• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

ZardyPlants

  • Home
  • Vegan & Oil-free Recipes
    • Cheezes
    • Breakfasts
    • Soups
    • Salads
    • Snacks & Apps
    • Entrees
    • Dips & Sauces
    • Ingredients
    • Desserts
    • Gluten Free
  • Shop
    • Recipe Books
    • Products I Use
  • About
  • Contact
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Vegan and Oil-free Recipes
  • Free Cookbook with Signup!
  • Plant-Based Jewish Recipes
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • About
×
Home » Vegan and Oil-free Recipes

Vegan Sheet Pan Quesadilla

Published: May 13, 2021 · Modified: Jan 12, 2022 by Liz Madsen

Share with friends!

Jump to Recipe

Fun and delicious, this vegan sheet pan quesadilla is easy to assemble in less than 10 minutes, and then bakes in the oven making it an easy and mostly hands-off dinner! Use your favorite fillings and enjoy with friends, family, or by yourself because the leftovers are delicious too.

Skip to the Recipe!
Stacked Quesadillas

This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy for details.

Hey Internet, sometimes you just gotta make something, even if the idea seems a little crazy.

I LOVE quesadillas--and while mine may not be authentic, it is really delicious.

Of course, I used my homemade melty stretchy nut-free vegan cheddar, and it’s great because it acts like a glue so I can have a ton of fillings. That being said it will work with shredded store-bought vegan cheese.

So what the heck is a sheet pan quesadilla?

It’s essentially a dish in which you take an 8-pack of extra large tortillas (think burrito size) and lay 7 of them out on a half-sheet pan so they’re overlapping all the edges and covering the bottom, add a layer of cheese, pack it full of other goodies, add more cheese, and then cover it with the last tortilla and wrap all the other sides up and bake it!

It’s kind like a tortilla hack, but not the one where you’re folding up an individual tortilla. I still have yet to try that one…

So anyway, I hope you love this recipe--it’s really great for a big family dinner, having friends over, an appetizer for movie or game watching, a cookout, a sleepover, or you and your spouse eating way too much for a photoshoot. Nevermind about that last one…

My vegan sheet pan quesadilla is also super kid-friendly, making it a delicious meal to serve the family. Check out my list of vegan kid-friendly recipes or my list of 50+ vegan snacks for kids!

Ingredients in bowls

What You’ll Need

  • Tortillas: The bigger, the better for this, though you can use smaller tortillas (like 8-10 inches), but you may need two packs. The most important thing is that everything overlaps by enough that the cheese can seal it together so it won’t fall apart. There are burrito size gluten-free tortillas out there but they can be hard to find. I’ve seen (and eaten, they’re really good) some by the brand Siete, and I’ve seen them at Whole Foods, local health food stores, and occasionally I can find them at my regional chain grocery store.
  • Vegan Cheese: I love to use my 2 batches of my vegan cheddar sauce--it’s not just a regular cheese sauce, it’s cooked with tapioca starch to make it stretchy, melty, and therefore it will hold together our quesadilla well. It’s also inexpensive and only takes a few minutes to make. A regular vegan cheese sauce might get soggy or just spill out and your quesadilla will be kinda mushy. Store-bought vegan cheese will work, but you’ll need quite a bit of it, about a pound or a little more.
  • Vegan Shredded Chicken: I used my easy jackfruit shredded chicken but with some taco-ish spices (I used chipotle powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, and sea salt) for a vegan chicken quesadilla flair, but it’s not necessary. You could swap store-bought vegan chicken (or any other meat alternative), soy curls, beans or just omit this.
  • Onions: Also not necessary but a nice crunch. I recommend a harder onion like yellow, red, sweet, or white, as a green onion might wilt in the heat of the oven. You can add green onions on top before you serve, though if you’d like!
  • Fire Roasted Corn: While regular corn will also work, fire roasted corn is especially delicious. You could also grill corn on the cop and shave it with a knife.
  • Pico de Gallo: More onions, lol. Actually pico de gallo typically has tomatoes, onions, serrano peppers (or some people use jalapenos), salt, lime juice, and sometimes cilantro. You can make it yourself or buy it from a store. Just make sure to strain out the excess liquid so your quesadilla doesn’t get soggy. You could use chopped tomatoes instead, but I’d use a less juicy tomato like grape tomatoes, and quarter them before I put them in this. You could alternatively use a chunky salsa, again straining out some of the excess liquid.
  • Black Olives: I guess these are more of a nacho topping, but I love them so I stick them in here. Feel free to leave out if you’re not a fan.
  • Dipping Sauces: We made guacamole and used a store-bought salsa - I LOVE Frontera salsas, and this Frontera Roasted Tomato Salsa is the bomb. Not sponsored, but if they want to sponsor me that’d be chill. You could also make my vegan sour cream or use one you bought from the store if you prefer.
Tortillas laid out on a baking pan

How to Make a Vegan Sheet Pan Quesadilla

First, let’s talk about equipment. You don’t need much, but let’s talk about it anyway.

