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Lentil Quesadillas are a simple veggie quesadilla recipe perfect for a weeknight meal. Made with just 5 simple ingredients, you can pull it together in 30 minutes or less. Whole wheat tortillas are stuffed with toasted cumin seeds, lentils, corn, and cheese, then topped with fresh pico de gallo. It’s a kid friendly meal your family will love!
This lentil quesadilla recipe makes a perfect meal when you are short on time but still want something nutritious. They are baked in the oven so you can easily make them for a crowd (in bulk!), and are high in protein to keep everyone full and satisfied.
Table of Contents hide
👩🏽🍳 Why This Recipe Works
🥘 Ingredients
🍽 Equipment
📖 Variations
🔪 Instructions
🥗 Are Lentil Quesadillas Healthy?
❓Recipe FAQs
👪 How to Serve
💭 Expert Tips
🌯 More Healthy Quesadilla Recipes!
📋 Recipe Card
👩🏽🍳 Why This Recipe Works
- Healthy Dinner
- Kid-Friendly
- Delicious Vegetarian Mexican Recipe
- Perfectly Spiced
- Easy Pantry Ingredients
- Vegan Option (skip cheese)
- Gluten-Free Option (use corn tortillas)
🥘 Ingredients
This recipe uses just 5 ingredients easily found in your pantry or your local grocery store!
You will need: whole wheat tortillas, cumin seeds, corn, pre-cooked lentils (I like the lentils from Trader Joe’s as it saves time), and your favorite shredded cheese blend!
🍽 Equipment
📖 Variations
There are so many delicious ways to mix up these cheesy quesadillas, but here are some of our favorites!
- Vegan Quesadillas: Either omit the cheese, or use vegan cheese!
- Sweet Potato Lentil Quesadillas: Give these vegetable quesadillas a sweet and savory twist by adding some roasted sweet potatoes into the filling along with the corn and lentils!
- Spicy Cheesy Mexican Lentil Quesadillas: Give these quesadillas a spicy Mexican kick by adding cayenne pepper, chili powder, and your favorite taco seasoning to the corn and to sprinkle over the quesadilla filling before you cook them! You can also swap out the Mexican 4 cheese blend for pepperjack cheese for even more heat!
- Gluten Free Quesadillas: Use a gluten free tortilla or a corn tortilla instead of the wheat tortillas used in this recipe!
🔪 Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast cumin seeds in large, dry skillet over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, or until fragrant, shaking pan constantly. Transfer to small bowl, and set aside.
Step 2: Toast the corn in the same skillet until golden brown, shaking the pan for about 5 min or until cooked through. Transfer to medium bowl, set aside.
Step 3: Arrange 4 tortillas on a baking sheet sprayed with olive oil cooking spray. Sprinkle half of the tortilla with ~2-3 Tbsp grated cheese, and 1/4 tsp toasted cumin seeds. Top with 1/4 cup lentil filling, 1/4 cup corn, and fold tortilla over.
Step 4: Repeat for the remaining tortillas.
Step 5: Put the tortillas in the oven and broil for 5-10 min until the tops are lightly browned and crispy. Put the tortillas in the oven and broil for 5-10 min until the tops are lightly browned and crispy. Serve with Pico de Gallo, avocado, guacamole, Plain Greek Yogurt, or diced green onions on top!
🥗 Are Lentil Quesadillas Healthy?
We often think of quesadillas a not being particularly healthy, but this recipe is a perfectly well-balanced meal! Here’s what gives this dish a nutritious punch:
- Whole Grains: Using sprouted wheat (or whole wheat) tortillas instead of white tortillas increases the fiber and protein in this dish, and reduces the amount of refined carbs.
- Plant Protein: Instead of loading on extra cheese or ground beef, these quesadillas use lentils. Lentils are a plant-protein that are high in fiber, low in calories, and high in folate and magnesium. Folate helps turn carbs into energy, and magnesium has a variety of benefits including heart health and reducing anxiety.
- Baked, not fried: I chose to oven bake these lentil quesadillas, which helps reduce the amount of oil you need to get these quesadillas really crispy.
❓Recipe FAQs
Are these veggie quesadillas kid friendly?
