, but I assure you that you will love it! Creamy beans laced with spinach, melty cheese, and crunchy, sweet apples with a touch of garlic and sage create a delicious sweet and savory meal that comes together super fast. Be sure to have some yogurt or sour cream on the side!
Ingredient Highlight
Spinach! Like most leafy greens, spinach is a great source of iron, calcium, folate, vitamin C, and vitamin K among others. The combo of calcium and vitamin K make it great for bone health. Vitamin C helps us absorb iron better, so it’s a package deal!
Pro tip: frozen spinach is actually a lot higher in nutrients compared to fresh spinach since it’s frozen at it’s peak whereas grocery store fresh spinach loses a lot of it’s nutrients during transportation.
Servings 4 People
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Cook Time 12 minutes Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary or sub with 1 teaspoon dried) (optional
- 1 (10 oz) bag frozen spinach*
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
- 2 (15 oz ) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups)
- 4 whole wheat tortillas regular or burrito size
- 1 large crisp apple, core removed, thinly sliced
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt or sour cream
- *Frozen spinach comes in different sizes. If you have a 12 ounce bag, just use the whole thing. If you have a 16 oz bag, just use about ¾ of it!
- You could use fresh spinach in place of frozen. 10 oz of frozen spinach = 1 lb of fresh.
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the garlic and rosemary (if using) and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute.
- Add the spinach and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until most of the water evaporates, stirring occasionally, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add beans and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and use a fork to mash most of them up into a paste. Stir everything together, then transfer to a bowl and carefully wipe out the skillet.
- Lay your tortillas out and spread ¼ of the bean mixture onto ½ of each tortilla. Top with apple slices and press them down gently so they stick and submerge a little into the beans. Sprinkle ½ cup of cheese over the apples in an even layer. Fold the tortilla over the top to form a semicircle.
- Heat the skillet over medium-high. Once hot, add the tortilla to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown, then carefully flip and repeat on the other side.
- Slice the quesadilla and serve with yogurt or sour cream.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Chop 2 cloves garlic
- Finely chop 1 tablespoon sage (if using)
- Cook spinach/bean mixture
- Shred 2 cups cheddar cheese
Substitutions:
- To make vegan, substitute with a vegan cheese or skip the cheese and layer the apple between layers of bean mixture. Substitute the yogurt with guacamole or a vegan yogurt substitute.
- Any bean would work here, but I like pinto because they are generally softer and more mashable/starchy.
- Not into the apple thing? Skip them!
Storage:
-
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer:
- Leftover already made quesadillas: fridge for up to 4 days.
- Bean mixture: fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftover quesadillas gently in a skillet on both sides until melty and warm. Serve with yogurt.
- If you kept the bean mixture separate, you could easily turn that into a taco or add it to a Mexican-style bowl.
