Black-Eyed Pea Quesadilla (Printable)

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

# What you need:

→ 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 chopped fresh cilantro, optional

→ Assembly

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

# How to make it:

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 until fragrant.
02 - Stir in black-eyed peas, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through, stirring occasionally.
03 - Remove from heat and mash the mixture coarsely with a potato masher or fork, retaining some texture. Stir in lime juice and cilantro if desired.
04 - Lay out 4 tortillas on a work surface. Divide mashed black-eyed pea mixture evenly among them, spreading over half of each tortilla. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the filling. Fold each tortilla in half to enclose the filling.
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 immediately with salsa, sour cream, or guacamole.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's protein-packed enough to keep you full for hours, yet feels lighter than a heavy cheese quesadilla.
  • The whole thing comes together faster than ordering takeout, and tastes infinitely better.
  • Black-eyed peas have this earthy sweetness that plays beautifully with cumin and the crispy tortilla shell.
02 -
  • Don't skip the lime juice—it's the secret that makes people ask what's in here instead of just devouring it quietly.
  • Mash the peas coarsely, not into a paste; lumpy filling stays together better and tastes more interesting in your mouth.
03 -
  • Prep your filling ahead and store it in the fridge—you can assemble and pan-fry these in ten minutes even after a long day.
  • Butter gives better browning and flavor than oil, but if you're watching saturated fat, brush the tortilla with oil instead of melting it in the pan.
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