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.
Ingredients
Scale
WHITE BEAN AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH FILLING
- 2 1/2 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
- 1/4 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 1/4 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
- 1/2 cup canned/jarred artichoke hearts, drained before measuring
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 juicy lemon)
- 1/4 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
Instructions
- 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 1/2 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.
- 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 1/2 teaspoon of salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, chili flakes, olives, and white beans. Stir to combine.
- Once the squash is ready, add it to the skillet and stir to incorporate.
- 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 1/4 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.
- Bake the quesadillas for 16-20 minutes, flipping at the halfway point (8-10 minutes in).
- 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