Tasty Zucchini and Corn Quesadillas

Finding easy weeknight dinner ideas that everyone in the family will actually eat can feel like an impossible task. Between after-school activities, work deadlines, and the usual evening chaos, getting a satisfying meal on the table often seems out of reach – especially when you’re trying to keep things both tasty and budget-friendly.

That’s where these zucchini and corn quesadillas come to the rescue: they’re quick to put together, loaded with vegetables that kids will actually eat, and best of all, they use simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.

What Kind of Zucchini Should I Use?

For quesadillas, medium-sized zucchini in the 6-8 inch range work perfectly since they’re tender and have smaller seeds than their larger counterparts. Look for zucchini that feels firm and heavy for its size, with smooth, slightly shiny dark green skin – avoid any with soft spots or wrinkled skin. If you can only find larger zucchini, just be sure to remove the seedy center before cooking since bigger ones tend to have tougher seeds and more water content. You can actually swap in yellow summer squash if that’s what you have on hand, as it’ll give you similar results in this recipe.

Options for Substitutions

This easy quesadilla recipe is super adaptable – here’s how you can switch things up:

• Zucchini: You can swap zucchini with yellow summer squash, Mexican squash (calabacitas), or even bell peppers if you’re out of zucchini.
• Cheese: While Jack cheese works great, feel free to use cheddar, Mexican cheese blend, or Oaxaca cheese. For a dairy-free version, try vegan cheese shreds, though they might not melt as smoothly.
• Flour tortillas: Corn tortillas work just as well – just use two smaller corn tortillas per quesadilla. Just note they might be a bit more fragile when flipping.
• Jalapeño: You can use serrano peppers for more heat, or poblanos for a milder kick. If you’re not into spicy food, just leave it out or add some mild green chiles instead.
• Cilantro: If you’re not a cilantro fan, try using fresh parsley, or just skip it altogether – the quesadillas will still taste great.
• Beans: Any type of beans work here – black beans, pinto beans, or even white beans. You can use canned or homemade, refried or whole.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest challenge when making quesadillas is dealing with soggy vegetables – to avoid this, make sure to cook your zucchini and corn on high heat until any excess moisture evaporates, and drain your corn thoroughly if using canned.

Another common mistake is overstuffing the tortillas, which leads to filling spilling out and uneven cooking – stick to about 1/2 cup of filling per quesadilla and leave a border around the edges to prevent the ingredients from escaping.

Temperature control is crucial – cooking quesadillas on too high heat will burn the tortillas before the cheese melts, while too low heat makes them greasy and limp, so maintain a medium heat and look for a golden-brown color on each side.

For the crispiest results, avoid using too much oil (just a light brush on the pan is enough), and press down gently with a spatula while cooking to ensure good contact between the tortilla and the pan.

What to Serve With Quesadillas?

These veggie-packed quesadillas pair perfectly with all your favorite Mexican-inspired sides! A scoop of fresh guacamole or some pico de gallo on the side adds a nice fresh element, while sour cream helps cool things down if you went heavy on the jalapeños. I love serving these with Mexican-style rice or a simple black bean and corn salad to make it a complete meal. For a lighter option, try a crisp green salad with lime dressing – the citrus really brightens up the whole plate and cuts through the richness of the cheese.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Already assembled but uncooked quesadillas can hang out in the fridge for up to 24 hours – just wrap them individually in plastic wrap or foil. If you’ve already cooked them, they’ll stay good in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days, though they might lose some of their crispiness.

Prep Ahead: Want to get ahead? You can prep all the filling ingredients separately and store them in containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. This makes assembly super quick when you’re ready to cook! Just keep the grated cheese in a separate container to prevent it from getting soggy.

Warm Up: To bring back that nice crispy texture, pop leftover quesadillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes per side. The microwave works too, but the tortilla won’t be as crispy. I like to serve them with fresh salsa or guacamole to add some extra freshness to leftovers.

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	15-20 minutes
Total Time	25-35 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1600-1800
• Protein: 70-80 g
• Fat: 90-100 g
• Carbohydrates: 160-180 g

Ingredients

• 1 zucchini
• 1 can of corn (or 2 cups fresh kernels)
• 1 cup refried or cooked whole beans
• 2 cups grated cheese (such as jack)
• 15-20 cilantro sprigs
• 1 jalapeno
• 1/4 onion
• 4 large flour tortillas
• Olive oil
• Salt

Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients

Start by giving everything a good chop into smaller, bite-sized pieces: the zucchini, 1/4 onion, the jalapeno, and 15-20 sprigs of cilantro.

Ensure you rinse the zucchini, jalapeno, and cilantro thoroughly.

If you’d like a milder flavor, consider using only half or less of the jalapeno, as using the whole jalapeno will deliver a spicy kick to your quesadillas.

Step 2: Cook the Vegetables

In a medium-sized pan, heat a glug of oil over medium heat.

Add the chopped onion and jalapeno, sautéing until the onion has softened.

Stir in the chopped zucchini and a generous pinch of salt.

Let this cook for a few minutes until the zucchini begins to soften.

Add the corn to the mixture, warming it through.

If using canned corn, add it at the end, but if you’re using fresh corn, put it in with the zucchini to give it ample cooking time.

Once everything is cooked, remove the mixture from the heat and set it aside in a bowl.

Step 3: Assemble and Cook the Quesadillas

Heat a dry skillet over medium heat, then add a single burrito-sized flour tortilla.

Layer on a thin spread of refried beans (or whole beans) followed by plenty of shredded cheese.

Add a generous layer of the zucchini-corn mixture over the cheese, then sprinkle a small handful of freshly chopped cilantro.

Optionally, you can add an additional layer of cheese for extra gooeyness.

Top with another flour tortilla and cook each side until light brown spots begin to form on the tortilla.

Step 4: For Smaller Quesadillas (Optional)

If you prefer a smaller meal or are using a smaller skillet, you can use one flour tortilla.

Place the ingredients on one half of the tortilla and fold it over onto itself.

Cook each side until you achieve light brown spots.

This technique works efficiently for smaller portions.

Step 5: Serve and Enjoy

Use a spatula to slide the quesadilla out of the skillet and onto a cutting board.

Cut it into quarters and serve immediately with a side of salsa or hot sauce of your choice.

I recommend pairing it with Tomatillo Chipotle Salsa or Roasted Tomato and Tomatillo Salsa for a delightful touch.

Any leftover zucchini-corn mixture can be stored in the fridge and will remain fresh for a few days.