Kids love quesadillas and they will love this vegetarian quesadilla recipe too. Stuffed with cheese and topped with pico de gallo, they won’t realize they’re getting a healthy helping of plant-based protein.
If your picky eater likes beans they will probably like lentils too, since they’re in the same legume family and have a similar flavor. When it comes to vegetables most picky eaters will embrace corn, it’s a great starter into eating more veggies!
What is the difference between cumin seeds and ground cumin?
Cumin is a seed that comes from the herb “Cuminum Cyminum” which is a member of the parsley family. Cumin is sold both in seeds form and already ground. If you’re purchasing cumin in your typical large grocery chain you will likely find it in ground form.
Cumin is one of the spices that makes up many curry powder variations. It’s a versatile spice that can be used in many types of dishes including Mexican dishes like this easy lentil quesadillas recipe. If you don’t have cumin seeds you can use ground cumin, but you’ll want to use less since ground cumin is more concentrated than cumin seeds.
What is the best cheese for quesadillas?
Monterey Jack cheese is excellent for melting which is what you want to make a good quesadilla. However, Monterey Jack can be a bit bland. Cheddar has more flavor but when it melts it tends to get greasy. Using a combination of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese will give you the right balance between the melt and flavor factor. Buying a Mexican cheese blend is another good option to make these quick lentil quesadillas stand out.
👪 How to Serve
Make this a meatless Monday meal! This recipe pairs well with a simple side salad or a healthy helping of a steamed vegetable of your choice such as broccoli or cauliflower, seasoned with salt & pepper. Top these quesadillas with sour cream, sliced avocado or a spoon of guacamole to really put them over the top! Add in some refried beans to increase the protein!
💭 Expert Tips
- I used frozen corn, but you can also use fresh or canned.
- To save time use cooked lentils. I buy mine from Trader Joe’s.
- You can use green lentils or brown lentils, but don’t use red lentils as they don’t hold their shape as well, and are better in soups.
- To reduce the overall fat in these quesadillas you can use reduced fat cheese, but you can also just use less of the full fat variety (which is what I’d recommend doing!)
- Use cumin seeds rather than ground cumin. When you toast cumin seeds the oils are released which brings out a beautiful aroma.
- Keep the cumin seeds from burning by constantly shaking the pan. This will also ensure they are toasted evenly.
- Toasting the corn in the same pan as the cumin seeds will give the corn a nice flavor.
- If you don’t have sprouted wheat tortillas you can use whole wheat tortillas, gluten free tortillas, or even corn tortillas!
- Stuff the quesadillas with additional vegetables you have on hand, or sub the corn for another vegetable such as red peppers or zucchini.
- Spray the tortillas with a cooking spray or lightly brush the tortillas with oil to get them nice and crispy.
- Top these quesadillas with slices of avocado for added creaminess and healthy fats.
🌯 More Healthy Quesadilla Recipes!
- Healthy Black Bean Quesadillas
- Vegan Quesadillas
- Poblano, Mango, Avocado and Black Bean Quesadillas
- Black Bean and Pepper Jack Quesadillas
- Fajita Veggie Quesadilla by Kitchen Gidget
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📋 Recipe Card
Print Recipe
5 from 7 votes
Easy Cheesy Mexican Lentil Quesadillas
These Lentil Quesadillas is a simple weeknight meal you can pull together in 30 minutes or less. Tortillas are stuffed with toasted cumin seeds, lentils, corn, cheese, then topped with fresh pico de gallo. It’s a kid friendly meal your family will love!
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Low Calorie, Vegetarian
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 250kcal
Author: Anjali Shah
Ingredients
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 4 Sprouted Wheat or Whole Wheat Tortillas (To make this recipe gluten free, use gluten free tortillas)
- ½ cup shredded Mexican 4 cheese blend
- 1 cup cooked small lentils I used Trader Joe’s Steamed Packaged Lentils
- 1 cup frozen or fresh corn
- pico de gallo for serving
- Optional Toppings: Diced avocado, green onions, guacamole, Plain Greek Yogurt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Toast cumin seeds in large, dry skillet over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, or until fragrant, shaking pan constantly. Transfer to small bowl, and set aside.
