No-Queso Quesadillas
I got a craving for quesadillas after seeing a recipe for them in the current Vegetarian Times—which is odd because I don't think I've ever had a quesadilla. Like a lot of popular foods (buffalo wings is another that comes to mind), quesadillas didn't come on the scene until after I'd become a vegan. So on the one hand, I don't really miss what I never had, but on the other, I'm never quite sure what all the fuss is about. And the existence of all these post-vegan foods can leave me feeling pretty old: Like counting the rings to figure out the age of a tree, you can determine the age of a vegan by counting the foods she's never had!While it was strange that I was craving a quesadilla, I was fairly sure I knew how one would taste; after all, it's just melted cheese in a tortilla, both of which I have had. To make a fairly authentic-tasting vegan version, I could simply use one of the packaged vegan cheeses that are becoming more widely available. I've sampled several (Teese, Sheese, and Follow Your Heart, to name three), and I've found them pretty tasty. But if you turn the package over and read the nutritional info, you'll find that all of them contain a humongous amount of fat. The mozzarella from Follow Your Heart, the only brand I can buy locally, contains 8 grams of fat in one ounce. I'm guessing that I would need at least 8 ounces of cheese to make these quesadillas, bringing the total fat just from the cheese to 64 grams, or 16 grams per serving. That's pretty ridiculous for something that's essentially a snack.
So, I did my arteries a favor, skipped the packaged cheese, and made my quesadillas with a nutritional yeast-based cheese. My no-queso quesadillas didn't really taste like cheesy ones, but I thought they were great, melty and full of flavor. My cheese-eating (every now and then) husband and daughter were a little less enthusiastic, saying that they didn't really taste like cheese, but at least they thought they were good (E gave them 4 out of 5 crumbs, her new rating system). So, please don't go out and make these for your non-vegan friends. I'm afraid that you'll be disappointed in their reaction and they'll come away with the impression that vegan food is even weirder than they thought it was. But, if you like nutritional yeast sauces, I think you'll find these as tasty as I did.
No-Queso Quesadillas
(printer-friendly version)
I think these quesadillas taste best when they're filled with something in addition to the cheesy sauce. I made them both plain and with spinach, but you can experiment with other fillings. Just don't add too much or the whole thing may fall apart as you flip it. And be sure to pre-cook any vegetables that you don't want crunchy.
Sauce:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup lowfat soymilk
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon stoneground mustard
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon tahini
2 tablespoons salsa
4 6-inch whole wheat tortillas
optional fillings: spinach, mushrooms, olives, peppers, onions, potatoes, black beans, etc.
Put all sauce ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a medium non-stick saucepan, add the salsa, and stir as you bring to a boil. Reduce heat and continue to cook, stirring, for at least 2 minutes after boiling. Sauce should be thick and smooth. Set aside.
Heat a large, non-stick skillet. Place 1 tortilla in the skillet and cook until brown spots begin to appear on the bottom. Flip over. Spread half of the "cheese" over the tortilla. (If you are adding any other fillings place them on top of the cheese.) Cover with another tortilla. Cover pan and cook for a minute or two, until the bottom tortilla is golden browned. Carefully flip the whole thing over and cook until the bottom tortilla has browned. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into four triangles with a pizza cutter.
Makes 4 servings (2 pieces each). Per serving: 201 Calories (kcal); 6g Total Fat; (23% calories from fat); 11g Protein; 31g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 659mg Sodium; 7g Fiber. Weight Watchers 4 Points.
Tip: The tortillas I used contained 3 grams of fat each. If using other tortillas, adjust fat content accordingly.
There are a lot of good vegan quesadilla recipes that don't try to imitate cheese at all. Here are a few that look delicious:
- Roasted Garlic Mashed Potato Quesadillas from Show Me Vegan
- kidney bean, spinach, & potato "quesadillas" from happyveganface
- Vegan Quesadillas from Bok Choy Bohemia
- Refried Black Bean and Rice Quesadilla from Veg*n Cooking and Other Random Musings
- Butternut Squash Quesadillas from La Belle Vegan
Labels: higher-fat, soy
posted by SusanV at 12:35 AM
63 Comments:
I hate to say it but, in my opinion, the quesadilla is not something to be messed with. It's easy for me to say being a cheese-eating vegetarian, but there's really nothing like "The Melt" that all us cheese-fanatics rave about. I would definitely try some of these additions in my next quesadilla, however, especially the spices and mustard.