For the cheese, you just need a blender and a medium pot for tor the stove.

For the quesadillas themselves, you need at least one half sheet pan but I’m going to recommend you use two, preferably the same brand (but not necessarily).

It seems a little strange, but the quesadilla is more successful & browns on top easier when it has an even weight on it.

I’ll explain it in the recipe in more detail, but all you do is put the second sheet pan on top of the wrapped quesadilla, so they fit together perfectly almost as though you were stacking sheet pans. DO NOT turn the pan upside down, that defeats the purpose. Then you just kinda squish it on there and throw it (well, preferably place it) in the oven.

Alright, let’s make this thing.

  • If you want to make your own cheese, you can use my recipe for vegan melty cheddar, it’ll take you 5 minutes. If not, proceed to the next step.
  • Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius). And line one of your sheet pans with parchment paper.
  • Now, lay out the tortillas, one by one (you’ll use 7 in this first step and we’ll save the 8th for later). You want 2 tortillas overlapping on each long side, and one on each short side. You want the tortillas to be half on the tray, half off. Don’t worry if there’s an empty space in the middle, we’ll use the 7th tortilla to cover that up. You basically just want to cover the whole sheet pan, with a large tortilla border all the way around. Set up the 2 tortillas on each of the long sides first, then 1 tortilla on each short side.
  • If using my cheese, use a spoon to place 9-12 LARGE dollops of cheese in even rows on the tortilla-covered sheet pan, then use the back of the spoon or a spatula to spread it, taking care to spread it over seams and along the inside ridge of the pan. Don’t skip corners. Don’t go overboard, but you do want a nice even layer of cheese.
  • If using store-bought vegan shredded cheese, spread half of it evenly over the inside of the pan, not skipping corners.
  • Next, sprinkle the vegan chicken or beans, then add your other toppings in the same way. If adding tomatoes/pico de gallo/salsa, drain off the excess liquid first so it doesn’t make your quesadilla soggy. If using corn, make sure to thaw or microwave it first. Otherwise the ice will melt and make the quesadilla watery or soggy inside.
  • Finally, add dollops of cheese on top, going for about 75-80% coverage (if you do too much you won’t be able to taste any of the fillings!), or if you’re using store-bought vegan cheese just sprinkle it over the top, covering your toppings as much as possible.
  • Place the 8th tortilla in the center, pressing down lightly. Then, fold all the rest of the tortillas in, starting with the short ends, where you left off. Tuck in the corners. If you’d like, you can add a bit of neutral flavored oil (like avocado--spray, or brush other oil), but it’s not necessary. If not using oil, add another layer of parchment paper and place the other half sheet pan directly on top of the parchment or oiled quesadilla (do NOT turn it upside down). Fit it in there nicely, and press the pan on top down with a good amount of pressure. This helps seal the quesadilla.
  • Place your vegan sheet pan quesadilla in the oven, leaving the 2nd tray on top during the whole baking process. Bake for about 20 minutes, and then remove from the oven. Let it sit for about 10 minutes before carving it up.
  • Slice the quesadillas into 8ths, 12ths, or however many squares/triangles/blobby shapes you prefer. I find it easiest to use a pizza cutter for this.
  • Garnish with cilantro and lime juice, dunk in guacamole, salsa, or vegan sour cream. Enjoy!
  • Refrigerate leftover quesadilla in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the air-fryer or oven to get the crispy exterior back, or in the microwave if you don’t care.
Fillings added to the tray

More Easy Vegan Dinners

Who doesn’t love easy dinners? There’s certainly a time and a place for fancy vegan dinners, but usually I need a quicker dinner since life gets busy/sometimes I’m super lazy.

If you liked my vegan sheet pan quesadilla, I bet you’ll like some of the following easy vegan dinners:

  • Tofu Poke Bowl
  • Vegan Fish Tacos
  • Vegan Hamburger Helper
  • Cajun Pasta
  • Vegan Ragu
  • Vegan Baked Feta Pasta
  • Cauliflower Gratin Bake
  • Vegan White Cheddar Mac and Cheese Bake with Mushroom Bacon

Anything Else?

As always, I hope you love this recipe–I know I do and so does Mr. Zardyplants. We devoured way more than was an appropriate serving each time we tested this recipe LOL.

This vegan sheet pan quesadilla is:

  • Cheesy
  • Fun
  • Easy
  • Delicious
  • Zesty
  • “Meaty” (hold the cruelty)
  • Satisfying
  • and great for an entree or snack, whether you’re impressing guests or need an epic food for movie night or the big game.

