SMOKY DELICATA SQUASH & BLACK BEAN BAKED QUESADILLAS

Smoky Delicata Squash & Black Bean Baked Quesadillas image

Spicy seared delicata squash, blackened onions, black beans, and pepper jack, tucked inside a tortilla and baked until melty and golden. Serve with a little pico de gallo or fresh tomato slices and dinner's made!

Provided by Kare for Kitchen Treaty

Time 40m

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon olive oil (divided)
1 small yellow onion (halved and sliced thin)
1 delicata squash (halved, seeds removed, and cut into 1/4-inch thick "C" shapes)
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 10- inch flour tortillas
1 cup cooked black beans (or about 1/2 of a 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed)
4 ounces pepper jack cheese (sliced thin)
Assorted toppings for serving

Steps:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Set out two rimmed baking sheets.
Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil into a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onions. Saute, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned here and there, about 5 minutes. Remove onions from pan and return pan to the burner. Reduce heat to medium and immediately add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the squash. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the squash pieces have been seared golden brown on at least one side and are beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add water, brown sugar, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir gently to distribute water and spices and continue to saute, stirring occasionally, until the water cooks off, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Place a flour tortilla on your prep surface and add 1/6 of the toppings to the bottom half of the tortilla, in a single layer. Start with the squash, then scatter about 3 tablespoons of black beans, then add some onions and finally 3-4 slices of the pepper jack cheese. Fold the tortilla over to form a half-moon shape and carefully transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Make sure the quesadillas sit in a single layer on the baking sheets - I fit three to a sheet. Note: you can brush the quesadillas with a little olive oil at this point to help them bake up a little more crisp and golden. I usually do this, but I forgot this time and I really didn't miss the extra oil, so I left it out of the recipe.
Bake until the cheese has melted and the tortilla is golden brown and crisp in spots. Using a pizza cutter, cut each quesadilla into thirds. Transfer to plates and serve with assorted toppings, if desired.