Tex-Mex · main

Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas

Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas reads richness 5.3, sourness 4.9 and citrus 4.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Tex-Mex main, about 28 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 3.8 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 4.3 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.4 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.8 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.7 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Richness 5.3 · Sourness 4.9 · Citrus 4.9 · Allium 4.4 · Sweetness 3.8 · Umami 3.4 · Salinity 3.3 · Herbaceous 3.1 · Earthy 2.6 · Fruity 1.9 · Warm Spice 1.7 · Heat 1.6 · Nutty 1.4 · Bitterness 1.2 · Floral 0.9

What's in it (14)

• olive oil — 14 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• red bell pepper — 100 g
• garlic — 6 g
• black beans — 425 g
• frozen corn kernels — 237 g
• cumin — 5 g
• chili powder — 3 g
• salt — 3 g
• cilantro — 15 g
• lime juice — 15 g
• flour tortillas — 800 g
• shredded sharp process cheese — 341 g
• unsalted butter — 27 g

Time & effort: about 28 min (26 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 261.8 kcal, 11 g protein, 9.6 g fat, 36.1 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and saute until softened, 5 to 6 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Add the black beans, corn, cumin, chili powder, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally and mashing some of the beans against the skillet, until warmed through and slightly thickened, 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Taste and adjust salt. Scrape the filling into a bowl and wipe out the skillet.
5. Lay 4 tortillas on a work surface. Sprinkle each with an eighth of the cheese, top with a quarter of the bean filling, then another eighth of the cheese. Close with the remaining 4 tortillas.
6. Spread the outsides of each quesadilla lightly with the softened butter.
7. Working in batches, cook the quesadillas in the skillet over medium heat until deeply golden on the first side, 3 to 4 minutes, then flip and cook until golden on the second side and the cheese is fully melted, 3 to 4 minutes more.
8. Let the quesadillas rest 2 minutes, then slice each into wedges and serve warm.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Loaded Beef Burrito Bowl with Cilantro Lime Rice — Tex-Mex
• Southwest Quinoa Stuffed Peppers — Tex-Mex · Southwestern
• Steak Fajitas with Lime and Cilantro — Tex-Mex
• Avgolemono Chicken and Orzo Soup — Greek
• White Chicken Chili with Green Chiles — American

Keep reading: what richness, sourness, citrus mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.