An easy, nourishing and flavor-packed gluten-free and vegetarian quesadilla. Loaded with a nutrient dense, seasoned lentil-walnut mix, creamy avocado and your favorite melty cheese. Perfect for busy weeknights or a satisfying lunch!
I made these quesadillas by happenstance while trying to use up some extra Lentil Walnut Taco “Meat” from our Lentil Walnut Tacos and and they are too good not to share here!
They’re simple, flavorful and so satisfying.
And they come together quickly or can be made partially ahead, making them perfect on busy weekdays for a simple, satisfying lunch or dinner!
Let’s take a closer look. It’s..
a nutrient dense, seasoned lentil walnut mix
creamy avocado, and
your favorite melty cheese
sandwiched between your favorite gluten-free tortillas and cooked to crispy perfection!
topped with tomato salsa, optional but recommended!
Back Story…
These came about because I had leftover lentil walnut taco “meat” from our Lentil Walnut Tacos.
My husband and I love adding the extra lentil walnut “meat” to our lunch salad, but one day I was particularly hungry and craving a quesadilla, so I made these quesadillas using the leftover lentil walnut taco meat, added some Monterrey jack cheese, avocado and these were created!
Topped with a little salsa it was the most flavorful, nourishing and satisfying meal!
This was also an example of how we embrace the “cook once, eat twice or more” mentality in our day to day life. We love making dishes that leave us some leftover ingredients that can be repurposed into another meal!
So let’s make these quesadilla…
There is a cooking video on this page so you can see how easy it is to make these quesadillas.
As with all my recipes, there is a printable recipe on the bottom of the page with exact measurements and directions.
All you need is:
Seasoned Lentil Walnut Mix (details below)
Monterrey Jack Cheese (or your favorite dairy-free cheese)
Avocado
Tomato Salsa (pre-made or homemade – best recipe below!)
Let’s take a closer look at the Lentil Walnut Mix…
The lentil walnut filling is essentially like a vegan taco “meat”.
It is essentially two ingredients (lentils and walnuts) + some spices mixed up in the food processor.
Together, the walnuts mixed with the lentils give it a “meaty” feel which will be loved by omnivores and vegetarians
us it is nutrient dense and so delicious!
All you need:
Cooked french lentils
walnuts
cumin
oregano,
chili powder
onion powder
and salt.
All you do is pulse it all together in a food processor!
Pro tip: if you love lentil and want a meatier feel, we reserve some of the lentils to stir in after so they are whole and not pulse.
And this lentil walnut mix is perfect for meal prep! You can make the lentils ahead or the entire mix ahead and it stays well in the refrigerator for several days.
Recipe for the Lentil Walnut filling is from my friend Corey at The Vegan Six.
I get so many simple and delicious plant based ideas from Corey and I’m super excited that Corey let me share her lentil taco filling recipe with you. If you’re looking for more whole foods, plant-based recipes (mostly gluten free or easily adapted), definitely check out Corey!
NOTE to Celiac Friends about Lentils: Gluten-Free Watchdog has recently done more testing on lentils and cross contamination continues to be a potential issue. So WASH LENTILS BEFORE COOKING and pick through them or errant wheat and barley. For more, click here for the Gluten-Free Watchdog post.
We are often asked about our gluten-free tortillas…
There are lots of gluten-free tortillas on the market. We have tried many of them!
My son and I hands down love Siete Foods Almond Flour Tortillas. (close second their chickpea and their cashew tortillas). They work well for wraps and quesadillas, holding together well and getting nice and crispy! They are also grain-free and we love the flavor — not gritty or grainy.
My husband likes Siete Foods and Mission gluten-free.
Once you have all your ingredients, it’s time to make the quesadillas…
Lightly oil an pan, place down one tortilla and let cook for a minute or two until is starts to bubble and change color. This will help make sure it gets crispy.
Top with cheese first, then the lentil walnut mix and then avocado.
Top with a second tortilla. Lightly brush the second tortilla with oil, then carefully flip the quesadilla. I like to use a spatula and gently hold the top of the quesadilla with my other hand when flipping.
The melting cheese will help it stay together as you flip it!
For serving, we love topping it with a tomato salsa.
The salsa isn’t necessary but I think it adds the best finishing touch!
You can use a pre-made salsa as I did here. I used one I had picked up at the farmer’s market.
An easy, nourishing and flavor-packed gluten-free and vegetarian quesadilla! Loaded with a nutrient dense, seasoned lentil-walnut mix, creamy avocado and your favorite melty cheese. Perfect for busy weeknights or a satisfying lunch! Lentil Walnut Mix can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for several days. Note: Prep time includes cooking lentils. Once you cook your lentils, prep time is 5 minutes!
Prep Time30mins
Cook Time10mins
Total Time40mins
Course: Lunch, Dinner
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan optional
Servings: 6servings
Author: Healthy Gluten-free Family
Ingredients
Each Quesadilla
2 tortillas
2-3tablespoonslentil walnut mix
2-3tablespoonsMonterrey jack
1/2avocadosliced
Lentil Walnut Mix
1½cupscooked French lentilsFrench lentils will give a heartier texture. Regular lentils will create a texture more like a lentil spread NOTE: celiac friends, make sure lentils are labeled gluten-free, rinsed and picked through. See comments about lentils and cross contamination above. Pro tip on cooking lentils: cook in water or a 50/50 mix of water and vegetable broth for extra flavor.
½cupwalnuts
½teaspoonground cumin
2teaspoonsoregano
½teaspoononion salt
The Best Salsa
1 28ozcan whole tomatoesdrained (I have also used the equivalent diced tomatoes if I can't find whole tomatoes)
1-2clovesgarlic
½small white onion
1jalapenode-seeded
⅛cupcilantro
juice from 1 limeapproximately 2 tablespoons
¼teaspooncumin
½teaspoonsalt
1teaspoonsugar
1½teaspoonchili powder
¼teaspoonsalt
Instructions
Lentil Walnut Mix
If you haven't cooked your lentils, cook them first. I like to cook with a mix of 1/2 vegetable broth, 1/2 water for extra flavor. These can be cooked a day in advance.
Add all ingredients, except ¼ -1/2 cup lentils, to a food processor and pulse 6-7x until taco "meat" texture forms. Place in a bowl and mix with reserved lentils. Note: We love whole lentils but feel free to pulse the lentils in the food processor if you want more of a meaty texture.
Can be made ahead and served room temperature or heated up a bit -- either way is great
The Best Salsa
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse 12-15 times or until desired consistency.
Quesadillas
Heat a large skillet with a little bit of oil over medium/ high heat. Add 1 tortilla. Heat for about 1 minute or until starting to cook/ bubble.
Sprinkle generously with cheese.
Add a few spoonfuls the Lentil Walnut Mix and spread evenly.
Add avocado.
Add second tortilla, and lightly brush with oil. and cook 1-2 minutes or until bottom side crisp and filling start to cook/ cheese starting to melt.
Using a spatula and gently holding the top of the quesadilla, flip the quesadilla and cook the second side 1-2 minutes or until crisp and filling warm/ cheese melted.
Hi! My name is Karen, and I’m the mom in our Healthy Gluten-Free Family. My posts and pictures here and on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter are labors of love that allow me to share a very personal journey with you, one our family has taken together — learning, experimenting and sharing how to raise a healthy happy gluten-free family. Read more ...