High-Protein Egg & Veggie Breakfast Quesadilla — 33g Protein, Under $3.50
Quesadillas are not usually thought of as a breakfast food, and that is a mistake worth correcting. A flour tortilla filled with scrambled eggs, black beans, shredded cheese, and diced bell pepper, then pressed in a dry pan until the outside is golden and the cheese inside has melted into something stretchy and satisfying — it is a breakfast that takes ten minutes, holds together properly for an on-the-go morning, and delivers 33 grams of protein before the day has properly started. The key is pressing the quesadilla firmly with a spatula in a dry pan rather than using oil, which produces a crisper, more evenly golden exterior without making it greasy. Under three dollars and fifty cents and genuinely one of the most satisfying things you can do with a tortilla at 8am.
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt, pepper, and cumin.
- Heat butter or cooking spray in a small non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Add the diced bell pepper and onion and cook for 1 minute until slightly softened.
- Pour the eggs into the pan and scramble gently over medium-low heat, folding slowly until just cooked through but still slightly creamy. Remove from heat immediately.
- Lay the tortilla flat in a dry skillet over medium heat.
- Scatter the shredded cheese over one half of the tortilla.
- Spoon the scrambled eggs over the cheese, then add the black beans.
- Fold the empty half of the tortilla over the filled half.
- Press down firmly with a spatula and cook for 2 minutes until the bottom is golden.
- Flip carefully and cook the other side for 1–2 minutes until golden and the cheese is fully melted.
- Slide onto a plate, cut into wedges, and serve with Greek yogurt and hot sauce if using.
