Lentil Sprouts Quesadillas - Tasty and Easy to Make
Sizzle cumin seeds in hot oil and add lentil sprouts; mix, cover and cook till tender, about 10 min. Stir in salt, cayenne, ground coriander and set aside. Lay out fajita/taco size tortillas - spread tomato salsa all over, then fill half of each tortilla with cooked lentils, diced bell peppers, onions, cilantro, pickled jalapeno slices and shredded cheese. Fold over and pan-roast with a few drops of oil till crisp and brown on both sides. serve immediately with your favorite sides: hot sauce, sour cream, sliced avocado, Pico de Gallo, etc. Enjoy!
Equipment
- 1 medium (10 inch) non-stick frying pan preferred if not available, stainless steel or cast iron pan OK; may need to use more oil to prevent sticking.
- 1 Non-stick safe spatula/turner
Ingredients
- 1 cup Sprouted lentils (from 1/3 cup dry lentils) if not available, need to plan about 2 days in advance to soak and sprout lentils ( see Recipe Notes for directions); also OK to use soaked, un-sprouted lentils (soak at least 6-8 hours) before cooking
- 1 tbsp Oil - divided (1 tsp + 2 tsp) I like to use peanut oil; OK to use any mild tasting oil of your choice; Note: I do NOT recommend using extra-virgin olive oil for cooking - refined olive oil is OK
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 3/8 tsp Salt adjust as per preference - may need up to 1/8 tsp more
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne ground Red chilli powder - spicy; adjust as per spiciness preferred
- 1/2 tsp Coriander powder omit if not available
- 4 pieces Flour Tortillas - soft taco size for gluten-free, use gluten-free tortillas; Note: corn tortillas are generally not suitable - they tend to crack and fall apart while folding and cooking.
- 1/4 cup Tomato Salsa I prefer home-made (see Recipe Notes for link to recipe); store-bought OK
- 1/4 cup Red Bell pepper - finely diced
- 1/4 cup Onion - finely diced I prefer red onions, but any onion variety OK, including shallots and white/light green bottoms of green onions
- 1/4 cup Cilantro - chopped Fresh coriander leaves; rinse thoroughly and towel-dry before chopping
- 8-10 pieces Pickled Jalapeno slices - about 8-10 slices if not available, use any variety pickled peppers- banana peppers, Pepperoncini, etc.
- 1/4 cup Shredded cheese - finely shredded I prefer extra sharp Cheddar; any Mexican blend is OK too; for vegan, use your preferred vegan cheese
Instructions
- Soak the lentil sprouts in water for a few min, then drain in a colander. Rinse under running water and drain thoroughly.(See Recipe Notes for sprouting directions - if starting from dried lentils, you will need to soak the lentils 2 days in advance)
- Heat 1 tsp oil in a frying pan and add cumin seeds - turn the heat down, because they begin to sizzle immediately and may burn quickly.
- Immediately after the cumin seeds sizzle, add the drained sprouted lentils. Stir, splash 1-2 tbsp water all over, cover and cook on high for 2 min.
- Lower the heat and continue to cook, undisturbed, on low-medium heat for about 10 min.
- While lentils cook, prep the remaining ingredients - chop the onions
- Dice the red bell pepper
- Trim the cilantro - remove tough stems, OK to use tender stems along with the leaves, rinse thoroughly in a colander to remove grit and dirt; transfer to a clean dry kitchen towel to remove excess moisture.Chop with a smooth-edged sharp knife (avoid using a serrated knife- it bruises the delicate leaves)
- Check on the lentils: remove the lid, stir gently and remove 1-2 grains to a plate to test for done-ness: after cooling slightly, push down with your thumb- if it gets smashed easily, it's done. If it does not smash readily, splash 2-3 tsp water with your fingers, cover and continue to cook for 3-4 min longer and test again. Do NOT overcook! Mushy lentils don't taste good!
- Add salt, cayenne and coriander, mix and turn heat off. Cover and set aside to cool.
Assemble the Quesadillas
- Lay out the tortillas on a large cutting board. Spread about 1 tbsp Salsa on each tortilla. Be sure to spread it all the way to the edge. Save remaining Salsa for serving on the side.Spread 2-3 tbsp cooked lentils on half of each tortilla. Spread the chopped bell pepper over the lentils - divide evenly between the 4 quesadillas.
- Top with shredded cheese, cilantro and sliced jalapeno.
- Top with onion - divide evenly between the 4 quesadillas. Fold over to make half-moon shaped Quesadillas
Pan-roast the Quesadillas
- Heat a medium (10 inch) frying pan. Spread 1/2 tsp oil and place 2 assembled quesadillas side by side.
- Cover and cook on medium-high heat 2-3 min, till browned underneath. Peek underneath by lifting a little with a turner/spatula.
- Spread a few drops of oil over the top of each quesadilla, then flip in one smooth motion. If some of the filling spills out, just push it back in with the spatula. continue to cook till the bottom side is browned - 2-3 min. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately - piping hot. Repeat to cook the remaining Quesadillas.
- Serve with your favorite accompaniments: hot sauce/Salsa, sour cream, pickled jalapeno, avocado slices, Pico de Gallo, etc.
- Enjoy!
Notes
How to sprout Lentils
If you've never sprouted beans/legumes before, you might want to take a look at the detailed step-by-step directions (with pictures) for sprouting lentils described in my Lentil Kababs post. Here is a brief description:- Rinse the dried lentils 3-4 times with water to remove surface dirt, etc. Then soak the lentils with equal amount of water overnight (cover the bowl).
- Drain in a colander, rinse with fresh water and transfer to a clean kitchen towel - I recommend using an old, dark colored towel. The lentil skins often leave hard- to remove dark stains on the towel, so avoid using a new, light colored towel.Fold the corners of the towel over the lentils to make a bundle - place it in a colander and set in a warm place to sprout.
- If your kitchen it cold, it may take 24 hours or even a bit longer for the lentils to sprout. When it's warm, the lentils begin to sprout in 10-12 hours.
- When the sprouts are about a 1/4 inch long (1/2 cm), they're ready. You can let the sprouts grow a little longer if you like - up to 1/2 inch (1 cm) or so - I often do that myself.
Storing "Extra" Sprouted Lentils:
To store in the refrigerator,- Rinse the the sprouted lentils under running water in a colander, drain thoroughly and transfer to a plastic bag or a lidded container.
- Use within 2-3 days.
- Rinse the the sprouted lentils under running water in a colander, drain thoroughly
- Transfer to a microwave-safe glass or ceramic plate, cover with a vented lid and microwave on hi for 2 min.
- Cool to room temperature and transfer to plastic bags (sandwich-sized bag) or lidded containers in 1 cup portions.
- Do not store in large portions or the the lentils might become mushy and smashed while thawing
- Store in the freezer for up to 4-6 weeks, possibly longer.
- To thaw, set on the counter for 20-30 min or so, then heat on defrost power in the microwave (30-40% power) till fully thawed.
How to make fresh tomato Salsa:
I really like using home-made tomato salsa - better taste, no preservatives, etc. Here's the link to my recent post describing how to make Salsa from fresh tomatoes: Fresh Tomato SalsaStoring leftover Quesadillas:
Ideally, just make as many as you need, because cooked quesadillas do not reheat well - they taste a bit soggy.- If you think you might have leftovers, don't pan-roast the "extra" assembled quesadillas - these can be stored up to to 1-2 days in the refrigerator.
- Pan-roast them just before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 432kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 18gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 1092mgPotassium: 635mgFiber: 10gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1208IUVitamin C: 28mgCalcium: 210mgIron: 6mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!