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Your child won’t eat vegetables? Try this healthy pizza quesadilla that’s super EASY to whip up. 15 minutes to make, perfect for lunch or dinner, and suitable for babies and kids.
Easy Pizza Quesadillas
It’s time to upgrade one of the most beloved kid-friendly foods – the cheese quesadilla. As you can see, this is a veggie forward version. Before you shake your head and say your child will never eat this, stay with me!
Perhaps you’ve been trying to get your baby or toddler to eat their broccoli and spinach for what feels like an eternity. And you’ve even tried adding cheese to them with no success.
BUT combine with pizza sauce and tortillas, your child just might decide to give it a lick and then proceed to chow down! I’m rooting for ya!
You can also use pesto, like this pesto flatbread pizza!
These these cheese pizza quesadilla as a quick meal or an easy snack with a side of fresh fruit. You won’t regret it :).
Table of Contents
Ingredients
Baby spinach – you don’t have to be exact with the measurements here, just like for these spinach sweet potato muffins. Two large handfuls will do but you can certainly add less or more (but not too much more).
Broccoli – be sure to cook first. Here’s a super in-depth post on how to cook broccoli for babies!
Cannellini beans – you can also use great northern or chickpeas. This is a great way to add an iron-rich source. Will also make the filling creamier.
Pizza sauce – you can use store-bought (make sure it’s thick) or homemade. Be sure to give my sugar free pizza sauce recipe a try! It’s super easy to make. Perfectly thick and bold-flavored.
Soft Flour tortillas – I encourage you to opt for whole wheat for that boost of fiber and nutrition. Whatever your choice, be sure to get a soft one so you can fold over.
Cheese – can use your favorite cheese here, such as mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, and parmesan cheese
How to Make Pizza Quesadilla
If your child won’t eat veggies, instead of pressuring, which does NOT work, get them involved in the cooking process!
This is so easy to assemble.
- Have your child measure and add spinach, broccoli, beans to a food processor/blender and blend.
- Spread a thin layer of pizza sauce on half of the tortilla
- Spread the vegetable mixture
- Add a layer of cheese and fold over
- Cook in a skillet or griddle with some butter over medium to medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes until the bottom starts to brown and crisp up. Using a spatula, flip over the quesadilla and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, until both sides are golden brown, crisp and cheese melts. Add more butter if desired.
Another fun way to get your child involved – Make Green Smoothies!
Tips for Success
- Be sure to use a thick sauce. You can use marinara but if it’s on the thin side then try thickening with some tomato paste. Or better yet, make my pizza sauce with no added salt and sugar. This will ensure that you don’t end up with a soggy quesadilla. Not cool.
- Use a soft wholegrain flour tortilla. This way you’ll be able to fold over without it breaking. However, if you want to use corn tortilla, instead of folding, add filling to the entire tortilla and then top with another piece.
- This recipe yields 2 quesadilla but feel free to double or triple the recipe to feed your entire family.
- You have full control over how much of the vegetable mixture and cheese to add. If your child is really reluctant with the veggies, then you can start with a small amount and gradually increase in the future.
- Use a medium to large skillet. You want the quesadilla to fit lengthwise so it can get perfectly toasted.
- Cook over medium heat. This way the cheese will melt slowly and the tortilla will crisp up without getting burnt.
- Be sure to cool before slicing. I personally am an over-stuffer. If you divide the veggie mixture between two tortillas as the recipe suggests, the filling will likely spill out once you slice into 3 or 4 triangle pieces. In that case, just smoosh it back in. Again, you can decide how much filling you want to add to each tortilla.
- They taste great at room temperature or even cold (kind of like eating cold pizza if you are into that). Great for picnics and school lunch boxes.
Variations
You can upgrade these veggie quesadillas with any of your favorite pizza toppings, including:
- Pepperoni slices
- Shredded or diced chicken
- Sliced black olives
- Sliced mushrooms
- Red bell peppers
Serving Suggestions For Babies and Toddlers
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For 6-8 months old:
Mix pizza sauce and vegetable mixture and spread on top of toasted bread cut into strips the width of about two adult fingers pressed together
For 9-12 months:
Same as above except you can spread onto a toasted tortilla. You can also cut into bite-sized pieces once their pincer grasp develops, but I personally encourage you to keep offering large pieces so your child can learn to tear and take bites. This is especially effective if you have a shoveler.
Related post: Help! My child shoves too much food
For 12+ months:
Start by making a regular quesadilla and cut into strips or triangles. You have full control over how much cheese to add. I would start off with a small amount and gradually increase as your child grows older.
This is also the time when your child may start to become more picky. If your toddler refuses to eat a certain vegetable(s), it’s ok to add them into foods they do enjoy. At the same time, DON’T stop offering in its whole form.
Just one piece can go a long way!
Is your toddler becoming picky?
Arm yourself with these strategies that will transform your mealtimes!
Frequently asked questions
Cooked quesadilla will last in the fridge for up to three days. Just be sure to cool completely.
Can use non-dairy alternatives and use oil instead of butter for cooking
More Pizza Recipes
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!
Pizza quesadilla
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 heaping handfuls of baby spinach
- 1/2 cup (50g) cooked broccoli
- 1/2 cup (80g) low or no-salt-added cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 whole wheat tortilla , , see note
- 2 tablespoons (or more) pizza sauce, homemade or store-bought
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Add spinach, broccoli, and beans to a food processor/blender and blend, scraping down the sides as you go. I like to keep it a bit chunky to expose my kids to texture but feel free to add water (1-2 tablespoons) if you desire a smoother consistency
- Spread 1 tablespoon of pizza sauce (can add more if you wish) on half of each quesadilla.
- Divide the spinach mixture between two tortilla. You can add less if you wish.
- Add cheese. You also have full control of how much you want to add.
- Fold the tortilla over into moon shape
- Melt butter over medium heat in a skillet. Place quesadilla and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crispy
- Allow to cool slightly then slice into thirds or quarters.
Notes
- Be sure to use a thick sauce.
- Use a soft wholegrain flour tortilla. This way you’ll be able to fold over without it breaking. However, if you want to use corn tortilla, instead of folding, add filling to the entire tortilla and then top with another piece.
- Cook over medium heat. This way the cheese will melt slowly and the tortilla will crisp up without getting burnt.
- Be sure to cool before slicing.
Tried this for my son tonight and it was a success, which is HUGE since he’s been picky recently! He dove right in (even before the berries on his plate!) and ate it all. I was nervous, too, because he never had tortilla before, but I cut it up in small bites and he did fine. Thanks for another great recipe!
My go to for a toddler lunch. I’ve added sun dried tomatoes also, delicious! Thank you!
Aww love it! You’re welcome!
Such a creative way to add veggies to a quesadilla! My normal way of making quesadillas is so dull in comparison, haha. I like how the added sauce and pureed veg/beans brings so much more moisture to this than just melting cheese in a tortilla! Quite delicious, nutritious, and a great Friday night meal for my little boy (and me). Thanks 🙂
Love how versatile and creative you can get with quesadillas right? Glad you guys enjoyed this version!
Hi Min! Love your recipes! Quick question – is this freezer friendly?
I haven’t tried so I can’t say for certain. My only concern is that it might get too soggy upon thawing..