I would like to try this. I'm generally afraid of anything trying to be cheese. My general solution for "cheese" on quesadillas, burritos and sammiches is a little tahini. I don't know why but it tastes like there's cheese in there.
These look great! I do eat cheese, however am a fan of yeast-based "cheese" as well. I will def try the one w/spinach- yumm!
I love quesadillas, but am allergic to cheese. This looks like a good substitute. I'd definitely try one with spinach and/or mushrooms.
I'll take the cruelty-free version over the melty version any day. This looks YUMMY!
My favorite "Cheese" is Rice Vegan's Pepper Jack. The taste and texture are excellent and the fat is minimal at 1/2g per slice. The only downside is that it does contain salt. I can't remember how much at the moment, but maybe 10%.
Here's a link: http://www.galaxyfoods.com/ourbrands/usa/galaxy.asp
Still, I'll give your quesadillas a try.
YUMMMMMM!
yum!! i used to love quesadillas in my pregan days and made them all the time in the microwave (ghetto i know). i'm def excited to try this, i love nooch :)
I don't like to give in to the total sin of cheese, because there is not much better than melted globs of cheese! But I'll try yours - it will be better than no quesadillas!
i LOVE nutritional yeast sauces! this one looks fairly similar to one i use on my mac n cheeze, which i love love love. it's funny, too, every one of my omni friends that i've given nutritional yeast-y sauces to LOVE them. i must have weird friends. because they're definitely not close to being vegan. like, at all. i can't wait to try your quesadillas! they were a favorite of mine as a vegetarian ;)
Thanks for this recipe, Susan. I am excited to try it. As someone who can't have cheese any more, and must also stay very low fat for serious health reasons, I, too, have looked wistfully at the ingredients and fat content in Follow Your Heart cheese (also the only one available in my area) and put it back many times. Just too much fat, especially for one person living alone who would be tempted to use it up. . .I think this will also work fine with a brown rice flour tortilla or even a corn one, so I am all set, even without wheat. Although I've had plenty of cheese quesadillas in my cheese eating days, I won't be looking for that, but for a new experience that I can eat knowing I'm not hurting my health.
Thanks again!
moonwatcher
This looks like a great alternative to quesadilla using highly processed soy cheese and the like, and i'm sure they're every bit as tasty!
I don't know if this is available where you live but for non-cheese cheese I like SoySation, their mozzarella brand isn't too bad with regard to fat and caloric content, the taste is GREAT! and it works well melted, just plain, in recipes, it's very versatile and doesn't separate or get gross.
These actually look good! I grew up eating quesadillas and now that I don't eat dairy cheese anymore, knowing it's so unhealthy and everything else I don't even crave it. Although your mac n cheese recipe, my family loves!!!!
Great post! I love quesadillas!
I love nutritional yeast, so
I can't wait to try these! Do you think it would work with arrowroot in place of cornstarch?
Thanks!
Courtney
I think these sound really interesting. The pictures certainly look delicious. I actually have a question for you. I am in love with this vegan restaurant Herbivore, in Berkeley, CA, and I am lucky enough to live around the corner from the restaurant. They serve this soy chicken schwarma wrap that is soooo good. But, I can't find soy chicken for myself anywhere. I've tried the chickenless strips, and they're good, but not AS good. I love the texture of the soy chicken; I just don't know where to find it. Any advice??
Unfortunately, I've never been a fan of the "cheese" like nutritional yeast sauces. Which makes the quest for a really good mac n' cheese such a challenge. *sigh*
Sounds good, looking forward to trying them!
The "melt" is a hard thing to duplicate for cheese lovers. There are soy "shredders" that come very close, but do have casein in it (not good for vegans), but probably a great alternative for vegetarians. Yeah, there are certain foods that I've just learned to live without- and don't crave as more time goes by!
I'm brand new to vegan recipes and macrobiotic eating. and when i saw "no-queso quesadillas," my eyes lit up! (really!) but then i remembered that what i absolutely LOVED about quesadillas is making them with corn tortillas, frying them in a little oil, and letting the cheese melt out and get nice and crispy and delicious around the edges. (bad, all bad, but yummy) so i think i should leave well enough alone. i can get along very well without the sausage in your kale soup recipe, though. It is most wonderful. who knew?? thanks for this spot. i'll be visiting often.
