Black Bean Quesadilla Nachos

This is the first of 3 reimagined game day snacks that we’re making this week. And, it’s very possible this one is my favorite!

So, let’s break this down. We’re swapping out tortilla chips for adorable, oven baked, cheesy quesadillas. Then, we’re cutting them into wedges to look like nacho chips, topping them with alllllll the things, and finishing them off with some hearty black beans. Even when we’re not celebrating game day, this is a perfect Meatless Monday meal too!

Let’s talk quesadilla “nacho chips”. We’re going to start with small, 6 inch flour tortillas. Now, there are 2 schools of thought when it comes to assembling quesadillas: some people like to take a whole tortilla, cover the whole thing in cheese, and lay another tortilla on top of everything; and some people (like myself) prefer 1 tortilla stuffed and folded in half. I totally prefer the folded method, because you get a nice crispy edge on at least 2 of your tortilla wedges. And, that’s the best part to me! I don’t understand the open surface area method, but to each their own, right? Regardless, we’re going to load our tortillas up with cheddar and colby jack cheese, fold the tortillas, brush them with a little olive oil, and pop them in the oven to get perfectly crispy.

Now these mini quesadillas are giving us double the crunch factor; because not only do the tortilla shells get golden and crispy, but any cheese that oozes out of the tortilla while baking gets nice and crunchy on the sheet pan too. It. Is. Epic.

The next layer of our nachos is the protein layer! We’re going to skip the meat, and fill these up with the easiest, most flavorful, hearty black beans. All we need to do is take a can of black beans, give them a rinse, then toss them in a saucepan with your favorite store bought jarred salsa, some chili powder, and a sprinkle of cumin. Mix it up. Let it heat through. Beans are done!

The final step is to load our nachos up with the toppings of our dreams. Here’s the great thing about nachos. You can top them with anything you want! In this recipe, I used the combos and quantities that I love for these nachos, but feel free to take a little creative freedom here. Like things spicy? Add some jalapenos! Like a little tang? Throw on some olives! For me, I decided to top these with some shredded spinach, sliced radishes, chopped tomatoes, sliced shallot, and the biggest dollops of mashed avocado and sour cream that I could fit on the pile. All of these things are EXCELLENT choices!

These nachos are the absolute best. They’re cheesy from the inside out while still giving you all the crispy crunch you desire. The beans mimic taco meat in the very best way…any hard core carnivore will totally approve of these nachos. And, all those toppings might just be the best part. The warm and cold temperatures combined with the soft and crunchy textures make for the most nachorific bite there ever was.

EPIC.

And, we could almost argue that these are a little on the healthier side. So regardless of who wins the football game, we’re all winners!!!

Ok, everyone! The game day eats continue on Wednesday, and I can’t wait for you to see what’s next!

I hope you enjoy! And, let’s eat!