Toast corn in the same skillet, shaking the pan for about 5 min or until cooked through. Transfer to small bowl, set aside.
Arrange 4 tortillas on a baking sheet sprayed with olive oil cooking spray.
Sprinkle half the tortilla with ~2-3 Tbsp grated cheese, and 1/4 tsp toasted cumin seeds. Top with 1/4 cup lentils, 1/4 cup corn, and fold the other side over. Repeat for the next 3 tortillas.
Put the tortillas in the oven and broil for 5-10 min until the tops are lightly browned and crispy. Serve with Pico de Gallo, avocado, guacamole, Plain Greek Yogurt, or diced green onions on top!
Notes
Top Tips for Making Vegetarian Quesadillas with Cumin and Lentils
- I used frozen corn, but you can also use fresh or canned.
- To save time use pre-cooked & steamed lentils. I buy mine from Trader Joes.
- To reduce the overall fat in these quesadillas you can use reduced fat cheese, but you can also just use less of the full fat variety (which is what I’d recommend doing!)
- Use cumin seeds rather than ground cumin. When you toast cumin seeds the oils are released which brings out a beautiful aroma.
- Keep the cumin seeds from burning by constantly shaking the pan. This will also ensure they are toasted evenly.
- Toasting the corn in the same pan as the cumin seeds will give the corn a nice flavor.
- If you don’t have sprouted wheat tortillas you can use whole wheat tortillas, gluten free tortillas, or even corn tortillas!
- Stuff the quesadillas with additional vegetables you have on hand, or sub the corn for another vegetable such as red peppers or zucchini.
- Spray the tortillas with a cooking spray or lightly brush the tortillas with oil to get them nice and crispy.
- Top these quesadillas with slices of avocado for added creaminess and healthy fats.
Adapted from Vegetarian Times
Nutrition
Serving: 1quesadilla | Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 6g | Sodium: 868mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g
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22 responses to “Lentil Quesadillas: Veggie Quesadilla Recipe”
I love this healthier alternative and it looks divine!
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Thanks so much Claudia! Enjoy!
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Love the idea of using lentils in quesadillas. My family will love these!
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You’ll have to let me know how you and your family like this recipe Amanda!! 🙂
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This recipe turned out amazing. I’ve never tried lentils in my quesadillas before but they were so delicious and my son loved it!
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Aw I’m so happy to hear that Anaiah! This one is a favorite with my kiddos too!
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These quesadillas are amazingly good. The lentil stuffing is fabulous!
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It’s a fun twist on traditional quesadillas, that’s for sure! Glad you liked it!
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Finally! A scrumptious healthy quesadilla recipe that my kids will eat, too. Thanks for such thorough directions and all the extra tips you shared, too. Another winner from The Picky Eater!
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Thanks so much Eliza! I’m so happy to hear that you all liked this recipe! 🙂
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I’ll have to try this recipe, it looks delicious. Every week, I make a large batch of lentils for school lunch which my kids have loved since they were babies.
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Yay!! My kids love lentils too – they will eat them steamed with just a bit of olive oil and salt haha! I hope you and your kids like this recipe!
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Great recipe! I’ve been wanting to find a healthier quesadilla that both my husband and I can enjoy, and this was it. I blogged about it on my food sharing blog: https://twoladiesandaladle.blogspot.com/2012/04/alinas-cumin-and-lentil-quesadillas.html
Thanks for the great recipes! Keep them coming!
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Thanks so much Alina!! I’m so glad you liked this recipe! 🙂
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Surprisingly well-written and informative for a free online ariltce.
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Such a great concept! I love it 🙂 🙂 I might throw in some zucchini as well!
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Zucchini is a great idea! 🙂 Next time I make it I’ll be adding it in for sure!
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These lentil quesadillas sound tasty and a healthy twist with the lentils. I’m going to look for the Trader Joe’s steamed packaged lentils.
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It looks like Trader Joe’s was a real help in your kitchen.
thank you for a great post!
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It was! I LOVE Trader Joe’s – I might actually do a post later on all my favorite products from there. Their products are healthy and reasonably priced and a great help in the kitchen!
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Well – THAT is a good idea. Cumin and lentils make such a great pairing.
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Thanks! Yes – it did turn out very flavorful 🙂
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