Vegetarian Oven-Baked Cheese and Bell Pepper Quesadillas

By
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
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Updated on 05/25/22
Cheese and bell pepper quesadilla

The Spruce Eats / Emily Hawkes
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 4 quesadillas
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
732 Calories
37g Fat
72g Carbs
28g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 732
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 37g 47%
Saturated Fat 17g 84%
Cholesterol 76mg 25%
Sodium 1069mg 46%
Total Carbohydrate 72g 26%
Dietary Fiber 5g 19%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 28g
Vitamin C 155mg 777%
Calcium 608mg 47%
Iron 5mg 26%
Potassium 426mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Mexican quesadillas are very easy to make, and kids love them since they contain a lot of cheese (with some vegetables snuck in there, of course)! This vegetarian recipe for a simple cheese and bell pepper quesadillas will be a hit with the kids, as well as the adults, and veggie quesadillas also make a great snack or a simple appetizer for the Super Bowl, or any game day. You might also love having some sour cream, homemade guacamole, and salsa on the side to dip your veggie quesadillas in. 

These bell pepper veggie quesadillas are also oven-baked instead of pan-fried, which gives them nice crispiness, without any added fat or oil when cooking. Although the recipe does call for cooking the bell peppers in a bit of oil before baking, you can omit the oil and use a non-stick pan, or, omit this step entirely if you prefer your veggie quesadillas to be lower in fat.

Wondering about cheese and whether it can be included on your vegetarian diet? Here's what you need to know about whether or not cheese is vegetarian. 

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, or vegetable oil

  • 1 green bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips

  • 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into strips

  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin

  • Dash salt, to taste; sea salt or kosher salt is always best

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1/2 teaspoon lime juice

  • 2 1/2 cups cheese, grated

  • 8 flour tortillas

  • 1 cup salsa, for serving, optional

  • Guacamole, for serving, optional

  • Sour cream, for serving, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for bell pepper quesadilla
    The Spruce Eats / Emily Hawkes

  2. First, pre-heat the oven to 375 F and lightly grease a baking sheet (depending on the size, you may need two baking sheets or to work in batches).

    Grease baking sheet
    The Spruce Eats / Emily Hawkes

  3. Next, add the oil to a large skillet over medium heat and cook all of the green, red and yellow bell peppers in oil. While the peppers are cooking, add the cumin, sea salt or kosher salt, a bit of fresh ground black pepper and the lime juice and cook just until peppers are just soft, about 3 to 5 minutes; do not overcook.

    Add oil to large skillet
    The Spruce Eats / Emily Hawkes

  4. Place four of the flour tortillas flat on a lightly greased baking pan to assemble your quesadillas. You may need two baking pans for this. Place a large spoonful or a thin layer of peppers on a flour tortilla. Add a thick layer of cheese and cover with another flour tortilla, and assemble all of the veggie quesadillas in the same manner.

    Stuff tortilla
    The Spruce Eats / Emily Hawkes 

  5. Bake your bell pepper quesadillas at 375 F for about ten minutes, or until the cheese has fully melted.

    Bake quesadilla
    The Spruce Eats / Emily Hawkes

  6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

    Cut
    The Spruce Eats / Emily Hawkes

  7. To serve, slice each quesadilla into fourths or, cut 6 pie pieces, like a pizza. Top with salsa, sour cream or serve with guacamole on the side if you'd like.

    Serve quesadilla
    The Spruce Eats / Emily Hawkes

Recipe Variation

  • You can make these Mexican quesadillas vegan if needed by using vegan non-dairy cheese, and, to make them gluten-free, swap out the regular flour tortillas for a gluten-free wrap.