Chickpea Quesadillas
Chickpea Quesadillas is a easy Fusion recipe that serves 4. 350 calories per serving. Recipe by Pankaj Sharma on YouTube.
Prep: 22 min | Cook: 18 min | Total: 50 min
Cost: $7.40 total, $1.85 per serving
Ingredients
- 4 pieces wheat tortillas (soft wheat tortillas)
- 250 g cooked chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- 1 piece yellow onion (diced)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp fresh ginger (grated)
- 1 tsp fresh garlic (minced)
- 1 tbsp fresh basil (chopped)
- a few pinches Espelette pepper
- 50 g cucumber (diced)
- 1 piece red tomato (large, diced)
- 100 g button mushrooms (diced)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- to taste pinch salt
- 100 ml water
- 100 g grated Emmental cheese
Instructions
Prepare the vegetables and cheese
Wash, dry and dice the cucumber, tomato and mushrooms. Grate the Emmental cheese.
Time: PT10M
Mash the chickpeas
Drain the chickpeas, place them in a bowl and mash with a potato masher until a coarse consistency is reached.
Time: PT5M
Sauté the onion
Heat a pan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil, then sauté the diced onion until golden.
Time: PT5M
Temperature: 180°C
Add the spices
Stir in oregano, minced garlic, grated ginger and Espelette pepper, mix for 1 minute.
Time: PT1M
Temperature: 180°C
Add tomato paste and water
Pour in the tomato paste, stir, then add 100 ml water to loosen the sauce.
Time: PT2M
Temperature: 180°C
Incorporate the chickpeas
Add the mashed chickpeas, season with salt, cook while stirring for 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture is hot.
Time: PT4M
Temperature: 180°C
Assemble the quesadillas
On each tortilla, spread 3 tbsp of the chickpea mixture, sprinkle 25 g grated cheese, add a few dice of cucumber, tomato and mushrooms. Fold the tortilla in half.
Time: PT5M
Cook the quesadillas
Heat a pan with a drizzle of olive oil, place the folded quesadilla and cook 2‑3 minutes each side until golden and the cheese melts.
Time: PT6M
Temperature: 180°C
Serve
Remove the quesadillas, cut into triangles and serve immediately.
Time: PT1M
Nutrition Facts
- Calories
- 350
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbohydrates
- 35 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
Dietary info: vegetarian, high protein, gluten, low-calorie, high-fiber
Allergens: gluten (tortillas), lactose (cheese), sulphites (tomato paste)
Ingredient Substitutions
- Instead of wheat tortillas: corn tortillas
- Instead of cooked chickpeas: white beans
- Instead of yellow onion: shallot
- Instead of tomato paste: tomato purée
- Instead of dried oregano: thyme
- Instead of fresh ginger: ground ginger (½ tsp)
- Instead of fresh garlic: garlic powder (½ tsp)
- Instead of fresh basil: dried basil (½ tsp)
- Instead of Espelette pepper: Cayenne pepper
- Instead of cucumber: zucchini
- Instead of red tomato: cherry tomato
- Instead of button mushrooms: shiitake
- Instead of extra virgin olive oil: sunflower oil
- Instead of salt: sea salt
- Instead of grated Emmental cheese: cheddar, mozzarella
Equipment Needed
- pan
- spatula
- mixing bowl
- potato masher or immersion blender
- cutting board
- knife
- measuring spoons (tbsp, tsp)
- cheese grater
Critical Steps — Do Not Skip
- Mash the chickpeas leaving some pieces for texture.
- Sauté the onion until nicely golden.
- Cook the quesadillas on both sides until a beautiful golden color is achieved.
Chef Tips from the Video
- Use slightly thick wheat tortillas to prevent tearing.
- Sprinkle a little smoked paprika on top before serving for a touch of color and flavor.
- Serve with a lemony yogurt sauce to refresh the palate.
Troubleshooting
The chickpea mixture is too dry.
Add a tablespoon of water or a drizzle of olive oil and stir until a supple consistency is achieved.
Quesadillas are not browning.
Increase the heat slightly and add a bit more oil to the pan.
Cheese is not melting.
Cover the pan for 30 seconds to create steam that helps the cheese melt.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store cooked quesadillas in an airtight container for 2 days in the refrigerator.
Freezer: Wrap each quesadilla individually in plastic wrap and freeze up to 1 month.
Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Make-Ahead Tips
- Prepare the chickpea mixture and keep it refrigerated for 2 days.
- Raw vegetables can be pre‑chopped and stored in cold water.
Last updated: August 21, 2026






