Make chef Kevin Curry’s quick refried black bean quesadillas at home

Easy eats you can make in a flash from home

By
Tony Morrison
via
May 14, 2020, 4:05 AM ET
2 min read

Amp up your cooking game with these easy eats and recipes you can whip up in 30 minutes or less.

Author of "Fit Men Cook," chef Kevin Curry shows us how to make his signature Quick Refried Black Bean Quesadillas at home and in a flash, with just a few ingredients that you might already have in your pantry.

Ingredients for 4 quesadillas

  • spray avocado oil
  • 1 green bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced
  • juice from 1 lime
  • Beans
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil (or olive oil)
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 1/2 cans (638g) no salt added black beans, drained (1 can = 425g, 1/2 can = 213g)
  • 1 cup water (or more as needed)
  • sea salt to taste
  • 4 low carbohydrate wheat tortillas
  • 1 1/2 cups Mexican cheese blend

    • Method

  • Set a nonstick skillet on high heat. Once hot, spray with a little avocado oil then add the sliced peppers. Allow them to rest in the skillet without stirring for about 2 minutes , or until you smell and see the peppers begin to sear. Then immediately begin stirring the bell peppers in the skillet. Squeeze in fresh lime as they sear to help with the softening. Remove from the skillet.
  • Place the skillet back on the heat and reduce it to a medium. Once the skillet has cooled down, add the oil, garlic and onions. Caramelize the onions with the garlic for about 2 -3 minutes, or until the onions have turned brown and translucent.
  • Then add just one can of black beans -- save the remaining portion -- and stir it up. Add in the seasonings and then begin to mash the black beans using the spatula. Continue stirring and mashing until all of the black beans have been mashed up to create a fragrant black bean paste. Reduce the heat in the skillet if needed.
  • Then slowly pour in a few tablespoons of the water, then continue stirring. Continue this as needed until you create a smooth black bean paste.
  • Add the remaining black beans and fold them into the paste. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper, and garnish with fresh cilantro.
  • Build the quesadilla. To one side of a whole wheat tortilla, add a small amount of cheese, then the refried black beans, then some peppers, then a bit for cheese. Fold it close. Repeat.
  • Set a nonstick skillet on medium-high heat, and once hot, spray it with avocado oil.
  • Add the quesadilla and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, or until one side becomes golden brown with crispy edges. Flip and cook on the other side.