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This baby led weaning quesadilla is a nutritious, easy-to-eat food for little ones! It comes together in no time at all, and better yet, the whole family will be happy to eat these black bean and cheese quesadillas any day of the week!
Easy Black Bean and Cheese Quesadilla for Baby
This quesadilla with black beans and cheese is perfect for baby-led weaning! It’s savory and delicious on its own without requiring a bunch of toppings or dips (but it’s tasty served with those too)! Plus, all of the ingredients are great options for little ones.
The homemade refried black beans are a good source of fiber, protein and iron, giving your baby (or toddler) everything their growing bodies need. The cheese contains fat and an extra boost of protein and calcium!
Plus, they’re so easy to hold and come together almost instantly. You’ll definitely want to make this recipe on repeat!
BLW Quesadilla
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Why We Love This Baby Quesadilla
- So fast and easy: This baby quesadilla recipe makes 4 quesadillas in just a few minutes, and uses ingredients you probably already have in your fridge or pantry. It’s perfect for an easy meal!
- Kid friendly: I’ve yet to meet a little kid who doesn’t love melted cheese. It has a soft, easy-to-chew texture that melts perfectly into the black bean puree. The soft tortillas are so easy to hold, too, and you can cut each tortilla into strips or triangles to make the perfect finger food, depending on which stage your baby is at!
- Perfect for meal prep: Since this refried bean quesadilla recipe makes enough for 4 quesadillas, you can easily stash the extras in the fridge for later! They can also be eaten either warm or cold. They’re just as good right out of the lunch box as they are freshly toasted!
- Naturally vegetarian: This quesadilla with black beans is vegetarian, so it’s suitable for those looking for more meatless options too!
Ingredient Notes
- Olive oil: You’ll need just a bit of olive oil to refry the beans and a little more to toast up the quesadillas on the griddle.
- Seasonings: Season the DIY refried beans with garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, and salt and pepper (optional).
- Black beans: Either rinse and drain a can of low sodium canned beans or cook them from a dried state.
- Large tortillas: For younger babies, you may wish to use corn tortillas to start since the texture is a bit easier to handle for new eaters. After the age of 12 months, you can start to introduce whole wheat flour tortillas. Homemade tortillas would be great, too!
- Shredded cheddar cheese: This is the glue that holds the whole quesadilla together! Monterey Jack is another great option, or look for a low sodium cheese if you can find it.
Some tortillas tend to be higher in sodium, so look for low-sodium options for baby, ideally less than 100 mg per serving. Generally, corn tortillas are lower in sodium than flour tortillas.
How to Make a Quesadilla with Black Beans: Step-by-Step
- Drain black beans into a colander. Set aside briefly.
- In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil until shimmering. Add garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder. Sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute), stirring continuously to prevent spices from burning.
- Add black beans to the skillet. Toss beans to coat with oil, then saute a few minutes until warmed through, stirring as needed.
- Mash the beans with a potato masher until no longer whole and starting to become creamy. Add 3-4 tablespoons of water, continuing to mash until you get a bean puree (there can still be a few chunks of beans).
- Add salt and pepper to taste for old kids and adults (optional).
- Meanwhile, heat another skillet over medium heat (or wash and use the same skillet) and add ½ teaspoon of oil or butter and place a tortilla in the pan. Spread about 1/4 of the black bean mixture onto one side of the tortilla wrap. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 cup cheese and fold the other half over. Cook for about 2 minutes, pressing down with the back of your spatula to help seal the quesadilla as the cheese melts. Flip, and cook another 2-3 minutes, or until cheese is melted and tortilla is golden brown and crispy. Reduce the heat if the tortilla is browning too quickly.
- Remove from heat and slice into triangles or strips with a pizza cutter. Continue with remaining tortillas. Enjoy with sour cream or Greek yogurt, salsa, guacamole or as is.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
RECIPE TIPS
- If preferred, you can also spread the mashed beans on the tortillas before placing in the skillet. Then, simply transfer to the pan once it’s heated up.
- Skip the salt for baby’s portion, but you may wish to add a bit of salt and pepper to the bean mixture if serving to older kids and adults.
- You can also make these quesadillas by placing a tortilla in the pan, spreading the mashed bean mixture over the entire tortilla and covering the whole tortilla with cheese. Then place another tortilla on top and cook. That being said, I found it easier to flip folding the tortilla in half.
- We deliberately kept these quesadillas really simple to make it easy for babies to hold and chew (or suck out the fillings). You can spruce these quesadillas up more by adding finely diced soft cooked peppers, cooked chicken cut into very small pieces, mashed avocado or corn.
