These vegan Buffalo Chickpea Quesadillas are quick, high in protein, and super flavorful! They make a super easy lunch or game-time snack! Serve with your favorite toppings for the perfect dairy-free quesadillas!
If you're looking for an easy and quick way to make dairy-free quesadillas, then this Buffalo Chickpea Quesadilla recipe is for you! The problem with store-bought vegan cheese is that it just doesn't melt right for making quesadillas. So I decided to get creative and skip the vegan cheese altogether!
For the filling, I simply adapted my buffalo chickpea dip. It's a simple, flavorful, protein-packed alternative to traditional cheese. The creaminess of the cashews helps balance the spiciness of the buffalo sauce. And the chickpeas help give it texture and bulk.
For more recipes featuring chickpeas, check out my collection of the best Vegan Chickpea Recipes. And if you love buffalo sauce, be sure to check out my Vegan Buffalo Sauce and Baked Buffalo Tofu or Air Fryer Buffalo Tofu!
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You'll love this buffalo chickpea quesadilla recipe because it's:
- Simple & Delicious
- Quick & Easy
- Vegan/Vegetarian
- Easy to make gluten-free
- Perfect for Game Day Snacks, Party Appetizers, or lunches throughout the week!
Ingredient notes
- raw, unsalted cashews -- blanched almonds or sunflower seeds could work as a substitute.
- unsweetened vegan yogurt -- vegan sour cream or vegan cream cheese could be substituted in a pinch.
- hot sauce -- I used Frank's Red Hot Sauce but feel free to use your own favorite.
- nutritional yeast -- Just for a little cheesy flavor.
- water -- This just helps with the blending.
- garlic powder -- I don't recommend using fresh garlic here as it won't get cooked enough to take away the rawness.
- onion powder -- Onion flakes could be subbed in a pinch.
- salt -- Just a touch to enhance the other flavors.
- canned chickpeas -- You could also use chickpeas cooked from scratch but that would take longer. In a pinch, white beans might make a good substitute, but the consistency will not be as firm.
- tortillas -- Any kind of tortilla is fine. I used 9-inch flour tortillas, but feel free to use whatever you like.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Here are step-by-step instructions with photos.
Add the cashews to a small pot and fill the pot halfway with water. Boil the cashews for 10 minutes.
Drain the excess water off the cashews. Add the cashews, vegan yogurt, hot sauce, nutritional yeast, ½ teaspoon water, and spices to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Add them to the blender.
Pulse 10 to 15 times until the chickpeas are incorporated but the filling is still a little chunky.
Add ¼ of the mixture (roughly ⅓ cup) to half of a tortilla. Fold the other side of the tortilla over.
Repeat for all of the tortillas or save the rest of the mixture for another day.
Cook the quesadilla in a skillet over medium-high heat, flipping when one side is done, until both sides are nicely browned and crispy.
Serve with your favorite garnishes and enjoy!
Hint: lf you're making these to eat throughout the week, store the buffalo chickpea filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator and wait until you want to make each quesadilla before you fill the tortilla.
Variations
Here are a few ways to switch things up!
- Extra Spicy - add an extra drizzle of buffalo sauce over the top.
- Buffalo Chickpea Tacos - add the filling to corn tortillas along with your favorite toppings. They can be prepared similarly to these black bean tacos.
- Buffalo Chickpea Wraps- add the filling along with a handful of chopped romaine and a drizzle of vegan ranch to a tortilla. Roll up like a wrap and enjoy.
- Cheesy - Want more cheesiness? Add a drizzle of vegan quesadilla cheese to each one!
Equipment
For this recipe, you'll need a small pot, a blender (or food processor), and a skillet.
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How to serve
Serve these vegan quesadillas as a delicious lunch or easy dinner. Or share as a party appetizer or game-day snack. They'd be perfect for nibbling on at your Super Bowl Party!
Don't forget your favorite toppings like vegan sour cream, vegan ranch, restaurant-style salsa, or avocado crema.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. You can freeze the filling for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Top tip
Serve these vegan buffalo chickpea quesadillas with your favorite toppings for a delicious and satisfying meal or snack!
FAQ
The buffalo chickpea filling is whole foods plant-based; however, most store-bought tortillas contain oil. To make them compliant be sure to choose a brand of tortilla that is whole wheat and oil-free or make your own!
Yes! The buffalo chickpea filling is naturally gluten-free. Simply choose your favorite gluten-free tortillas and you're good to go!
Sure! Just follow the instructions as given. Instead of using a skillet, place one quesadilla in the air fryer. Cook at 400F or 200C for about 10 minutes (flipping halfway) or until each side is nicely browned.
More vegan chickpea recipes
📖 Recipe
Buffalo Chickpea Quesadilla (Vegan + Easy)
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw, unsalted cashews
- ½ cup unsweetened vegan yogurt
- ¼ cup hot sauce I used Frank's Red Hot Sauce
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon water
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 15 oz can of chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 4 9-inch tortillas
Optional Garnishes
- chopped cilantro
- vegan sour cream
- vegan ranch
Instructions
- Add the cashews to a small pot and fill the pot halfway with water. Boil the cashews for 10 minutes.
- Drain the excess water off the cashews. Add the cashews, vegan yogurt, hot sauce, nutritional yeast, ½ teaspoon water, and spices to a blender (or food processor). Blend until smooth.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Add them to the blender. Pulse 10 to 15 times until the chickpeas are incorporated but the filling is still a little chunky.
- Add ¼ of the mixture (roughly ⅓ cup) to half of a tortilla. Fold the other side of the tortilla over. Cook the quesadilla in a skillet over medium-high heat, flipping when one side is done, until both sides are nicely browned and crispy.
- Repeat for all of the tortillas or save the rest of the mixture for another day.
- Serve with your favorite garnishes and enjoy!
Notes
- I used flour tortillas, but any type of tortilla can work including whole wheat and gluten-free.
- The exact amount of mixture per quesadilla will vary depending on the size of the quesadilla and personal preference.
- I recommend using wrap-sized tortillas (9 to 10 inches).
- Store the leftover mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Nutritional info is calculated for using 9-inch flour tortillas. If you use a different kind of tortilla, that will change the values.
Nutrition
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Cynthia says
I'm not much of a cook, and I'm trying to stick to as reasonably fat free vegan diet as I can. Any suggestions on how I can make this without cashews would be greatly appreciated. Also, one substitution you mentioned is sour cream. Use vegan sour cream instead of the yogurt? I thank you in advance for your help!
Julianne Lynch says
Yes, vegan sour cream. You could just double the amount of yogurt and see if that works.
Julie says
This was delicious!! Super easy to make and was a quick comfort food meal. Thank you for this great recipe!
Julianne Lynch says
Thanks! I love them too!