There?s something so perfect about a quesadilla ? how the soft tortilla folds around tender veggies and melty vegan cheese. Unlike tacos, quesadillas are ideal for dipping in salsa, guacamole, or creamy avocado sauce without spilling the contents everywhere. I just realized this is starting to sound like a love letter to quesadillas, and I?m completely fine with it.
Beyond its compact size and convenient shape, the quesadilla is a perfect medium for testing out fun new ingredients and flavor combinations. I recently got really into plantains, so of course I had to try them in a familiar format. If you?ve never cooked with plantains, don?t be intimidated. They?re kind of like bananas, but denser. You can find them in the produce section along with the mangoes, peaches, and other fruits. Unlike buying bananas, you?ll want to select a plantain that?s pretty brown. Riper is definitely better.
In this recipe, I paired plantains with roasted red pepper, vegan cheese, and fresh arugula for a sweet/savory/spicy effect. It?s seriously drool-worthy. If you?ve had terrible luck with vegan cheese in the past, I recommend trying the Daiya brand. The key here is to buy a block of Daiya cheese, not the shreds. For some reason, shredding the block just before assembling your quesadillas provides a much more gooey, melted result.

You can serve these quesadillas with the condiment of your choice. If you?re in a pinch (or just feeling lazy), some store-bought pico de gallo or salsa works pe...