- These quesadillas tend to work better with flour tortillas than corn tortillas. Flour tortillas are a bit softer and tend to bind the fillings better. That being said, flour tortillas can sometimes be a bit more difficult for babies to chew since they can stick to baby’s tongue or the roof of their mouth, so you may wish to start with corn tortillas if your baby is having trouble handling flour tortillas.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Quesadillas can be a great first food for babies, as long as they’re served properly and you keep a close eye on baby.
Corn tortillas tend to be easier for younger babies to chew since soft flour tortillas can sometimes get gummy and form a mass that sticks to the roof of baby’s mouth. To minimize risk, serve corn tortillas to babies until the age of 12 months and cut them into age-appropriate sizes.
After 12 months, you can switch over to flour tortillas since baby’s eating skills will be more established. At the end of the day, you know your baby best, so watch for their cues and readiness to handle different foods and textures.
Quesadillas should be made with a good melting cheese, like cheddar, mozzarella, Monterey jack, or Oaxacan cheese.
It’s incredibly important to match the shape and size of your quesadilla with your baby’s development!
6-9 months of age: You can start by serving a deconstructed quesadilla (all the individual components separated out) or you can cut the tortillas into long strips (about the size of your pinky finger) for your baby to grasp with their palm. Usually at this stage, they’ll be more likely to suck out the fillings in the tortilla.
9-12 months: As your baby gets older, slice the quesadillas into bite sized pieces (little square pieces) since they should be establishing their pincer grasp by now.
12+ months: As your baby becomes more independent and has a strong pincer grasp, you can continue to offer the quesadilla cut into small pieces or cut it into wedges that baby can take a bite out of.
Like always, be sure to stay within an arm’s reach to create a safe eating environment for baby!
Storage Guidelines
- Refrigerator: Store leftover quesadillas wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe bag for several months.
- How to reheat quesadilla: Either pop the quesadilla in the microwave or griddle it again for 1-2 minutes before slicing it to size.
What to Serve with Quesadillas
These baby led weaning quesadillas are delicious on their own, but even better with some fun dips and sides!
Try serving them with:
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Guacamole
- Salsa
- Avocado wedges
- Bean dip
- Tomato strips or quartered cherry tomatoes
- Pumpkin Soup for Babies
- Tortilla chips (for older children and adults)
For more great lunch ideas, check out these Cold Lunch Box Ideas.
Recipe Variations
- Add chicken: Add some shredded or finely diced chicken breasts to each quesadilla for extra protein. This is a super fast, tasty lunch!
- Add veggies: These quesadillas would be so yummy with some sauteed veggies, like bell peppers, onions, or corn! Be sure to cut the vegetables into very small bite-sized pieces to avoid choking hazards.
- Use different beans: Instead of black beans, feel free to use pinto beans, cooked or canned lentils, or your family’s favorite beans.
More Similar Recipes
- Baby Frittata Recipe
- Cheesy Zucchini Fritters
- Green Pasta Sauce Recipe
- How to Cut Strawberries for Baby-Led Weaning
- How to Cut Pancakes for Babies
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Black Bean and Cheese Quesadilla – Perfect for BLW!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 1 (15 ounce) can low sodium black beans or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
- Salt and pepper to taste optional
- 4 large flour or corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Drain black beans into a colander. Set aside briefly.
- In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil until shimmering. Add garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder. Sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute), stirring continuously to prevent spices from burning.
- Add black beans to the skillet. Toss beans to coat with the oil, then saute a few minutes until warmed through, stirring as needed.
- Mash the beans with a potato masher until no longer whole and starting to become creamy. Add 3-4 tablespoons of water, continuing to mash until you get a bean puree (there can still be a few chunks of beans).
- Add salt and pepper to taste (optional).
- Meanwhile, heat another skillet over medium heat (or wash and use the same skillet) and add ½ teaspoon of oil or butter and place a tortilla in the pan. Spread about 1/4 of the black bean mixture onto half of the tortilla. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 cup cheese and fold the other half over. Cook for about 2 minutes, pressing down with the back of your spatula to help seal the quesadilla as the cheese melts. Flip, and cook another 2-3 minutes, or until cheese is melted and tortilla is golden and crispy. Reduce the heat if the tortilla is browning too quickly.
- Remove from heat and slice into triangles or strips with a pizza cutter. Continue with remaining tortillas. Enjoy with sour cream or Greek yogurt, salsa, guacamole or as is.
