Whether you want to add a little extra luck to your new year or you want a tasty vegetarian quesadilla recipe, you’ve got to try my easy Black-Eyed Pea Quesadillas. They’re packed with fiber and protein, making them a filling meal that can be enjoyed for lunch or dinner. The tomato and lime juice add a refreshing bite that goes well with the melted cheese. Serve with your favorite toppings and a side of chips.
Hi friends! Welcome to my last recipe post of the year. 2025 has been quite the doozy, and I think we can all agree that a little extra luck would be welcome in 2026. I know it’s just a superstition, but I always try to eat some black-eyed peas on January 1, in the hopes of wealth and prosperity in the new year. If you do that too, you should give my Lucky Black-Eyed Pea Quesadillas a try. They’re easy to make, packed with flavor, and they might give you a little extra luck.
Thank you all so much for the love and support this year. I appreciate every single one of you! I’m planning to share more helpful recipes in the new year to make your life easier, including breakfast and lunch meal-prep recipes, easy dinners, healthy snacks, and much more. I’m also in the very, very early planning stages of writing and self-publishing a cookbook for 2026, so stay tuned. Wishing you all a prosperous new year!
Why You’ll Love This Lucky Quesadilla Recipe
- Easy to make – I can whip the black eyed pea salad together in about 10 minutes, and once that is done, the quesadillas come together quickly. Cook in a skillet for 3-4 minutes on each side, then enjoy it immediately.
- Packed with flavor – The black-eyed pea filling adds a lot of flavor to these vegetarian quesadillas. It’s made using cilantro, garlic, fresh lime juice, cumin, paprika, and salt.
- Good luck – I think it’s fun to believe that eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day will bring good luck in the new year, so I always make sure to get some in. If you’re also looking for a way to get your black-eyed peas in, you’ve got to try these easy and delicious quesadillas.
Tips For Making The Best Quesadillas
- Cook them low and slow – If you use too high a heat, the outside of the tortilla may look nicely browned, but the cheese on the inside may not be melted completely. I’ve found that it works best to cook quesadillas on medium-low heat, which should give the cheese enough time to melt and the outside enough time to brown.
- Cook them in butter – Any oil or butter will work for cooking a quesadilla, but I especially love making mine with salted butter. It browns the tortillas nicely while adding a slightly salty flavor to each bite.
- Don’t overstuff them – I sometimes get too excited about all the ingredients I’m adding to my quesadillas and fill them so much they’re more like a burrito. Quesadillas are mainly about the cheese, so I like to add a layer of cheese, a single layer of the black eyed pea filling, and then another layer of cheese on top. This helps the melted cheese really hold everything together well.
Black Eyed Pea Quesadilla Recipe Ingredients
- Black Eyed Peas – Obviously, we are using black-eyed peas in this recipe because they are considered a good-luck food for New Year’s Day. You can make this recipe using any other type of bean you like, though. Black or pinto would be great substitutions.
- Additional Salad Ingredients – I like to mix the black-eyed peas into a pico de gallo-like salad. This adds so much flavor to the quesadillas along with extra veggies. I used tomato, onion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Tortillas – I prefer flour tortillas for quesadillas, but either corn or flour tortillas can be used. For this recipe, I used small, fajita-sized tortillas, but any size will work.
- Cheese – You can use any shredded cheese you like for these quesadillas. I usually use a Monterey Jack or Colby Jack when making quesadillas, but you can use a traditional quesadilla cheese like Oaxaca or Chihuahua. Pepper Jack is also great if you want a spicy kick.
How To Make Easy Black-Eyed Pea Quesadillas
- To a large bowl, add the black-eyed peas, diced tomato, onion, cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, lime juice, salt, cumin, and paprika. Mix everything well, taste the salad, and add any extra seasonings needed.
- Assemble the quesadillas: lay tortillas on a flat surface and top half of the tortilla with about 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese. Next, add about 1/4-1/3 cup of the black-eyed pea mixture in a single layer on top of the cheese, and lastly, cover with another light layer of shredded cheese (2 tablespoons).
- Heat a large pan over medium-low heat and add butter or oil. Fold the top over each quesadilla and carefully place them in the hot pan. You should be able to fit 2-3 quesadillas in the pan. Cook quesadillas for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and the cheese inside is melted.
- Repeat until all quesadilla filling and cheese are used up. Let quesadillas cool for just a minute or two before serving. Enjoy with your favorite toppings and a side of tortilla chips.
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- Make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free tortillas.
- Make this recipe vegan by using your favorite vegan meltable cheese.
- Can quesadillas be made ahead of time? Yes, they can be made ahead of time and warmed up quickly just before serving. I recommend warming them back up on a large sheet pan in the oven, so that they stay crispy.
- How long do leftovers last? If stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, leftovers should last about 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave, on the stovetop, or in the oven.
- Are these quesadillas freezer-friendly? Yes, they can be frozen, although the texture might not be the same once thawed out and re-cooked. To freeze: allow them to cool completely and then wrap in plastic wrap and store in a freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months. They can also be assembled and frozen just before you would cook them.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below, and I will get back to you ASAP!
Looking For More Flavorful Quesadilla Recipes?
Bean and Rice Fajita Quesadillas
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Pesto Quesadillas with White Beans and Tomato
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Lucky Black-Eyed Pea Quesadillas
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Whether you want to add a little extra luck to your new year, or you just want a tasty vegetarian quesadilla recipe, you’ve got to try my easy Black Eyed Pea Quesadillas. They’re packed with fiber and protein, making them a filling meal that can be enjoyed for lunch or dinner. Serve with your favorite toppings and a side of chips.
Ingredients
- 1 (15 oz) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup small diced tomato
- 1/4 cup small diced red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, or less if you prefer
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeno, or regular (optional)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
- 8 fajita sized flour tortillas, or whatever size you prefer
- 1 1/2 cups shredded monteray jack cheese, or more if desired
- Butter or oil for cooking
Instructions
- To a large bowl, add the black-eyed peas, diced tomato, onion, cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, lime juice, salt, cumin and paprika. Mix everything together well, give the salad a taste and add any extra seasonings needed.
- Assemble the quesadillas: lay tortillas on a flat surface and top half of the tortilla with about 2 tablespoons shredded cheese. Next, add about 1/4- 1/3 cup of the black eyed pea mixture in a single layer on top of the cheese and lastly, cover with another light layer of shredded cheese, 2 tablespoons.
- Heat a large pan over medium-low heat and add in butter or oil. Fold the top over each quesadilla and carefully place in the hot pan. You should be able to fit 2-3 quesadillas in the pan. Cook quesadillas for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cheese inside is melted.
- Repeat until all quesadilla filling and cheese is used up. Let quesadillas cool for just a minute or two before serving. Enjoy with your favorite toppings and a side of tortilla chips.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Lunch, Vegetarian
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
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