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Who can resist classic Tex-Mex cheese quesadillas? This recipe makes the best ones ever.
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In This Recipe
Corn vs Flour Tortillas
What Is a Quesadilla?
The Best Cheeses to Use
I grew up making quesadillas, the benefit of having an Hispanic mother who is a great cook. "Queso" is cheese in Spanish.
A quesadilla is a heated tortilla with melted cheese inside. But in addition to cheese, you can put practically anything in a quesadilla.
Best Fillings for Quesadillas
My favorites are mushrooms, olives, tomatoes, and onions. I don't cook these ingredients first, but it really is a matter of taste. You could if you wanted to.
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Flour Tortillas for Quesadillas
Traditionally in Mexico quesadillas are made with corn tortillas, not wheat flour tortillas, and a melty, white cheese.
Here in the states though, because of how close we are to the Sonoran area of northern Mexico, quesadillas are more often made with flour tortillas. We like to get the flour tortillas lightly toasted because it improves the flavor.
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What Is a Quesadilla?
A quesadilla is a Mexican dish that dates back to the 16th century. Traditional quesadillas were made with a corn tortilla that was warmed on a griddle, filled with cheese and various other fillings (meat, vegetables), and then folded over to be eaten by hand.
The addition of toppings like guacamole, salsa, and sour cream seems to have come along later. And, as Americans have adopted quesadillas, they've put their own spin on them, adding untraditional fillings such as scrambled eggs to make breakfast quesadillas and often swapping out flour tortillas for the corn tortillas.
What's the Best Cheese for Quesadillas?
Sometimes the best cheese for quesadillas is whatever you have in the fridge when the craving strikes. Cheddar and Monterey Jack are standards of American-style quesadillas.
But if you are planning ahead, consider that freshly grated cheese such as cheddar or Monterey Jack makes the meltiest quesadillas. Pre-grated cheese is handy and melts okay enough, though we recommend grating your own cheese for the best meltability.
You can use any meltable cheese in a quesadilla, but for something closer to an authentic Mexican quesadilla, try one of these cheeses.
- Manchego
- Queso asadero
- Oaxaca
- Chihuahua
Try These Quesadilla Recipes Next!
- Black Eyed Pea Salsa with Cheese Quesadillas
- "Kale"sadilla
- Easy Avocado and Black Bean Quesadilla
- Crispy Cheese and Mushroom Quesadillas
- Sweet Corn and Goat Cheese Quesadillas
From the Editors Of Simply Recipes
The Ultimate Quesadilla
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time7 mins
Total Time12 mins
Serving1 per person
A tip about using meat in a quesadilla: the cooking time may not be sufficient to heat the meat through. You may want to preheat it before adding.
Ingredients
Large flour tortillas
Grated cheese such as mild or sharp cheddar, or Monterey Jack
Olive oil or butter
Optional:
Sliced mushrooms
Green onions
Black olives, sliced
Fresh tomatoes, diced
Chicken pieces
Avocado
Lettuce
Apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt
Method
Heat the tortillas until air pockets form:
Heat a large skillet (cast iron works great) on medium high heat. Add a small amount of oil (about 1/2 teaspoon) and spread it around the bottom of the pan with a spatula (you could use butter as well).
Take one large flour tortilla and place it in the pan. Flip the tortilla over a few times, 10 seconds between flips. Air pockets should begin to form within the tortilla.
Add the cheese and other ingredients:
When pockets of air begin to form, take a handful of grated cheese, sprinkle over the top of the tortilla, making sure that the cheese does not land on the pan itself.
Add whatever additional ingredients you choose: green onion, sliced mushrooms, olives, tomatoes, etc. If you would like your quesadilla to be a chicken quesadilla, add some diced cooked chicken.
Take care not to layer on the ingredients too thickly, as they may not heat through properly.
Lower the heat and cover pan:
Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. The pan should be hot enough by now to have plenty of residual heat to melt the cheese and brown the tortilla. If the quesadilla begins to smoke too much, remove from the heat.
After a minute, check to see if the cheese is melted. If not, return the cover and keep checking every minute until the cheese is melted.
Fold the tortilla over:
When the cheese is sufficiently melted, use a spatula to lift up one side of the quesadilla and flip over the other side, as if you were making an omelette.
The tortilla should by now be browned slightly. If it is not browned, turn the heat up to high and flip the quesadilla over every 10 seconds or so until it gets browned.
Remove quesadilla from pan and cut into wedges:
To make the lettuce to accompany the quesadilla, thinly slice some iceberg lettuce. Sprinkle some cider vinegar and salt on it.
Serve with the lettuce, salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.
How did you like the recipe? Let us know with a rating and review!
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| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 407 | Calories |
| 25g | Fat |
| 29g | Carbs |
| 17g | Protein |
Show Full Nutrition Label
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| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 1 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 407 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 25g | 31% |
| Saturated Fat 12g | 59% |
| Cholesterol 56mg | 19% |
| Sodium 603mg | 26% |
| Total Carbohydrate 29g | 11% |
| Dietary Fiber 2g | 6% |
| Total Sugars 0g | |
| Protein 17g | |
| Vitamin C 0mg | 0% |
| Calcium 420mg | 32% |
| Iron 2mg | 9% |
| Potassium 107mg | 2% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.
