Creamy White Bean and Spinach Quesadillas

February 19, 2019

This is like, “the week of quesadillas” at my house. LOL. When the concept for these super easy creamy quesadillas first came into my head I couldn’t decide whether to make them with chicken or do a vegetarian version, so I just made both! While I love both versions of this quesadilla, the incredible ease and low cost of these Creamy White Bean and Spinach Quesadillas might make them the winner. They literally only take about 20 minutes and are so freaking good.

If you want the chicken version, head over to the post for Creamy Chicken and Spinach Quesadillas.

Creamy White Bean and Spinach Quesadillas

How to serve Creamy White Bean and Spinach Quesadillas

Because the filling for these quesadillas is so rich and creamy, they really benefit from being served with a nice tangy salsa. The salsa I used is a smoky chipotle red salsa, which paired so well with the flavors of the quesadillas. Normally quesadillas would be served with some sour cream or guacamole dolloped on top, but there is so much creaminess already that I think that would be overkill.

What type of white beans should I use?

I definitely suggest using cannellini beans for this recipe because of their large size, firm texture, and ability to hold their shape. Other white beans, like navy beans, tend to break down and are better suited for use in soups, stews, or recipes where they’ll be mashed. If you want to read more about the common types of white beans and how they’re best used, check out this helpful guide from Camellia Beans.

Creamy White Bean and Spinach Quesadillas

Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside, these insanely delicious Creamy White Bean and Spinach Quesadillas make an awesomely fast weeknight dinner.

1 15oz. can cannellini beans ($0.69)
3/4 tsp chili powder ($0.05)
1/4 tsp cumin ($0.03)
1/8 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
1/8 tsp salt ($0.02)
2 cups fresh spinach ($0.87)
4 oz. pepper jack cheese, shredded ($1.00)
1/2 cup sour cream ($0.35)
4 8-inch flour tortillas ($0.96)

Rinse and drain the cannellini beans well. Once well drained, transfer them to a bowl and add the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and salt. Stir to combine the beans with the spices.
Roughly chop the spinach into smaller pieces. Add the spinach, cheese, and sour cream to the bowl with the beans, then stir to combine.
Divide the spinach and bean mixture between the four tortillas, then fold them in half to close.
Cook the quesadillas, one or two at a time, in a skillet* over medium heat until the tortillas are brown and crispy and the filling is melted and gooey (3-5 minutes each side).
Cut the quesadillas in half, then serve.

*I cook my quesadillas in a dry skillet (they don’t stick), but you can use oil if you prefer a more fried texture to the tortillas.

Step by Step Photos

Begin by rinsing and draining a 15oz. can of cannellini beans. Make sure they’re drained well, then place them in a bowl with 3/4 tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp cumin, 1/8 tsp garlic powder, and 1/8 tsp salt. Stir to coat the beans in the spices.

Roughly chop about 2 cups of spinach into smaller pieces.

Combine the seasoned beans and chopped spinach in a bowl with 4 oz. shredded pepper jack cheese and 1/2 cup sour cream. Stir to combine these ingredients.

Divide the spinach and bean mixture between the four tortillas, covering half of the tortilla, then fold them in half to close.

Cook the quesadillas, one or two at a time, in a skillet over medium heat until the tortillas are brown and crispy, and the filling is melted. I don’t add oil to my skillet, but you can if you prefer a more fried-like texture to the tortillas. (The residue you see in the skillet is splatter from juices coming out of the quesadilla.)