Let me know in the comments below if you make this recipe or tag me @Zardyplants on Instagram so I can see your beautiful recreations! If you tag me on IG, I will share your post in my stories :)

Also, one quick request: if you love how this recipe looks or tastes, please leave me a 5-star rating and a nice comment–ratings help more people find my recipes which helps me keep providing them! Thank you!

<3 Liz

Save this for later on Pinterest!

Pinterest image for the sheet pan quesadilla
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Stacked Quesadillas

Vegan Sheet Pan Quesadilla


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Author: Liz Madsen
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 8 slices 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

Fun and delicious, this vegan sheet pan quesadilla is easy to assemble in 10 minutes and bakes in the oven making it an easy dinner!


Ingredients

Scale

Quesadilla

  • 8- burrito-size tortillas (or more smaller tortillas) (see note 1)
  • 4-ish cups (about 900g) vegan cheese, like 2 batches of my melty cheddar (see note 2)
  • 2 batches vegan shredded chicken or 2 cups beans/vegan meat replacement (see note 3)
  • ½ medium red onion (or any), diced
  • 1 cup fire roasted corn (or any), thawed
  • 1 cup pico de gallo (or chopped tomatoes, see note 4), excess liquid drained
  • 6.5 oz can (about 184g) sliced black olives, drained, optional

Dipping Sauces

  • Salsa (I like Frontera Roasted Tomato Salsa)
  • Guacamole
  • Vegan Sour Cream

Instructions

  1. Note on Equipment: For the quesadillas themselves, you need at least one half sheet pan but I’m going to recommend you use two, preferably the same brand (but not necessarily). It seems a little strange, but the quesadilla is more successful & browns on top easier when it has an even weight on it.
  2. Make the Cheese: If you want to make your own cheese, you can use my recipe for vegan melty cheddar, it’ll take you 5 minutes. If not, proceed to the next step.
  3. Prepare: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius). And line one of your sheet pans with parchment paper. 
  4. Line the pan with tortillas: Now, lay out the tortillas, one by one (you’ll use 7 in this first step and we’ll save the 8th for later). You want 2 tortillas overlapping on each long side, and one on each short side. You want the tortillas to be half on the tray, half off. Don’t worry if there’s an empty space in the middle, we’ll use the 7th tortilla to cover that up. See photos in the article above for a visual guide for this step, but you basically just want to cover the whole sheet pan, with a large tortilla border all the way around. Set up the 2 tortillas on each of the long sides first, then 1 tortilla on each short side.
  5. Homemade Cheese: If using my cheese, use a spoon to place 9-12 LARGE dollops of cheese in even rows on the tortilla-covered sheet pan, then use the back of the spoon or a spatula to spread it, taking care to spread it over seams and along the inside ridge of the pan. Don’t skip corners. Don’t go overboard, but you do want a nice even layer of cheese.
  6. Store-bought Cheese: If using store-bought vegan shredded cheese, spread half of it evenly over the inside of the pan, not skipping corners.
  7. Add Fillings: Next, sprinkle the vegan chicken or beans, then add your other toppings in the same way. If adding tomatoes/pico de gallo/salsa, drain off the excess liquid first so it doesn’t make your quesadilla soggy. If using corn, make sure to thaw or microwave it first. Otherwise the ice will melt and make the quesadilla watery or soggy inside.
  8. More Cheese: Finally, add dollops of cheese on top, going for about 75-80% coverage (if you do too much you won’t be able to taste any of the fillings!), or if you’re using store-bought vegan cheese just sprinkle it over the top, covering your toppings as much as possible.
  9. Seal It Up: Place the 8th tortilla in the center, pressing down lightly. Then, fold all the rest of the tortillas in, starting with the short ends, where you left off. Tuck in the corners. If you’d like, you can add a bit of neutral flavored oil (like avocado--spray, or brush other oil), but it’s not necessary. If not using oil, add another layer of parchment paper and place the other half sheet pan directly on top of the parchment or oiled quesadilla (do NOT turn it upside down). Fit it in there nicely, and press the pan on top down with a good amount of pressure. This helps seal the quesadilla.
  10. Bake: Place your vegan sheet pan quesadilla in the oven, leaving the 2nd tray on top during the whole baking process. Bake for about 20 minutes, and then remove from the oven. Let it sit for about 10 minutes before carving it up.
  11. Divide and Consume: Slice the quesadillas into 8ths, 12ths, or however many squares/triangles/blobby shapes you prefer. I find it easiest to use a pizza cutter for this.
  12. Serve: Garnish with cilantro and lime juice, dunk in guacamole, salsa, or vegan sour cream. Enjoy!
  13. Store: Refrigerate leftover quesadilla in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the air-fryer or oven to get the crispy exterior back, or in the microwave if you don’t care.