<3 quesadilla!!! :D (and many ethnic foods)
i am always sceptical about making vegan cheese sauces on my own. i tried once and it just did not taste good.. but i did save this recipe for when i have courage again and want a cooking experiment. =)
www.IamBee-Steph.blogspot.com
I liked the "age of the vegan" analogy. I may have to repeat it.
these look gorgeous!
Those look really yummy - I haven't had much luck with vegan cheese in the past, but even after having Mexican food tonight, I realized I wasn't missing much by not adding cheese to my tortillas etc. I'll have to try those one out!
Good warning! I like nut yeast cheeses, but it's important to make that distinction.
I actually would have made this when I was lacto-ovo--regular cheese is just awful, as far as fat goes. So it's a nice healthy snack for anyone. Great idea!
This looks great! I love quesadilla's, but like you, the fat content can drive me nuts. I just picked up some WW tortilla wraps, I think I'll try them tomorrow. Thanks!
I like how you mentioned not to make these for non-vegan friends. I think a lot of people make that mistake and end up turning people off to veganism with food that isn't "normal".
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I made a good attempt at melty "cheese" the other day. All my friends liked it, but they were all horrified at the very idea of vegan cheese, and needed a lot of convincing to try it. I think we vegans need to start thinking of something else to call it... :-)
This sounds fabulous! I used to be addicted to cheese, but now I've learned to live without it. If its important enough you will do it.
That being said, I'm excited to try this recipe. As a lacto-ovo veg I would make quesidillas often,because they were easy and I couldn't cook and like I said I loved cheese.
Definitely trying this with some black beans and sauteed veggies.
i'm a cheese eating vegetarian too, and don't like that much nutritional yeast-based sauces, but it's something i could try..
by the way..i'm making an essay for school about veganism and i was wondering if i could interview you via internet.
: )
That looks good, but I have to say that quesadillas aren't a "pop" food. They've been around for a long, long time. I live in Texas, and even my great-grandma remembers eating them as a kid.
I used to HATE nutritional yeast sauces, but now I love them. As soon as I get back to my kitchen I am making these! I love it when I have all of the ingredients in my kitchen already :D
Yum, quesadillas sound so good!
Hey Susan, The 'cheeze' part of your recipe has been a huge hit at our house. Most recently I used it in place of cheese in a chickenless, broccoli, and pasta recipe. (The recipe is now on the Discussion Board.) I'm not certain about cheeze in quesadillas, but will probably try them out on a rainy weekend.
Wow, neat idea and replacement! I'm not very familiar with the vegan lifestyle, but this sounds yummy!
Are vegan's allowed to eat berries? Like the acai berry, raspberry, blue berries.. You know what I mean..
I tried this recipe the other night and it was great! A lot better than quesadillas I have had with store-bought vegan cheddar.
I tried this recipe, and loved it! What a great idea to add veggies to it.
Susan -- I just made these and they are super! I have been craving a quesadilla for years! I made your recipe exactly as written, EXCEPT no tahini. My omni, cheese loving husband and step-son (age 17) also really liked them...not intended to replace the orginal but just as the unique dish that it is. Hooray.
I'm not sure if I've ever commented on this before, but just wanted to let you know that I LOVE your blog. Every single time I visit it I get great meal ideas. Thank you so much!
This looks soo good! My family is of Latin desent and we grew up eating quesadillas, except we made dinner out of them, we topped them just like a tostada, with beans, chorizo (i would now use something like soyrizo with crumbled tofu) shredded lettuce, avocado, salsa, black olives.
I just had to find a place on your site to thank you for all of your beautiful recipes. I don't label myself a vegetarian or vegan, but I keep getting disgusted by things like eggs, and I work really hard to not use any fat in cooking & baking if I can help it. (Olive oil is yummy and rather heart-healthy from what I've studied, so I use that sometimes )
So, in an effort to find recipes that appeal to me, I often scour the web looking for a new recipe for something like I used to make with lots of eggs & butter. Your site is perfect for me, and a batch of pumpkin spice muffins is in my oven right now. I can't wait to taste them!
Thanks for all of your effort. Your site is not only useful, but beautiful!
Sandra
(I'm a U.S. citizen living abroad--my muffins are actually made with a Central American squash! :))
I make them with refried black beans and vegan cream cheese. Sometimes I throw in some spinach, mushrooms, or tomatoes. Whatever I have around. They are one of my favorite convenience foods.
I love nutritional yeast so I was pretty sure these would be great - and I was right! I used spinach and mushrooms as the filling and they were so yummy.
