Vegan Zucchini Quesadillas with Poblano Salsa Recipe

Ingredients

Quesadillas

• 10 small tortillas (5-inches), corn or flour
• Cashew Cheese (or sub goat cheese, smoked mozzarella, or vegan cheese)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups veggies, diced small (zucchini, summer squash, peppers, corn, or mushrooms)
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon cumin
• 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano or thyme
• 6 squash blossoms (optional)

Poblano Pumpkin Seed Salsa

• 1 large fresh poblano pepper
• 1 cup cilantro (small stems ok)
• 0.5 cup pumpkin seeds
• 0.25 cup olive oil
• 0.25 cup water
• 2 cloves garlic
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon coriander

Cashew Cheese

• 1.5 cups raw cashews, soaked in water 3-24 hours
• 0.75 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• optional: nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, granulated garlic, or fresh herbs

Instructions

Cashew Cheese

1. Soak cashews in water for 3-24 hours. Drain the cashews, saving the water.
2. Place in a food processor with the salt and apple cider vinegar and pulse repeatedly. Scrape down the sides and continue blending, repeating if necessary.
3. Add the water with the motor running, a tablespoon at a time to get the desired consistency. Add any additional seasonings. Store in the fridge in a sealed jar until using. This will keep 4 days.

Poblano Pumpkin Seed Salsa

1. Roast the poblano chili directly over a gas flame on the stovetop until blackened and blistered on all sides—or broil in the oven until skins blister. Place in a paper bag or wrap in a towel to steam for 10 minutes.
2. Remove the stem and seeds and most of the charred bits—leaving a little char is good here.
3. Place in the food processor with the rest of the ingredients: cilantro, pumpkin seeds, oil, water, garlic, salt, and coriander.
4. Pulse and blend until uniformly combined but not too smooth. A little texture is good here.
5. Taste and add a tiny squeeze of lime if you like. Adjust salt as needed. If making ahead, pour a thin layer of olive oil over top to preserve the color.

Quesadillas

1. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sauté until softened.
2. Add the diced zucchini and vegetables, garlic, salt, cumin, and oregano. Cook until vegetables are tender.
3. Spread cashew cheese on a tortilla, add the vegetable filling, and fold in half. Cook on both sides until golden and crispy.
4. Serve with the poblano pumpkin seed salsa on the side.

Notes

• The cashew cheese requires 3-24 hours soaking time—easiest to make this and the Poblano Salsa ahead.
• If your poblano pepper is too spicy, mitigate the heat by adding more pumpkin seeds, water, and oil, then reseason with salt and lime.
• The salsa can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.