Host Stand

This vegetarian recipe elevates simple ingredients like black beans and sweet potato by incorporating rich and vibrant flavors including black garlic and harissa seasoning. Served with our cilantro lime Greek yogurt sauce for a zesty kick.

This recipe is for up to four quesadillas. However, all ingredients save well if stored separately in the fridge for up to 4 days which makes this a great meal planning option as well.

Juggling allergies or dietary needs? This recipe is customizable! Customizations include adding additional protein like tofu, chicken, or steak. Substituting flour tortillas for cassava or corn tortillas, or serving the black beans and sweet potatoes in a bowl over rice, greens, or other grains.

Ingredients

• Sweet Potatoes
• Black Beans
• Yellow Onion
• Vermont Cheddar
• Smoked Gouda
• Tortillas
• Butter
• Black Garlic Paste
• Tomato Paste
• Harissa Seasoning
• Salt
• Pepper
• Cumin

Recipe Link for Cilantro Lime Greek Yogurt Sauce – https://hoststandblog.com/2025/03/19/cilantro-lime-greek-yogurt-sauce/

Recommendations and brands I used in developing this recipe (affiliate links)

• I recommend using a harissa seasoning blend that includes peppermint, and caraway for a depth of flavor! I enjoy the Frontier Coop Blend you can find for ^{(_{$7.54 on Amazon)–}} https://amzn.to/4i9gFwZ
• Black Garlic Paste ^{(_{$7.00 on Amazon)–}} https://amzn.to/4ilglvk

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Quesadilla

1 Can Black Beans

2 Small Sweet Potatoes Diced

1 Small Yellow Onion Diced

4 Ounces Vermont Sharp White Cheddar

8 Ounces Smoked Gouda

8 Large Flower Tortillas

3 Tablespoons Butter

2 Tablespoons Black Garlic Paste

2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste

1 Tablespoon Harissa Seasoning

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Powder

1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

Cooking Instructions

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

• Peel and dice sweet potato and onion, and set aside in a bowl.

• Rinse the bean can lid before opening, open the can of black beans, and drain approximately half the liquid out. (tip the juice from the beans can go directly down your kitchen sink since it doesn’t have a high fiber or fat content).

• Add beans to a small saucepan. I use a one-quart saucepan for this.

• Grate your cheese into a bowl and set aside.

• In the bowl of sweet potatoes add olive oil, cumin powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt. Mix together making sure to mix well to cover the sweet potatoes and onion evenly with oil and seasoning.

• Pour the seasoned sweet potatoes onto a sheet pan. I use a half-sheet pan (18-inch by 13-inch). Make sure the sweet potatoes and onions are in one singular layer with all diced vegetables making contact with the sheet pan for even cooking.

• When the oven is preheated to 400 degrees add your sheet pan with the sweet potatoes and onions to the oven. Cook for 25 minutes. The sweet potatoes should be fork tender, and have a golden brown color when they are done. I recommend giving the veggies a quick stir/toss about halfway through cooking to help them cook more evenly. If your veggies are not tender after 25 minutes add additional time in 5-minute increments and check with a fork until tender.

• While your veggies are roasting in the oven go ahead and start working on your black beans (see step 9) and your sauce (see recipe below).

• Add black garlic paste, tomato paste, and harissa seasoning to the saucepan with the drained black beans. Mix well to incorporate all the seasonings into your beans. TIP the black garlic paste is very sticky and tacky, it may not fully mix into the beans until you put the beans on the stove and introduce heat.

• Put the saucepan on the stove on a small burner and turn the heat up to medium/high (6 or 7 on the dial). Mix consistently until the black garlic paste is fully incorporated which will take about 3-5 minutes.

• Once the black beans are hot throughout, and the black garlic paste is fully incorporated turn the burner down to low (1 or 2 on the dial) and continue to stir periodically (I would suggest every minute or two).

• When the sweet potatoes and onions are fork tender remove them from the oven.

• Remove black beans from the hot burner.

• Turn on a large burner to medium/high heat (6 or 7) and place a nonstick pan or stainless steel skillet on the burner. Tip make sure your pan is at least 10 inches so the large tortilla can lay flat.

Assembling the Quesadilla

1. Add 1/2 Tablespoon of butter to the hot nonstick pan or stainless steel skillet.
2. Let the butter melt completely
3. Lay down one large flour tortilla in the pan/skillet.
4. Add a light layer of cheese evenly across the top of the tortilla (about 1-1 1/2 ounces).
5. Add 2-3 Tablespoons of the sweet potato mix evenly over the cheese layer.
6. Add 2-3 Tablespoons of the black beans evenly over the sweet potatoes and onion layer. Smooth black beans out with the back of a spoon to make sure they are even.
7. Add a light layer of cheese evenly across the top of the tortilla (about 1-1 1/2 ounces).
8. Add the second tortilla on top of the cheese and veggies. Gently press down with a spatula.
9. Let cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Tip Make sure to check the bottom periodically to make sure it isn’t burning.
10. Flip the quesadilla over and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.
11. Remove the quesadilla from the heat, and let set for 2-3 minutes before cutting.
12. Cut the quesadilla into 4-8 pieces as desired.
13. Plate and serve.

Notes and Tips

• If you are making more than one quesadilla at a time place the cooked and sliced quesadilla on a sheet tray in the oven. Turn the oven down as low as it can go (170 degrees or so) and place the sheet tray in the oven to keep the quesadillas warm until you are done assembling and cooking the quesadillas and are ready to eat.
• To store ingredients make sure to package up the sweet potato/onion mix and the black beans into separate containers. Label and date them.
• If you are meal prepping this dish I recommend not grating all of your cheese at one time. It can dry out, and lose its moisture in the fridge. Grate it fresh for your quesadilla or bowl.
• If you do not like a smokey taste do not use the smoked Gouda and stick with the sharp Vermont white cheddar. Adjust the quantity accordingly.
• Grating cheese yourself is always best! It avoids additives, especially anti-caking powder that keeps pre-grated cheese from melting well.
• While grating cheese yourself might have the best outcome there are plenty are reasons this may not work for you – including time constraints, access to equipment, or physical limitations. This is a new guilt space, do what works best for you, and what you like!
• I suggest using a tube of tomato paste since this recipe will not use the whole thing. You can date it and store it in the fridge for the next recipe or if you use a jar of tomato paste you can freeze it into 1-ounce servings for your next recipe.