20-Minute Vegan Quesadilla

The difficulty of a vegan lifestyle varies from person to person, but most of us can agree across the board: if there's one thing that's especially challenging, it's giving up cheese.

There are so many dishes that present a challenge when swapping good-old-fashioned cheese for vegan alternatives. Luckily, there are brands who have innovated close versions of the cheddars, mozzarellas, and provolones we sorely miss—but we can all admit it's never quite the same.

When it comes to Mexican cuisine, we feel the absence of cheese more than ever. From tacos to enchiladas to quesadillas, we're constantly reminded of how much we miss dairy.

We're changing this with our recipe for a 20-Minute Vegan Quesadilla; we promise you'll find as much (or, okay, almost as much) satisfaction in this recipe, which abandons all pretense of cheese—that's right, not even the store-bought alternative. Read on to find out our trick!

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• 8 tortillas
• 1/2 cup garlic hummus
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large bell pepper
• 1/2 medium onion
• 1/2 cup black beans
• 1 tablespoon Frank's Red Hot
• 1 lime
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder + more for seasoning
• 1 teaspoon cumin

1. Slice the pepper and onion into long strips. In a medium pan over medium heat, place 2 tablespoons of olive oil and allow to heat for a minute. Add the vegetables and sautée for about three minutes, until just beginning to soften but still firm.
2. Add your black beans, followed by the hot sauce, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and the juice of one lime. Cover and continue to cook for about 5 minutes, until onions are beginning to grow translucent. Remove the pan from the heat.
3. Preheat a griddle over medium heat. Prep your quesadilla, starting with your tortilla of choice. Spread the bottom generously with hummus, then add your sautéed vegetables and black beans, followed by a few dollops of hummus on top. Cover with the top tortilla and spray the outside with cooking oil, then sprinkle generously with garlic powder and salt. Repeat for second quesadilla. If cooking with corn tortillas, double the number of quesadillas.
4. Spray the griddle with cooking oil, being careful not to hold down the nozzle for too long if you're cooking with gas. Place quesadillas on the griddle unsalted-side-down and flip when golden, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and garlic powder and cook other side to completion. Let sit at least 2 minutes before cutting into wedges.

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