Creamy cashew cheese paired with garlicky mushrooms makes these Easy Vegan Quesadillas addictively delicious. Family-friendly, pantry-friendly, and nutritious, you're bound to love this recipe.
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I was inspired to create vegan quesadillas so delicious, that you won't miss the cheese. These turned out even better than I imagined. The easy-to-make cashew cheese sauce is so creamy and 'cheesy', making it the perfect vegan cheese substitute.
I used oyster mushrooms to make the filling for these vegan quesadillas. Although most types of mushrooms will work just as well, the meaty texture of oyster mushrooms is so good with the creamy cheese sauce. Another one of my favorite oyster mushroom recipes on this site is Oyster Mushroom Noodle Stir-Fry.
This dish pairs well with Crispy Roasted Potato Bites.
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👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
- Oyster Mushrooms (or substitute for cremini, or white button mushrooms)
- Garlic
- Spinach, chopped kale, or arugula (optional)
- Burrito-size soft tortillas
For the vegan cashew cheese sauce:
- Nutritional yeast -adds a cheesy flavor to the cashew cheese sauce, as well as essential B vitamins including B12
- Lemon juice
- Onion powder, Garlic powder, Ground mustard seed
- Cornstarch (or arrowroot)
- Cashews
- Mellow miso
See the recipe card for quantities.
📖 How to Make Vegan Quesadillas
There are just three simple steps for making these vegan mushroom quesadillas.
Step 1: Cook the Mushrooms & Greens
Follow this technique for making the best sautéed mushrooms:
- Use a combination of vegan butter and olive oil in a one-to-one ratio.
- Do not overcrowd the pan. If you crowd the mushrooms, they will simmer instead of brown.
- Do not stir too much. Alternate between letting them sit, and stirring. They should form a crust on one side before moving them.
- Use medium-high heat to cook your mushrooms.
Add the garlic and greens once the mushrooms are done browning. Cook until the greens are just wilted.
Step 2: Make the Cheesy Vegan Cashew Sauce
If you don't have a high-speed blender, it's best to soak the cashews overnight. Otherwise, you can use the quick soak method of placing them in very hot water for about 20 minutes. If you do own a high-speed blender, you shouldn't need to soak them at all.
Add the cheese sauce ingredients to the blender. Blend on high until smooth. Adjust salt and lemon juice to taste.
Heat the vegan cheese sauce until just thickened, stirring constantly.
Step 3: Cook the Quesadillas
Heat a little oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add one tortilla and spread the cashew cheese sauce on top. Place the sautéed mushrooms on one side. Fold the other side of the tortilla over to cover the filling. Cook until the bottom is browned before flipping it over. Repeat for the remaining three tortillas.
Hint: For even browning, add a little more oil for each tortilla.
Once your Easy Cheesy Vegan Quesadillas are ready, serve immediately.
🍄 Substitutions
- Mushrooms - instead of oyster mushrooms, you can use cremini or white button mushrooms
- Quesadillas - use gluten-free quesadillas instead of flour tortillas, but choose ones that are soft and easily foldable
- Spinach - instead of baby spinach, use chopped kale or arugula
🌶 Variations
- Spicy - add crushed red pepper when cooking your garlic and mushrooms, or add sriracha to the cashew cheese sauce
- Deluxe - add caramelized onions
🔪 Equipment
My go-to non-stick skillet is the Ozeri Stone Earth Frying Pan. It comes in several sizes and the non-stick element is very durable.
⏱ Storage
Refrigerate any remaining cashew cheese sauce in an airtight container for up to three days.
Cashews were omitted by the FDA from the qualified health claim that nuts may lower heart disease risk because they contain about 20% saturated fat. However, the saturated fat in cashews is mostly stearic acid, which is thought to have a neutral effect on blood cholesterol. Some studies have found the consumption of cashews to lower bad cholesterol.
In addition, they are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and protein. They are a healthy addition to this vegan cheese sauce, and give the sauce its creamy texture.
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Vegan Quesadillas
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil plus 1 tablespoon vegan butter or 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons olive oil for tortillas
- 1 pound oyster mushrooms or cremini, or white button, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 4 cups baby spinach or chopped kale
Cashew Cheese Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons white miso mellow
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground mustard seed
- ½ cup cashews raw, soaked overnight or in hot water for 20 minutes, drained
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
For serving:
- 4 soft tortillas burrito-size
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Instructions
- Cook the mushrooms: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil with 1 tablespoon vegan butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in a single layer and cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes, or until browned on the bottom. Stir the mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes more, or until evenly browned.
- Add the greens: Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the spinach and cook for about 3 minutes more, or until just wilted. Transfer to a medium dish.
- Make the cashew cheese sauce: Place the nutritional yeast, cornstarch, mellow miso, onion powder, garlic powder, ground mustard seed, cashews, lemon juice, and 1 ¼ cups water into a high-speed blender. Blend on high until smooth.
- Cook the cheese sauce: Pour the cashew sauce into the skillet and cook over medium-high heat for about 7 minutes, or until thickened, stirring constantly. Set aside.
- Make the quesadillas: Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place one tortilla into the skillet. Spread one quarter of the cashew cheese sauce onto the tortilla. Add one quarter of the mushroom-spinach filling to one half of the tortilla. Fold over the other half to cover the filling. Heat for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook the other side for about 3 minutes more, or until golden brown.
Notes
- Use 2 tablespoons olive oil for the mushrooms and omit the vegan butter if preferred.
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate. Nutritional values may vary depending on factors such as product types and brands used.
Gina says
Will make again. It was good. I would add more mushroom, maybe about a cup more. It only made 3 quesadillas for us but I had sauce enough for 4. I think the amount of spinach was good, I didn't pack it but added roughly 4 cups and cut it into the pan (I hate big globs of cooked spinach). Only thing I added was salt. Great recipe.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Mushrooms do shrink so that is a good idea! Glad you enjoyed it! Yes, salt to taste.
Amina says
Love quesadillas and these are so creamy and delicious! So easy to make too.
Nisha Melvani says
I'm so happy you liked them Amina.