How to Make Quesadillas

How to Make Quesadillas

Everyone loves quesadillas. They're crispy, melty, have endless options for fillings, and are quick and easy to make. There are multiple ways to cook a quesadilla: grilling, sautéing, and broiling all work well. You have to pay attention when you are making quesadillas—they go from golden brown to burned quickly. The recipes below all call for making them in a pan, but you can easily broil or grill them instead.

We recommend cooking the first tortilla on its own before you fill the quesadillas. It saves you the skilled chore of flipping them which can result in a big mess. Make sure to really chop up any ingredients you use for filling so that it stays put inside the tortillas.

Quesadillas make a great lunch on their own or paired with a salad for dinner. They also make excellent appetizers—festive, shareable, and easy. If you want to make a party out of it, put out different bowls of shredded cheese and various fillings and let everyone get creative filling their own quesadillas.

Use these recipes as a guide to and for filling inspiration. The possibilities are endless!

Arugula, Chicken, and Cheddar Quesadillas With Salsa

This is a great way to make use of leftover cooked chicken. A store-bought rotisserie chicken works perfectly, too. Arugula adds a nice sharp bite, but you can use watercress or spinach instead. Add the greens at the end so that they stay fresh but still wilt a bit from the heat of the quesadilla.

For each quesadilla:

• Optional: 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (or canola oil)
• 2 (8-inch) flour tortillas
• 1/3 cup sharp cheddar (shredded)
• 1/3 cup chicken (cooked and shredded)
• 1/2 cup arugula (roughly chopped)
• Salsa (to serve)

1. Heat a skillet with the oil (if using) over medium-high heat.
2. Place a tortilla flat in the pan and watch it carefully until it turns golden brown on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes. A dark brown bubble here or there is fine. Remove and set it aside.
3. Place the other tortilla in the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Sprinkle the cheese over the tortilla, and distribute the shredded chicken over the cheese. Cook until the cheese is melted and the underside is browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Sprinkle the arugula over the quesadilla. Place the toasted tortilla on top of the filling, uncooked side down. Remove the quesadilla to a cutting board and let sit for a minute before you slicing into 6 wedges. Serve with salsa.

Blue Cheese and Bacon Quesadilla With Pickled Onions

You can use sautéed onions instead of pickled, but the pickled onions take just minutes to make, keep forever in the fridge, and add a nice piquant taste to this rich quesadilla.

For each quesadilla:

• Optional: 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (or canola oil)
• 2 (8-inch) flour tortillas
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese (softened)
• 1/4 cup blue cheese (crumbled)
• 1 to 2 strips bacon (cooked and roughly crumbled)
• 1/4 cup pickled onions (see note)

1. Heat a skillet with the oil (if using) over medium-high heat.
2. Place a tortilla flat in the pan and watch it carefully until it turns golden brown on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes. A dark brown bubble here or there is fine. Remove and set it aside.
3. Spread the cream cheese evenly over the uncooked tortilla and place it—cream cheese side up—in the pan. Reduce the heat to medium. Sprinkle the blue cheese and the bacon evenly over the tortilla. Cook until the cheese is melted and the underside is browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Place the toasted tortilla on top of the filling, uncooked side down. Remove the quesadilla to a cutting board and let the quesadilla sit for a minute before slicing into 6 wedges. Serve with pickled onions.

Note: To make pickled onions, cut 2 red onions in half lengthwise before thinly slicing them cross-wise. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the onions, simmer for 1 minute, then drain. Place the onions back into the pot, add 1 cup of cider vinegar and a teaspoon of salt, and return to a boil. Boil for a couple of minutes and then let cool. Place the onions and vinegar in a jar and store in the fridge for up to 6 months.  

Quesadilla With Sautéed Leeks, Roasted Broccoli, and Mixed Cheeses

Mix up this quesadilla recipe to suit your tastes. You can use onions instead of leeks, cauliflower or peppers instead of broccoli, Monterey Jack or fontina cheese instead of a Mexican blend. You can steam or sauté the vegetables instead of roasting them. This is a boilerplate recipe for a vegetable quesadilla, so go nuts!

For each quesadilla:

• Optional: 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (or canola oil)
• 2 (8-inch) flour tortillas
• 1/3 cup Mexican cheese blend (shredded)
• 1/4 cup leeks (sautéed)
• 1/3 cup broccoli (chopped and roasted)
• Sour cream (to serve)

1. Heat a skillet with the oil (if using) over medium-high heat.
2. Place a tortilla flat in the pan and watch it carefully until it turns golden brown on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes. A dark brown bubble here or there is fine. Remove and set it aside.
3. Place the uncooked tortilla in the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Sprinkle the cheese over the tortilla, then distribute the leeks and broccoli evenly over the cheese. Cook until the cheese is melted and the underside is browned for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Place the toasted tortilla on top of the filling, uncooked side down. Remove the quesadilla to a cutting board and let sit for a minute before you slice into 6 wedges. Serve with sour cream.

Quesadillas With Chili, Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Sour Cream

Turn your leftover chili—whether it's meat, turkey, or veggie—into a whole new dish. You’ll also want to bring out the chili toppings, like chopped scallions and tomatoes, shredded cheeses, salsa, and sour cream.

For each quesadilla:

• Optional: 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (or canola oil)
• 2 (8-inch) flour tortillas

• 1/3 cup cheddar cheese (shredded, or Monterey Jack)
• 1/3 cup chili
• Chopped tomatoes (optional)
• Chopped scallions (optional)
• Sour cream (to serve)
• Salsa (to serve)

1. Heat a skillet with the oil (if using) over medium-high heat.
2. Place a tortilla flat in the pan and watch it carefully until it turns golden brown on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes. A dark brown bubble here or there is fine. Remove and set it aside.
3. Place the uncooked tortilla in the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Sprinkle the cheese over the quesadilla and distribute the chili over the cheese. Sprinkle some chopped tomatoes or scallions if using. Cook until the cheese is melted and the underside is browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Place the cooked tortilla on top of the filling, uncooked side down. Remove the quesadilla to a cutting board and let sit for a minute before you slice into 6 wedges. Serve with sour cream and/or salsa.

Asparagus, Feta, and Mozzarella Quesadilla With Chipotle Mayonnaise

Mozzarella provides the creamy meltiness so delightful in a quesadilla, and feta offers up a salty and pungent flavor. Use leftover roasted or steamed asparagus in this. The easy chipotle mayonnaise dip is a mainstay in my fridge, as it’s great with cold poached shrimp, roasted potatoes, sandwiches, and this quesadilla, among other things.

For each quesadilla:

• Optional: 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (or canola oil)
• 2 (8-inch) flour tortillas

• 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)
• 1/4 cup feta cheese (crumbled)
• 1/3 cup asparagus (cooked, 1-inch pieces)
• Chipotle mayonnaise (to serve, see note)

1. Heat a skillet with the oil (if using) over medium-high heat.
2. Place a tortilla flat in the pan and watch it carefully until it turns golden brown on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes. A dark brown bubble here or there is fine. Remove and set it aside.
3. Place the uncooked tortilla in the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Sprinkle the cheeses evenly over the quesadilla and distribute the asparagus over the cheese. Cook until the cheese is melted and the underside is browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Place the cooked tortilla on top of the filling, uncooked side down. Remove the quesadilla to a cutting board and let sit for a minute before you slice into 6 wedges. Serve with the chipotle mayo.

Note: To make the chipotle mayo: In a small bowl, combine 1/2 teaspoon finely minced garlic, 1 teaspoon chipotle puree, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir until blended. This keeps in the fridge for up to a month.