This as a delicious lunch that we enjoyed today. The recipe could also be used as finger food at a party or as an appetizer in smaller portions.

Vegan Broccoli Quesadillas with Apricot-Carrot Sauce – License photo

Serving Size: 4
Yield: 8 quesadillas

Ingredients

for the quesadillas:

  • 8 flour tortillas
  • 2 cups broccoli florets cooked and blanched
  • 1/2-3/4 cup grated non-dairy cheese
  • 1 cup tomato/chili sauce (see below)
  • oil for cooking
  • chives or slices of spring onion as optional garnish

for the tomato/chili sauce:

  • 3/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 Thai chili sauce

for the apricot-carrot sauce:

  • 3 medium large carrots, peeled
  • 16 dried apricots
  • 1/2 lemon, freshly juiced
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon sunflower or cooking oil
  • 1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
  • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
  • salt ad pepper to taste
  • dash of cayenne or chili flakes
Vegan Broccoli Quesadillas with Apricot-Carrot Sauce – License photo

Directions

to make the apricot-carrot sauce:

  1. Chop the onion and peel and chop carrots.
  2. Heat the oil in a medium sauce pan.
  3. Add the onions and carrots and sauté lightly.
  4. Peel and mince or grate the ginger and add to the carrots and onions.
  5. Add the water.
  6. Cut the apricots into pieces and add to the carrots and onions.
  7. Bring the heat down to simmer.
  8. Add the seasonings and lemon juice and simmer until the carrots, onions and apricots are all soft.
  9. Puree the mixture to a smooth sauce.
  10. Season to taste.
  11. Keep the sauce warm on a low heat.

to make the tomato/chili sauce and filling:

  1. Mix the ketchup and Thai chili sauce in a medium bowl.
  2. Prepare the broccoli by cooking and blanching (plunging the cooked broccoli into cold water).
  3. Grate the non-dairy cheese.

to make the quesadillas:

  1. Heat a lightly oiled skillet.
  2. Spread some of the tomato-chili sauce on 1/2 of a flour tortilla.
  3. Add a generous amount of broccoli (about 1/4 cup).
  4. Top with some grated non-dairy cheese and fold the tortilla in half.
  5. Place the tortilla in the skillet and cook until lightly browned.
  6. Flip the tortilla over and cook on the other side until lightly browned.
  7. When done, remove from the skillet and place on a plate.
  8. Continue until all the quesadillas are prepared.
  9. Serve the quesadillas with some of the apricot-carrot sauce and garnished with some chopped chives or spring onion tops.