Easy Vegan Mushroom Quesadilla with Cashew Mozzarella. These Spinach mushroom quesadillas have a delicious caramelized mushroom filling and gooey cashew mozzarella! Add beans for a hearty meal. Vegan Recipe, Easily Gluten-free, Soyfree. Jump to Recipe
I am back with my favorite flavors in the nicely golden mushrooms with some onion and spinach, and then layered with creamy mozzarella, and grilled to perfection in a quesadilla.
The onions and mushrooms are cooked to golden, then flavored with balsamic, soy sauce and garlic and simmered to make a delicious filling. Spinach is folded in the end. The cashew mozzarella is more of a thick cheesy cream sauce that is spread on the tortilla. The thick sauce melts or thins out when heated and then thickens again on cooling, holding the ingredients of the quesadilla. Since we are not making a solid vegan mozzarella, no chilling and waiting is needed. You can also convert this into a melt sandwich. Add layers of the mozzarella cream to the slices, fill with the mushroom filling and grill. Yuhm!
Ingredients for Cheesy Vegan Mushroom Quesadilla and substitutions
- You will need 2 large tortillas. Use gluten-free if needed, or use my gluten-free flatbreads
- For the mushroom spinach mixture,sliced onions and mushrooms and spinach form the base.
- Soy sauce, balsamic, vegan worcestershire and garlic add deep umami flavor.
- The Cashew mozzarella uses cashews, olive oil, garlic miso, lemon juice and flour or starch for thickening. No nutritional yeast!
- Gluten-free: use my gluten-free flatbreads
- Nut-free: Try my Cauliflower alfredo or pumpkin seed alfredo or my nut-free nacho cheese instead of the cashew mozzarella.
- Soy-free: Use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce and red wine instead of worcestershire. Use chickpea miso in the mozzarella cream.
How to make Vegan Mushroom Quesadilla and Cashew Mozzarella
Let it sit for a minute, then slice and serve as is or with hot sauce or salsa.
How to store Vegan Mushroom Quesadilla and Cashew mozzarella
Refrigerate the cashew mozzarella in a closed container for upto 4 days. Store the mushroom spinach mixture in the fridge for upto 3 days.
Refrigerate the grilled quesadilla leftovers for upto 2 days, reheat on a grill and serve.
More Grilled Recipes to try
- 10 Minute Taco Spiced White Bean Pepper jack quesadillas
- Grilled Cauliflower Cheddar Pesto Zucchini Sandwich
- Black Bean Sweet Potato Chimichurri Quesadilla
- Grilled Red Pepper Hummus Roasted Sweet Potato Sandwich
- Grilled Buffalo Millet and Ranch Sandwich
- Roasted Veggie Sandwich
Recipe Card
Vegan Mushroom Quesadilla with Cashew Mozzarella
Ingredients
- 2 large tortillas (10 inch) , See notes for gluten-free
Mushroom spinach mixture:
- 1 tsp oil
- 1/2 cup (80 g) sliced onion
- 10 oz (283.5 g) sliced mushroom
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp vegan worcestershire sauce , optional
- 1/4 cup (59.15 ml) water
- 4 oz (113.4 g) spinach
Cashew Mozzarella
- 1/2 cup (64.5 g) raw cashews (preferably soaked in water for an hour and drained), use macadamia nuts to make cashew-free, see notes for nut-free
- 1 cup (236.59 ml) water
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small garlic clove
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- a pinch of onion powder
- 1/2 tsp miso
- 2 tsp flour (use rice flour or 3 tsp potato starch for glutenfree)
Instructions
- Mushroom spinach Mixture: Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and mushrooms. Add a pinch of salt and cook until onion turns translucent.
- Add the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, vegan worcestershire and garlic powder and mix, add water and cover and cook for 5 to 6 mins or mushrooms are tender to preference.
- Fold in the spinach and cook to wilt. 1 minute. Take off heat.
- Cashew Mozzarella: Blend all the ingredients for the mozzarella, (You can also add 2 tsp tapioca starch for stringier result). Add to a skillet over medium heat. Cook stirring occasionally to thicken for 6 to 7 mins. Let it cool for a few mins.
- Assemble the quesadilla: Spread the mozzarella on all of 2 large tortillas. Spread the mushroom mixture on one half. Fold over, press and grill the tortillas or heat in hot cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, until crisp. Flip and heat if using a skillet.
- Let it sit for a minute, then slice and serve as is or with hot sauce or salsa.To Store: Refrigerate the cashew mozzarella in a closed container for upto 4 days. Store the mushroom spinach mixture in the fridge for upto 3 days. Refrigerate the grilled quesadilla leftovers for upto 2 days, reheat on a grill and serve.
Notes
- Gluten-free: use my gluten-free flatbreads
- Nut-free: Try my Cauliflower alfredo or pumpkin seed alfredo or my nut-free nacho cheese instead of the cashew mozzarella.
- Soy-free: Use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce and red wine instead of worcestershire. Use chickpea miso in the mozzarella cream.
- Variation: You can also convert this into a melt sandwich. Add layers of the mozzarella cream to the slices, fill with the mushroom filling and grill.
Nutrition
Keren
Does the mozzarella freeze well?
Richa
No
Ken
This is fabulous. Better than our local vegan restaurant quesadillas!
Vegan Richa Support
Love hearing that! Thank you! Glad you love it.
Sheryl
Great flavors and textures. The mushroom/onion/spinach mix would be amazing in lasagna as well as here. I’ve been looking for a quick and yummy cashew cheese and this is it! I left out the oil and it turned out great. Love Richa’s recipes and I’m so grateful for this community.
Vegan Richa Support
Yes, that would make a nice lasagna Sheryl.
Elizabeth
Delicious! The flavors are so complex, but the recipe is simple.
Thank you for another winning recipe!
Vegan Richa Support
thank you so much for your compliment
Abby
This recipe is the BEST!! I literally almost cried the first time I had it because it tasted just like “regular” quesadillas I had when I was a kid. I used Siete tortillas. Thank you, Richa!!!
Vegan Richa Support
thank you so much!
Rebecca
The flavor of the mush/spinach mix is unreal!
Vegan Richa Support
excellent!!
Lucy
So good! Have been sharing this recipe with everyone. Can’t believe how alike it is to mozzarella. Love them
Vegan Richa Support
Awesome – I hope that everyone loves it as much as you
paige
so yummy! will definitely make again.
Richa
Thanks!
Wendy Pedersen
Can you leave the oil out of the cashew mozzarella?
Richa
Yes
Faudes Lugo Morales
This recipe is ridiculously delicious and one of my new favourites. My husband who is not vegan had seconds. I seriously love this blog.
Vegan Richa Support
wow – thank you 🙏
Nancy
I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious. I was out of miso, so I just added a bit of extra salt. I also took your suggestion and added some tapioca starch to the cashew mozzarella and it was perfect!! I will definitely make this again. Thank you!
Richa
Awesome! You can also add nutritional yeast
Lucy
A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.👍👍👍👍😋😋😋😋
Thank you for this recipe.
Are you plannin on publishing a new book? I have both previous ones and they are my favourite cookbooks ♥️
Vegan Richa Support
wow – amazing rating – thanks & I”m so happy that you love my books. Yes, there is another one in the works for sure.
Lucy
I have made these today and I will surely start make them regularly. The flavor of everything together was just amazing. This is the first time, that I have tried tapioca starch in a “cheese” and it made such a huge difference.
I am sooo much looking forward to your next book! ♥️
Richa
Thanks!!
Nina
ps Re my previous comment I forgot to say I don’t have any potato starch either which you have suggested as an alternative to rice flour. I do have cornflour. Thanks again…
Nina
Hi I’m making this today…. plan on using it for Margarita pizza. However, I can’t get rice flour (no availability during UK lockdown) I have normal plain flour, spelt flour, arrowroot and tapioca flour. Which if any can I sub for the rice flour? I thought about replacing rice flour with tapioca flour but thought with the tapioca flour that’s already in recipe that it might make it too stretchy or stringy. Thanks ps I am not gluten free so I can tolerate regular plain flour,
Richa
Use regular flour
Nina
Thank you for replying so quickly, very much appreciated. I made your fabulous recipe and used it on top of a Margarita pizza. It was brilliant! I have some left over and will make the quesadillas. Would it work if I made it thinner to use in a Cauliflower Cheese (would love you to make that) It was initially thinner but has since ‘set up’ thicker now its cooled. Would you advise me to thin it down? If so plant milk or water? I was really surprised how good it was and I am glad that I added the white miso paste (first time I’ve used miso…luckily I purchased a jar pre UK lockdown) I don’t know if it was the miso that gave it a nice savoury depth? Do you have can’t other recipe ideas for using the sauce. Many thanks
Richa
Use less flour and starch for more of a sauce. I use the sauce as a dressing, on pizzas, in sandwiches as cheese layer, on lasagna, pasta baked etc
Sarah
Unbelievably good. Can’t wait to make it again. I changed nothing.
Vegan Richa Support
awesome.
Kim
I would like to make these but I’m gluten free, night shade free and grain free. Can I substitute something else for the rice flour or potato starch?
Richa
Use any other starch. Tapioca arrowroot etc.
Kimberly Holtan
Thank you! One more question, can I omit the miso since I don’t tolerate soy?
Richa
I am using it for cheesy flavor but you can omit it or use nutritional yeast or chickpea miso
Amanda
Any idea if arrowroot starch would work instead of tapioca starch? Trying to avoid trips to the store.
Richa
Yes, should work fine.
J
Finally made this and WOWZA this cheeze is amazing!! I used the tapioca starch, left out the lemon juice, and started with 3/4 C water (forgot to add the rest). Surprised at how quickly it set up in the saucepan and GOSH it was deliciously chewy!! I’d recently been unimpressed by noochy “cheddar-style” things, this was so good!! Also the mushrooms and everything YUM 😀 thank you!!!
Richa
awesome
Chad
What type of miso paste should you use? White?
Richa
white or yellow
Karen
Love these! Thanks for the recipe. The miso in the cashew cream works really well.
Karen
Autocorrect nightmare! Miso! I meant miso!
Richa
😀 😀 😀
Eck
Hello! What water temperature do you recommend soaking the cashews at? E.g. boiling water or hot water from the sink? And is there any way to speed up the soaking process?
Richa
soak in boiling water for 15 mins. thats enough. Often i dont even soak and just blend them. blend them for a minute then let themixture (which will look gritty) rest for 5 mins. Then blend again. It gets creamy and any small gritty ness will cook out
Karen
I made these tonight and they were great! I added nutritional yeast to the cashew cream (because I love it!) and some chili flakes to the mushroom mix (because I love them!) and so enjoyed this recipe. Thank you!
Richa
awesome
Bobbi
I made these for dinner last night and they were absolutely delicious and I can see using the mozz cheese in many ways. Very versatile recipe!! Thank you!
Richa
Awesome! Thanks!
Mike
Outstanding! The sauce is so flavorful, and with just a few ingredients. Took the quesadilla up a notch with diced fresh jalapenos in the veggies.
Richa
awesome!
carol shaw
Yum yum yum. Eating these now. So easy and good. Cheated and used Parmela cashew mozz. Gotta try ’em again with homemade. Thanks for yet another great recipe
Richa
thanks!
Stacey
The mozza sauce is sooo good!! I mean life-changing good! I omit the oil and it works well. Plus its so easy and WFPB. I am looking for other uses for it, so far I have used on vegan tacos and potatoes and its loved by all 🙂 thank you for this recipe 🙂
Richa
Awesome! you can useit in pasta bake,, as pizza sauce with caramelized mushrooms, on margherita style pizza 🙂
Sylvie
My husband’s face said it all when he took his first bite. Very tasty and satisfying. Will make this again for sure!
Richa
yay!
Lalita
Wow wow wow!! Absolutely delicious. The flavors are so complex but making it was so easy!! Thank you for another fantastic recipe.
Richa
awesome!!
Kim Edison
Very good. Thank you for posting!
Danielle
I made this today. Yummy! My hubs told me he’d been missing quesadillas a lot. I’ve seen other vegan quesadilla recipes from other bloggers, of course, but was never moved to try them. I knew I could trust your recipe to be delicious.
I skipped the oil by water sautéing the vegetables. I didn’t have spinach so I added an orange and a red pepper, and also a zucchini, and doubled the spices. I now have enough vegetables for a few more batches. 🙂
Thank you for the recipe!
Richa
Awesome!Thanks!!
Jennifer
These we’re surprisingly easy to whip up and soooo tasty, I couldn’t stop eating them! Make sure to make an extra big batch 😋
Richa
Awesome! yes definitely double it!
JOSIE
Quick & easy to make & sooo delicious! Richa, you are the best! (I made them without the spinach).
Richa
awesome! Thanks!
Sue
Loved it! Thanks Richa. 🙂
Richa
awesome! long time!
Tina
Made these Monday night and ate ALL the leftovers for yesterday’s lunch, just crisped up in the office toaster oven. There were absolutely delicious and the mozza sauce was AMAZING! This one is going into rotation for sure, thanks for the great recipe.
Richa
yay!!
Camila
This is AMAZING im not a very savy cook and this was easy to make, quick and SOOO delicious!! Thank you so much!
Richa
yay!! Thanks!
Rebe
This sounds fabulous, cannot wait to try it! I have two questions:
1. If using tapioca starch, do you omit the flour?
2. Is the olive oil necessary? Sometimes I blend in a couple olives instead, do you think that would work here? Thank you so very much!
Richa
its in addition tothe flour. the cheese will be thicker and melt more during grilling.
You can omit the oil, dont use olives, they are a different flavor
Michele Pinkham
I made this for dinner tonight. Wow! Love the creamy, gooey mozzarella. This will definitely be making repeat appearances on the menu at our house!
Richa
Yay!!
Roy Slocum
1. Made this today and it was fantastic!
2. I think it’s cute that you thought there would be leftovers 😋
Richa
😀
Elizabeth
Wow, these look amazing! What a great idea to use a spreadable cashew-based cheese. I can’t wait to try these. Thanks for sharing!
Richa
thanks!
Rachel
Can the miso be left out?
Richa
yes