Oven-baked quesadillas are one of my favorite ways to prepare quesadillas, and these Delicata Squash Quesadillas are a prime example of that!
Delicata squash, with their mild flavor and tender flesh, are perfect for soaking up the flavors around them. I decided to go for it and season the bejesus out of one for this recipe, and the results were delicious!
I basically gave the squash the taco meat treatment, except of course without the meat. And by that I mean that I sear the slices until they’re golden, then add some seasonings and water, give them a stir, and then let the water cook off. Just like taco meat! Except, you know. Not.
Highly seasoned delicata squash are incredible, I have found. I’ve roasted them for years, but this preparation is a definite winner, too.
Another thing that’s nice about delicata – and, for me, cooking them this way – is that you don’t need to remove the tender, edible peel. It’s not my favorite thing to eat, so sometimes I do peel my delicatas – but for this baked quesadilla recipe, the squash are pretty thinly sliced, so I don’t find myself gnawing on a hunk o’ peel.
Protein-rich black beans, seared onions, and pepper jack (or vegan equivalent) complete the picture. Fold ’em over, bake them for 20 minutes, and enjoy.
Oven-Baked Delicata Squash Quesadillas
Ingredients
For the delicata squash
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- 1 small yellow onion (halved and sliced thin)
- 1 delicata squash (halved, seeds removed, and cut into 1/4-inch thick "C" shapes)
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the quesadillas
- 1 cup cooked black beans
- 4 ounces pepper jack cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Topping ideas
- Sour cream
- Cilantro
- Salsa
- Pico de gallo
- Sliced tomatoes
- Sliced avocado
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Set out two rimmed baking sheets.
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil into a large saute pan over medium heat. When hot, add the onions. Saute, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned here and there, about 5 minutes. Remove onions from pan and return pan to the burner. Reduce heat to medium and immediately add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the squash.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the squash pieces have been seared golden brown on at least one side and are beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add water, brown sugar, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir gently to distribute water and spices and continue to saute, stirring occasionally, until the water cooks off, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Place a flour tortilla on your prep surface and add 1/6 of the toppings to the bottom half of the tortilla, in a single layer. Start with the squash, then scatter about 3 tablespoons of black beans, then add some onions and finally 3-4 slices of the pepper jack cheese.
- Fold the tortilla over to form a half-moon shape and carefully transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Make sure the quesadillas sit in a single layer on the baking sheets – I fit three to a sheet. Brush the quesadillas on both sides with the 1 tablespoon olive oil; this helps them bake up a little more crisp and golden.
- Bake until the cheese has melted and the tortilla is golden brown and crisp in spots. Using a pizza cutter, cut each quesadilla into thirds. Transfer to plates and serve with assorted toppings, if desired.
These were fantastic!