Hi guys, and welcome back to another post from Jay . As soon as I start writing, Michael is right here next to me, and I keep telling him to back away.
He eventually steps aside, but not before saying hi to everyone and introducing himself. I’m Jay, and this is my little baby kitchen where most of my simple and comforting recipes come to life.
One of my babies, Ginger, is already pacing around the floor. She knows when I’m cooking, there might be a leftover coming her way.
I ask her what she wants, but she just looks up at me like she already knows the plan. Teddy, on the other hand, is somewhere in the living room doing his own thing.
Today, I’m making something quick, easy, and surprisingly delicious—bean and avocado quesadillas.
What We’re Making Today
Right now, I want to show you guys this recipe someone once taught me. It’s simple: avocado and bean quesadillas. When you hear it out loud, it almost sounds too basic to be good, but trust me, it works.
There’s no meat in this recipe, which makes it a full vegetarian option. Depending on the tortillas and ingredients you choose, you could even call it vegan.
On the counter, I have four flour tortillas. This will make two quesadillas. You can use whatever tortillas you prefer—flour or corn—but today I’m working with flour for the main batch.
Preparing the Filling
For the beans, I’m using refried black beans from a can. I opened the can, transferred everything into a bowl, and added a little salt.
Before seasoning, I always taste the beans to see if they already have flavor, and these didn’t. So a pinch of salt was all they needed.
I also grabbed fresh cilantro from my fridge, chopped a handful, and mixed it into the beans. It adds brightness and that fresh smell that makes every bite better.
Next, I mashed two baby avocados. They were nice and fresh, but if you look closely, you’ll notice a few black spots in the mash.
That happens the minute avocado is cut and exposed to air. It doesn’t mean anything is wrong—it just means the fruit is ripening. For anyone who gets grossed out by brown spots, don’t worry. The flavor stays the same.
I added a little more salt to the avocado and set it aside.
Heating the Pan and Getting Ready
While I prepped the fillings, my pan was heating up. I’m using corn oil today. Michael asked what oil it is, and yes, it’s corn oil. I keep the oil in smaller bottles instead of using the whole gallon jug because it’s easier to pour and control.
I laid two tortillas on the counter and grabbed shredded mozzarella cheese. This cheese helps the quesadillas melt together, get crispy, and create that perfect stretch.
Before assembling anything, I reached for my smasher. I don’t like cooking without it. It helps flatten the tortillas evenly in the pan, especially when I want that golden-brown color.
Starting the Assembly
Michael asks what step one is, and even though we went out of order a bit, it doesn’t matter because they come together fast. I placed the tortillas into the pan to warm and lightly brown.
I lowered the heat to about level three so the tortillas didn’t burn too fast. The heat needs to stay low-to-medium to get that perfect color.
While those were warming, I took spoonfuls of avocado and spread a thin layer over each tortilla. Not too much—just enough to cover.
I apologized for a second because I had to adjust the avocado. Then I explained that the darker spots were normal. The avocado simply oxidizes once it’s cut, and some parts ripen faster. Nothing to worry about.
Next, I wiped the knife and used the same one to spread the refried beans on top of the avocado layer. Since everything is going into the same quesadilla, using the same knife makes sense.
Melting the Cheese and Browning the Tortillas
While assembling, I let some mozzarella melt directly onto the pan. This is my favorite part because when the tortillas go on top of that melted cheese, it creates a crispy, golden layer that tastes amazing.
Once the cheese started bubbling, I placed the filled tortillas on top to attach everything together.
I turned the heat up slightly so the tortillas could brown faster. Once each side browned nicely, I flipped them. The cheese browned, stretched, and gave that perfect stringy pull that everyone loves.
I kept talking to Michael while cooking. We joked about searing versus frying. Searing is for very hot pans and usually for meat, but here, I’m just browning the tortillas enough to crisp them without burning.
Adding the Final Touches
When the cheese layer hardened slightly and everything was sealed together, I lifted the quesadilla out of the pan and set it aside.
The first one was for my husband. He likes his food a little crispier and more browned, so I let his stay in the pan slightly longer.
I moved on to the next quesadilla and added a tiny bit more corn oil to help it brown evenly. The oil amount doesn’t need to be large—just enough to help it crisp instead of sticking.
While cooking, I started talking about Valentine’s Day. I wished everyone a happy Valentine’s Day and talked about gifts—flowers, wine, perfume, bags.
I also mentioned that it goes both ways. Women can gift their partners too. Appreciation is something that should be shared.
Michael and I joke back and forth about doors swinging both ways, levers, and handles. Meanwhile, the quesadilla was browning beautifully.
Final Browning and Serving
I checked the bottom of the quesadilla, and it had turned the perfect golden color. I only left it for a second or two longer because that’s how my husband likes it. His was ready to serve, so I moved it to a clean plate.
For the next one, I repeated the same steps: spreading, browning, flipping, and crisping. Once both were ready, I placed the second quesadilla in the pan, lowered the heat, and got ready to plate.
Then I grabbed a pizza cutter. It’s the easiest way to slice quesadillas without pulling everything apart. When I cut into it, the inside looked perfect.
The cheese melted beautifully, the beans were warm, and the avocado added the right amount of creaminess.
I lifted one slice and showed how the inside looked. This was my bean and avocado tortilla—simple, flavorful, and ready to eat.
