Air Fryer Quesadillas

This Air Fryer Quesadilla Recipe is a quick lunch or appetizer that the whole family will enjoy! It's made with simple ingredients and can be on the table in under 30 minutes!

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword air fryer, refried beans, spring, summer, vegetarian quesadillas

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 310kcal

Author Sherri Hall

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

Refried beans

1 tablespoon oil, for cooking
½ yellow onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
¼ cup water or vegetable broth
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon lime juice

Quesadillas

4 corn tortillas
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or other type of cheese; use vegan cheese if needed)
½ teaspoon olive oil, for brushing

Instructions

Refried beans

Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon oil and let it heat until sizzling. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes. Then, add the garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika, and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the pinto beans, alongside salt and black pepper, and stir. Cover with a lid and let it simmer for 10 minutes, occasionally stirring until the beans are soft. Blend the bean mixture using an immersion blender, and stir the lime juice.

Quesadillas

Place tortillas on a flat surface and spread a few tablespoons of the refried beans on each one. Sprinkle half of the tortilla with shredded cheese and fold the tortilla in half. Press with the palm of your hand to flatten.
Pre-heat the air fryer to 350ºF (180ºC). Spray the basket with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Add the quesadillas and brush one side of the tortilla with olive oil.
Cook for 3 minutes, then flip and cook for another 3 minutes, or until the tortilla is golden brown and the cheese melts. Serve the crispy tortillas right away!

Notes

Cook in a single layer. Make sure to not overcrowd the air fryer basket for best results.
Brush the quesadillas with oil. I've noticed that air fryer quesadillas can turn out dry without a brush of oil. This also helps them brown nicely.
Flip halfway through. This ensures that the quesadillas will crisp up on both sides.
Add your favorite fillings. The best part of this recipe is that it's super versatile. You can add anything you like to bump up the nutrition like chopped red bell peppers, crumbled tofu, etc. If you want to take this recipe to the next level, I suggest adding my tofu ground beef.
Serve when fresh. Most air fryer recipes, and this one included, are best served right away, while they're still warm and crispy. The quesadillas soften after they cool down.

*Keep in mind that the recipe makes slightly more refried beans than you may use.

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. Accuracy is not guaranteed. Information shown should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Nutrition