Notes

  • Note 1: The bigger, the better for this, though you can use smaller tortillas (like 8-10 inches), but you may need two packs. The most important thing is that everything overlaps by enough that the cheese can seal it together so it won’t fall apart. There are gluten-free burrito size tortillas out there... I’ve seen (and eaten, they’re really good) some by the brand Siete, and I’ve seen them at Whole Foods, local health food stores, and occasionally I can find them at my regional chain grocery store.
  • Note 2: I love to use my 2 batches of my vegan cheddar sauce--it’s not just a regular cheese sauce, it’s cooked with tapioca starch to make it stretchy, melty, and therefore it will hold together our quesadilla well. It’s also inexpensive and only takes a few minutes to make. A regular vegan cheese sauce might get soggy or just spill out and your quesadilla will be kinda mushy. Store-bought vegan cheese will work, but you’ll need quite a bit of it, about a pound or a little more.
  • Note 3: I used my easy 5-minute jackfruit shredded chicken but with some taco-ish spices (I used chipotle powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, and sea salt) for a vegan chicken quesadilla flair, but it’s not necessary. You could swap store-bought vegan chicken (or any other meat alternative), soy curls, beans or just omit this.
  • Note 4: Pico de gallo typically has tomatoes, onions, serrano peppers (or some people use jalapenos), salt, lime juice, and sometimes cilantro. You can make it yourself or buy it from a store. Just make sure to strain out the excess liquid so your quesadilla doesn’t get soggy. You could use chopped tomatoes instead, but I’d use a less juicy tomato like grape tomatoes, and quarter them before I put them in this. Or use a chunky salsa, again straining out the excess liquid.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Entree
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American, Mexican

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us @zardyplants — we can't wait to see what you've made!


Click Here to Sign Up for my Newsletter and Never Miss a Recipe!

« Tofu Poke Bowl
Vegan Ceviche »

Share with friends!

Filed Under: Entrees, Quick Meals, Vegan and Oil-free Recipes

Follow us on Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

You May Also Like:

Cookie Dough Overnight Oats

Vegan torta on a plate.

Vegan Tortas

Creamy Vegan Orzo

See More Recipes

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

Primary Sidebar

Paul and Liz Madsen holding their dog Luna standing in front of a lake

Hi, we're Liz & Paul!

We develop plant-based comfort food recipes that are delicious, easy, and budget-friendly. We created Zardyplants to share our fun, delicious food with the world. But what does the name Zardyplants even mean?

More about us →

Trending

  • Vegan Garlic Noodles in a bowl
    Vegan Garlic Noodles
  • Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • Green matcha pound cake on a gray stone slab
    Vegan Matcha Pound Cake
  • Hand holding a vegan philly cheesesteak
    Vegan Philly Cheesesteak

Seasonal

  • Watermelon tuna poke bowl with veggies and fruits
    Watermelon Tuna
  • Vegan Macaroni Salad in a dish
    Vegan Macaroni Salad
  • Horizontal photo of two vegan chicken salad sandwiches stacked up
    Vegan Chicken Salad
  • A cut ice cream cake with chocolate and vanilla layers
    Vegan Ice Cream Cake

Want a free e-cookbook? Download our Everyday Plant-Based Recipes.

Green graduate badge stating "T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate Program nutritionstudies.org"
Paul and Liz Madsen holding their dog Luna standing in front of a lake

Hi, we're Liz & Paul!

We develop plant-based comfort food recipes that are delicious, easy, and budget-friendly. We created Zardyplants to share our fun, delicious food with the world. But what does the name Zardyplants even mean?

More about us →

Trending

  • Vegan Garlic Noodles in a bowl
    Vegan Garlic Noodles
  • Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • Green matcha pound cake on a gray stone slab
    Vegan Matcha Pound Cake
  • Hand holding a vegan philly cheesesteak
    Vegan Philly Cheesesteak

Seasonal

  • Watermelon tuna poke bowl with veggies and fruits
    Watermelon Tuna
  • Vegan Macaroni Salad in a dish
    Vegan Macaroni Salad
  • Horizontal photo of two vegan chicken salad sandwiches stacked up
    Vegan Chicken Salad
  • A cut ice cream cake with chocolate and vanilla layers
    Vegan Ice Cream Cake

Want a free e-cookbook? Download our Everyday Plant-Based Recipes.

Green graduate badge stating "T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate Program nutritionstudies.org"

Copyright © 2025 ZardyPlants on the Foodie Pro Theme

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT

Disclaimer - Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy