Cheese Quesadilla With Tandoori Masala Flavor

a set of hands holding a platter filled with Tandoori Cheese Quesadilla

Cheese Quesadilla With Tandoori Masala Flavor

Vegetarian Black Bean Cheese Quesadilla is the perfect quick fix Mexican dinner! The Tandoori masala seasoning gives it a whole new flavor! The Black bean sauce for the quesadilla is prepared in the Instant Pot, making it a quick and viable dinner option.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian, Mexican

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Soaking time 5

Total Time 6

Servings people

Calories 465.74kcal

Author Priya Lakshminarayan

Equipment

Ingredients

To prepare the sauce

1 cup black beans
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
7-8 cloves garlic
1 jalapeno
1 onion
2 tomatoes
1 bell pepper
¼ cup corn
salt
2-3 tablespoon tandoori marinade
½ tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoon garam masala
2 teaspoon cajun seasoning
2 teaspoon cumin powder
2 teaspoon Mexican seasoning or taco seasoning
2 teaspoon paprika
1 cup water or stock
2-3 tablespoon cilantro
½ tablespoon lemon juice optional

To prepare the quesadillas

½ cup cream cheese spread
1-2 tablespoon sriracha
8 tortillas
½ cup Mexican cheese
oil or butter

Instructions

To prepare the sauce

Rinse the black beans under running water till you get clear water. Then soak them overnight or for 5 hours. That is if you are not using canned beans.
Turn on the Instant Pot in saute mode. Add oil and temper cumin seeds, and then fry garlic, jalapenos, and onions. Saute till the onions turn translucent.
Then add the tomatoes, bell peppers, and corn. Cook till the tomatoes turn soft and pulpy.
Next, add the soaked and drained black beans along with salt. Mix it all together.
Then add the Tandoori marinade.
Add Rice vinegar.
Now add the other seasonings like garam masala, cajun seasoning, cumin powder, Mexican seasoning, paprika, and fry for a minute.
Add water or stock and mix. Then turn off the saute mode. Cook in manual mode for 20 minutes. Release pressure naturally.
Open the lid, give it a mix and garnish it with chopped cilantro and lemon juice if it needs the extra tang.

To assemble the quesadillas

Mix sriracha with cream cheese spread and keep it aside.
Smear some butter/oil on the preheated pan and cook the two tortillas one after the other, on both sides evenly. Keep the flame low.
Spread the cream cheese spread over both the warmed tortillas and then place one back on the skillet.
Spread prepared black beans mixture all over that tortilla.
Load it with Mexican cheese.
Then place the other warmed tortilla on top. Press it lightly and cook on both sides till done.
Be careful while flipping. It takes a bit of practice.

Alternate way to assemble the quesadillas

After placing the warmed tortilla on a preheated pan, add the black bean sauce only on the half side.
Top it with cheese and fold it to make a semi-circle. Press it lightly and cook it evenly on both sides till the cheese melts.
Cut in triangles using a pizza cutter and serve with cilantro-lime crema, sour cream, salsa, and/or guacamole on the side. Even a bowl of Green Chutney can be served.

Notes

If using canned black beans, you can directly make the quesadilla filling in a skillet. But if using soaked beans, then making it in the Instant Pot is easier. Just remember, the black bean sauce should be thick and not runny. So, don't add a lot of water.

For more flavor, add mushrooms, paneer, or tofu cubes in the black beans sauce. You can also marinate them in the tandoori paste and grill them before adding them as toppings. You can also spread guacamole and salsa over the tortillas along with the cheese if you don't want to serve it on the side. If you would like to make this kid-friendly, just cut down on spices and use more cheese.

You can also bake this cheese quesadilla in the oven till the cheese melts instead of cooking it in the skillet. Tortillas burn easily, so keep the flame low to medium and keep a close watch. Plus, keep all the toppings ready and next to you to avoid any delay. Also, it doesn't need to cook for long. To make it crispy, cook each side for a little over a minute.

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