I'm going to try the sauce with other foods - mac'n'cheese will be a good start.
Quesadillas...what a bad food for wheat-allergic vegans.
You improvised, as you always do, Susan. Wonderful!For you real cheese-eaters out there, stick with Monterey Jack or a skim mozzarella.
Roast some fresh new mexican chiles on the flame, peel and seed, blend with pinto bean refritos, sharp onion, garlic, red dust of mild chilies, chopped tomatoes, cilantro. Just make sure you toast the tortillas and let the innards melt.
And stop substituting and expect the same quesadillas
Just for the record, the Follow Your Heart nacho cheese is 3.5g and the cheddar 4g of fat per serving. I don't know if those versions are available near you, but they're not all quite as high in fat (although, of course, they are still not low fat by any means).
Love your blog and can't wait to try these quesadillas. IMHO, the cheese was never the important part of them for me -- it was the fillings and the salsas!
The only problem I see with these is I don't think the sauce would harden/solidify like real cheese. I think the best (and vegan) filler for quesadillas is refried beans without any cheese (OR cheese sub) at all. They're great with grilled or roasted veggies and probably fake chik'n although I've never tried that. Then dip em in salsa and guac! Yum...
I made just the cheese, sans salsa, and mixed a bit of it with BBQ sauce. Delicious.
I'll bet the cheese sauce would be awesome using beer instead of water.
I'm with you on the fake cheese having too much fat per ounce. I've been making quesadillas with mashed sweet potato to appease my desires... but am really anxious to try your recipe!
That looks good! I keep getting cravings for these too, so I think I'll try them out.
Yummers. Recently I've been all about making my quesadillas with a white bean filling. They work out GREAT esp since I don't always have nutritional yeast on hand :)
Teddy
Hi Susan,
I love quesadillas.I will try some of your fillings ideas....Did you get the recipes I sent you for the 2 vegan "cheese" substitutes,'Melty cheeze'nacho style and 'Alfredo style'? It was maybe even as long as one year ago.
They are great with quesadillas also. Also you can convert the 'Alfredo style by omitting the itallian herbs and replacing with diced gree chiles and jalepenos.
I use corn tortillas because we are gluten free. My family loves mexican style food and I am big on casseroles,feeding 3 teen boys, so I often make like a 'mexican lasagna' layering with corn tortillas in a 9X13 pan.
Thanks for your great recipes!
Melissa in TN.
My boyfriend made this quesadilla recipe last night with pinto beans. It was really, really good. I'm going to make it the next time we have guests over! Thanks for the great recipe.
What a great recipe. My kids loved this! I have missed having cheese and though it not the same flavor it feels so good to eat something that feels decadent but is not so high in fat like the original type of quesadilla. The only substitution that I made was to use arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch because we don't eat cornstarch. I wonder if it was a bit gummier than if I used cornstarch but it still worked great. Thank you!
I'll admit, I had my hesitations about this recipe as nutritional yeast sauce recipes I've tried have been hit and miss (usually miss). However, this was AMAZING! I have some for leftovers at lunch and I'm going to make more again for dinner. Very delicious!
My alterations were to blend the salsa in with the sauce and I omitted the tahini.
I didn't fry it though as I absolutely cannot seem to flip things smoothly in frying pans. Instead, I broiled it for 18 minutes on low and it was fantastic. Even 25 minutes or so would have been good.
For fillings, I used spinach, hash browns, and black beans. Magnificent!
I am so excited to try this out!
So good! I threw 1/2 tsp of cumin and some cilantro in the blender to give it more of a nacho flavor. Then I filled them with green onions and steamed chard...even my chard hating family loved them!
So I was just looking at my google analytics stats and realized you gave me a shout out on this post....so exciting!!!!!
Thanks for the shout out, and your quesadillas are totally making my mouth water
I recently bought the UnCheese cookbook in hopes of experimenting with different cheese sauces. But I'm finding that every recipe has oil in it, usually several tablespoons.
With baked goods I've found suitable substitutes for oil, but I'm not sure what to try to substitute for the oil in these recipes. Any suggestions?
Maybe I haven't been cheese-free long enough (only a year...) but UCK! I have yet to find anything that replaces cheese in any recipe, or in any grocery store. I tried to like this but I just couldn't...Even when I fried the tortilla with Earth Balance spread...
I will definitely try it, it looks so delicious. Thanks for providing such good and nice information. I am i will come again.
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