White Bean and Butternut Squash Quesadillas

White bean and butternut squash quesadillas served with avocado artichoke dip are a winning appetizer or dinner! Packed with flavour, protein, and fibre, they’re satisfying and addictive. 

Well, if you’re looking for another fun nibble to complete your New Year’s Eve spread, here is another option: White Bean and Butternut Squash Quesadillas with Avocado Artichoke Dip! When I shared my Caribbean Kidney Bean Quesadillas with Mango Aioli, I thought I had found a new favourite quesadilla recipe that nothing could top. But these ones are now vying for first place on my list of favourite quesadillas. 🙂

They consist of roasted butternut squash that’s combined with sautéed onion, garlic, white beans, rosemary, and thyme, plus cheese of your choice, all loaded onto a tortilla, folded over, and baked until crispy. They’re served with an avocado crema with a twist, thanks to the addition of artichokes! All in all, they make a fabulous appetizer or main dish; they’re incredibly hearty and filling thanks to the combination of squash and beans! 

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED

• FOR THE WHITE BEAN AND SQUASH FILLING: Olive oil, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, chili flakes, olives, white beans, and butternut squash. 
• FOR ASSEMBLING THE QUESADILLAS: Flour tortillas and grated cheese of your choice. I used a combination of pecorino and mozzarella; for a vegan option, you can use the cashew cheese from this recipe, or a store-bought vegan cheese of your choice. 
• FOR THE AVOCADO ARTICHOKE SAUCE: Avocado, canned/jarred artichoke hearts, tahini, lemon juice, sea salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, and water. 

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare the filling: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel, seed, and dice the squash into 1-inch cubes. Place on the baking sheet and drizzle with 1 ½ tablespoons of oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper and toss to coat. Roast for 30-35 minutes, or until fork tender and crispy in some spots. Leave the oven on. 
2. Meanwhile, warm the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium heat. (I recommend a good quality heavy-bottomed skillet, such as cast iron.) Once warm, add the onion, garlic, and a small pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon of salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, chili flakes, olives, and white beans. Stir to combine. 
3. Once the squash is ready, add it to the skillet and stir to incorporate. 
4. Assemble the quesadillas: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. To assemble one quesadilla, place a tortilla on one of the baking sheets. Add 1 cup of the white bean and squash filling to half of the tortilla, followed by ¼ cup of grated cheese. Fold over. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Note: My tortillas are gigantic, so depending on the size of yours, you might want to use less of the beans and squash. You be the judge! I got 5 large quesadillas out of the filling, but you might be able to make more if you have smaller tortillas. 
5. Bake the quesadillas for 16-20 minutes, flipping at the halfway point (8-10 minutes in). 
6. While the quesadillas are baking, make the avocado artichoke dip: Combine the avocado, artichokes, tahini, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, and water in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Transfer into an airtight container or jar and serve. Store leftover dip in the fridge for a couple of days. 

MORE QUESADILLA RECIPES: 

• Buffalo Chickpea Quesadillas (Vegan)
• Black Bean Sweet Potato Quesadillas
• Caribbean Kidney Bean Quesadillas with Mango Aioli

I hope you love these white bean and squash quesadillas! If you make them, let me know how you enjoyed them by leaving a comment and rating below this post. And if you share a photo to Instagram, tag it @upbeet.kitchen and #upbeetkitchen. 

Enjoy! 

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White Bean and Butternut Squash Quesadillas

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• Author: Allison
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 5-6 servings 1x
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

White bean and butternut squash quesadillas served with avocado artichoke dip are a winning appetizer or dinner! Packed with flavour, protein, and fibre, they’re satisfying and addictive.

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Ingredients

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WHITE BEAN AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH FILLING

• 2 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 medium butternut squash (I ended up with 7 cups of cubed squash)
• Sea salt (see instructions for amounts to use in roasted squash and beans)
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped pitted Kalamata olives
• 3 cups cooked white beans (navy, cannellini, and great northern are all good- or 2 14-oz cans, drained and rinsed)

FOR ASSEMBLING THE QUESADILLAS

• 1 ¼ cups grated cheese (I used a combination of mozzarella and pecorino)
• 5–6 large whole grain flour tortillas (I used India Life brand)

AVOCADO ARTICHOKE DIP

• 1 ripe avocado, pitted and flesh scooped out
• ½ cup canned/jarred artichoke hearts, drained before measuring
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 juicy lemon)
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup fresh parsley
• 2–4 tablespoons water, as needed to thin

 

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Instructions

1. Prepare the filling: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel, seed, and dice the squash into 1-inch cubes. Place on the baking sheet and drizzle with 1 ½ tablespoons of oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper and toss to coat. Roast for 30-35 minutes, or until fork tender and crispy in some spots. Leave the oven on.
2. Meanwhile, warm the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium heat. (I recommend a good quality heavy-bottomed skillet, such as cast iron.) Once warm, add the onion, garlic, and a small pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon of salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, chili flakes, olives, and white beans. Stir to combine.
3. Once the squash is ready, add it to the skillet and stir to incorporate.
4. Assemble the quesadillas: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. To assemble one quesadilla, place a tortilla on one of the baking sheets. Add 1 cup of the white bean and squash filling to half of the tortilla, followed by ¼ cup of grated cheese. Fold over. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Note: My tortillas are gigantic, so depending on the size of yours, you might want to use less of the beans and squash. You be the judge! I got 5 large quesadillas out of the filling, but you might be able to make more if you have smaller tortillas.
5. Bake the quesadillas for 16-20 minutes, flipping at the halfway point (8-10 minutes in).
6. While the quesadillas are baking, make the avocado artichoke dip: Combine the avocado, artichokes, tahini, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, and water in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Transfer into an airtight container or jar and serve. Store leftover dip in the fridge for a couple of days.

Notes

For vegan quesadillas, use homemade cashew cheese from this recipe, or store-bought vegan cheese of choice.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Category: Supper, Lunch
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: North American/Mediterranean