Sheet Pan Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadillas

With a spicy mix of cumin and cayenne pepper, bake these easy sheet pan sweet potato black bean quesadillas in the oven so they’re all ready at the same time.

You won’t find me with a list of resolutions to kick off the new year.

I feel like I am in a constant state of trying to improve whether that’s work, family, food or fitness.

While I love a fresh start, I think there’s just too much pressure on January 1^st to flip a switch to right your wrongs.

Let’s just say I try to do better no matter the date on the calendar.

Something that is on my list is to celebrate, or at least acknowledge, the small wins. Those little moments of success can take you on a path that adds up to something bigger.

I know lots of people have diet goals come January especially after all the holiday eating from Thanksgiving on.

At the very least, I am trying to control my unnecessary snacking.

And as always, I am trying to consume lots of veggies.

Eat more vegetables seems like an achievable aspiration, right?

Just because we are trying to eat better, doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy some of the foods we did before.

But try to approach them with vegetables in mind first. Then think about the other ingredients.

That’s what I like to do with quesadillas.  

The cheese is almost an afterthought especially with these sheet pan sweet potato black bean quesadillas. Plus they have just the right amount of heat.

How To Make Sheet Pan Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadillas

First, I preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Then I stir together the dried spice mix in a small bowl. I use a combination of cumin, cayenne pepper, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

I toss diced sweet potatoes with olive oil and the spices on a sheet pan and roast them in the oven.

In the last 5 minutes of cooking, I scatter chopped kale on top because I never can resist adding greens whenever there is the opportunity.

When the sweet potatoes are out of the oven, I stir in the black beans.

With the filling ready, I start assembling the quesadillas on a fresh sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

Next, I spoon the filling with shredded cheese on half of each tortilla and fold them making a half round shape.

I like to use a Mexican cheese blend.

Finally, I bake them for 10-12 minutes letting the cheese melt.

Before I serve the sheet pan sweet potato black bean quesadillas, I top them with more chopped cilantro.

I use store-bought salsa to keep it simple.

And lime wedges are also a must.

Roasted sweet potatoes make pretty good glue to hold the quesadillas together, so you can reduce the amount of cheese a bit depending on your preferences.

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