The refrigerator chef strikes again with these Butternut Squash, Green Chili and Kale Quesadillas. Joel whipped up this quick meal, transforming leftovers into something new and tasty.
If we had to choose just one type of cuisine to eat, it would be Mexican food. We never get tired of the fresh, zesty, and enchanting mix of flavors.
And besides, who doesn’t go crazy over crispy tortillas stuffed with ooey gooey goodness?
You might be wondering if you really need a recipe for quesadillas? Perhaps not. After all, the quesadilla is whatever you want to make it, with endless options for fillings.
However, we enjoyed these quesadillas so much that we just had to share them.
It’s so exciting that there are some awesome gluten-free flour tortillas on the market. One of our favorites is Follow Your Heart. La Tortilla Factory makes a Gluten-Free Ivory Teff Wrap perfect for quesadillas and burritos. If soy is not an issue, Mission Foods makes a gluten-free tortilla that will fool anyone.
In the central and southern regions of Mexico, quesadillas are made with corn tortillas and queso Oaxaca. However, quesadillas can be made with corn or flour tortillas. Cheeses can range from Oaxaca, Chihuahua, and Manchego to Monterey Jack or Cheddar. The choices are yours.
Ingredients here are minimal. As we mentioned, we’re using ingredients we have onhand, starting with leftover roasted butternut squash from our last post (Butternut Squash Risotto with Spinach and Crispy Pancetta). To go with the squash, Joel chose onions, kale, and a can of Hatch diced green chilies.
mise en place
Butternut Squash
Preheat the oven to 425° F. Trim both ends of the butternut squash. Cut the squash in half crosswise, making it easier to work with. Then cut each half in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon or a melon baller, which makes it super easy.
Brush olive oil on the flesh side of the squash pieces. Place pieces flesh side down on a baking pan lined with parchment paper or foil. Bake until tender, approximately 35-45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
Scoop flesh from the squash into a medium bowl. Measure two cups of squash into a small bowl and add a tablespoon of maple syrup. Mash with a potato masher or fork until smooth. Fold in a 4-ounce can of diced green chilies and set aside. Yum!
Kale
Take half of a bunch of kale, rinse and remove stems. Roughly chop and measure 4 cups, firmly packed. Sauté in a tablespoon of oil with a little salt and pepper over high heat until wilted, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
Assembly Using Small Tortillas
The tortillas we had onhand were 8-inches in diameter. For these quesadillas (pictured), we opted to build by layering a tortilla with a scant half cup of squash, 2 tablespoons caramelized onions, 1/4 cup of sautéed kale, and 1/4 cup of allergy-friendly mozzarella cheese shreds. We topped with a second tortilla and browned the tortillas on each side, flipping with care.
When using smaller tortillas, this works just fine. A lot of recipes call for two tortillas for each quesadilla, regardless of size. But if the tortillas are too large, it can be challenging to flip the quesadilla, without losing the filling.
Be careful not to overfill. Too much filling and the quesadilla won’t get heated all the way through and it’ll be difficult to remove from the pan.
Assembly Using Large Tortillas
This assembly can be done with large (burrito size) or small tortillas. Take a tortilla and place it in a pan heated over medium heat. Flip the tortilla over a few times, 10 seconds between flips. Air pockets should begin to form within the tortilla.
Spread the fillings out on one half of the tortilla, and then fold it over itself into a half-moon shape. Flip the quesadilla over every 20 seconds or so until it is crispy and brown and the cheese is melted.
Remove quesadilla from pan and cut into wedges.
Serve with allergy-friendly sour cream and your favorite salsa. Enjoy!
Chef Joel’s Tip
Caramelized onions are delicious in so many dishes from French onion soup to burgers. Caramelized onions are pure sweetness and umami noteworthy. It’s important to go low and slow when caramelizing onions.
Start by cutting an onion in half lengthwise through the root end. Peel the skin and cut a V-shaped notch around the root to remove it. Place one onion half on cutting board, flat side down. Thinly slice lengthwise into about 1/4-inch slices, starting at one end (not the root end).
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of vegan margarine in a large saucepan over medium heat until melted and sizzling. Using a pan that has a wide base gives water room to evaporate, allowing onions to caramelize rather than steam. Add sliced onions and reduce heat to medium-low and cook until onions are browned (caramelized), stirring occasionally for about 15-20 minutes.
Remember, not rushing caramelization is key!
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Butternut Squash, Green Chili and Kale Quesadillas
Yield 4 Servings
Free of: gluten and top 8 allergens.
Crispy tortillas stuffed with ooey gooey goodness!
Ingredients
1 butternut squash
2 tbsp olive oil, divided (1 tbsp + 1 tbsp)
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies, undrained
1 medium yellow onion
1 tbsp vegan margarine, such as Earth Balance Soy-Free Buttery Sticks
4 cups firmly packed, chopped kale (about a half bunch)
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
4 large burrito-sized tortillas or 8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
1 cup alternative mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425-degrees F. Trim both ends of the butternut squash. Cut the squash in half crosswise, making it easier to work with. Then cut each half in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon or melon baller. Using a melon baller makes it super easy. Brush a tablespoon of olive oil on the flesh side of the squash pieces. Place pieces flesh side down on a baking pan lined with parchment paper or foil. Bake until tender, approximately 35-45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
- Scoop flesh from the squash into a medium bowl. Measure two cups of squash into a small bowl and add maple syrup (reserve remaining squash for another use). Mash with a potato masher or fork until smooth. Fold in green chilies and set aside.
- Cut the onion in half through the root end. Peel and cut a V-shaped notch around root to remove it. Place 1 onion half on your cutting board, flat side down. Starting at one side (not the root end), thinly slice onion lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices. Repeat with other half. Melt vegan margarine and 1 tablespoon of oil in a sauté pan or wok over medium heat. Using a pan that has a wide base gives water room to evaporate, allowing onions to caramelize rather than steam. Add onions and reduce heat to medium-low. Slowly cook until onions start to brown (caramelize), stirring occasionally for about 15-20 minutes. Let cool in pan and transfer onions to a dish and set aside.
- Rinse and remove stems from kale. Roughly chop and measure about 4 cups, firmly packed. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the same skillet or wok over high heat. Sauté kale, salt, and pepper in oil until wilted for about 30 seconds, tossing with tongs. Set aside.
- Take a large tortilla and place it in a cast iron pan or skillet heated over medium heat. Flip the tortilla a few times, 10 seconds between flips. Air pockets should begin to form within the tortilla. Using a small offset spatula, spread about a half cup of butternut squash mixture on one half of the tortilla. Arrange caramelized onions over squash, followed by about 1/4 cup of kale and 1/4 cup of cheese. Fold the tortilla over itself into a half-moon shape. Gently press with a spatula. Flip the quesadilla over every 20 seconds or so until it is crispy and brown and the cheese is melted.
- Remove quesadilla from skillet and cut into 4 wedges. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Serve with allergy-friendly sour cream and your favorite salsa. Enjoy!
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