Savory pumpkin quesadilla with smoky sour cream

20 minute savory pumpkin quesadilla recipe! These easy vegetarian quesadillas are the perfect pumpkin dinner recipe for fall weeknights.

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Hey, Rhubarbarians! Are you ready for a SAVORY pumpkin recipe? Huzzah! Today we are sharing one of our favorite fall weeknight dinner recipes: pumpkin quesadilla!

We know you have a can of pumpkin staring at you from your pantry. Or maybe half a can sitting in the fridge waiting to be used. THIS recipe is for you! (A pumpkin smoothie is always a good choice for leftover pumpkin puree too, just sayin.)

Thinking about Halloween already? You'll love this quick and easy spooky spaghetti recipe!

Jump to:

• Why you'll love these
• Ingredients and equipment
• Step by step instructions
• Serving suggestions
• Recipe tips and substitutions
• Storing and freezing
• FAQs
• Recipe

Why you'll love these

We'll be the first to admit that a pumpkin quesadilla sounds a bit um.... unusual. But we promise you'll love them! The squash flavor of the pumpkin marries so well with Mexican inspired spices and melty cheese.

Easy, delicious, and ready in only 20 minutes from start to finish. You'll love these because they are the perfect delicious weeknight dinner!

Have you tried our sheet pan butternut squash tacos?

Ingredients and equipment

Here's what you need to make pumpkin quesadillas! Full ingredients and instructions are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this article.

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin puree
• Cheese
• Spices
• Jalapeno and green onion
• Olive oil
• Tortillas
• Sour cream
• Lime
• Quesadilla toppings

Equipment:

• Medium sized mixing bowl
• Cutting board
• Chef's knife
• Cheese grater. I love our OXO box grater!
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Large stirring utensil. I recommend a sturdy spoonula.
• Large skillet with a lid. This jumbo non stick Green Pan is my favorite.
• Stove top or cook top
• Large spatula
• Small bowl
• Small stirring utensil

Step by step instructions

Making a pumpkin quesadilla is quick and easy. Here's how to make it! Full ingredients and instructions are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this article.

• First make your filling mixture. Combine the pumpkin, cheese, spices, jalapeno, and green onion in a mixing bowl.
• Now build your quesadillas and cook them. Start by heating some oil in a large skillet.
• Spread half of the pumpkin mixture over one half of one tortilla. Fold the other half of that tortilla over the top to make a half moon.
• Carefully place the quesadilla in the hot pan and cover.
• Cook until browned on one side and then flip.
• Cook until the second side is browned and the cheese is fully melted.
• Remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 2 quesadillas.

See below for more...

• To make the smoky sour cream: mix together the sour cream, lime juice, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. If it's too thick for you liking, thin with a small spoonful of water.
• To serve, slice each quesadilla into 3 equal triangle portions (like a pizza).
• Top with the smoky sour cream, fresh jalapeno slices, and fresh cilantro.

Serving suggestions

Just one slice of pumpkin quesadilla is pretty filling, so we like to serve it as a main dish for dinner. We think 2 slices is the perfect size serving for an adult.

Try serving your quesadilla with black beans, Spanish rice, your favorite salsa, and some guacamole.

To make a pumpkin quesadilla itself an even heartier meal, add some black beans or pinto beans to the pumpkin mixture before cooking.

Side dishes to try with pumpkin quesadillas:

• Cilantro lime rice
• Vegan Cuban black beans
• Mexican slaw with cilantro and lime

Recipe tips and substitutions

• If you have a large enough skillet, you can cook both of the quesadillas side by side at the same time to save time. I'm able to cook 2 at once in my Green Pan.
• Make sure that you use 100% pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
• If you don't have colby jack cheese, any mild cheese that melts well will work. We recommend swapping for mild cheddar, shredded mozzarella, or pepper jack (if you like more spicy heat).
• Add black beans or pinto beans to the pumpkin mixture for an even heartier pumpkin quesadilla.
• If the sour cream mixture is too thick for you liking, add a small spoonful of water to thin it until you get your desired consistency.
• If you don't have pumpkin, you can swap for butternut squash puree or sweet potato puree.
• If you have homemade pumpkin puree, that's wonderful! Go ahead and use that as long as it's not sweetened or spiced with pumpkin pie spice.

Have you tried our hearty vegan pumpkin lentil soup?

Storing and freezing

Storing: Store any leftover pumpkin quesadilla slices in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Do not stack them when storing or they will become soggy and possibly stick together.

To reheat, lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until heated through. You can reheat in the microwave, but the texture will be quite soft.

Freezing: While cooked pumpkin quesadillas don't freeze well, the pumpkin mixture itself freezes beautifully! We recommend freezing the pumpkin mixture until ready to use and cooking the quesadillas with defrosted pumpkin mixture using the instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this article.

The pumpkin mixture can be frozen in a freezer safe air tight container for up to 3 months.

FAQs

Recipes to try next:

• 20 minute broccoli cheddar quesadilla
• Cauliflower pumpkin fettuccine alfredo
• Pumpkin spice oatmeal morning cookies

Did you make this recipe? Leave us a review and star rating in the comments below! We read every single review and appreciate your feedback.

Recipe

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