In this kitchen we call it a quesadillas anytime we fold one or more ingredients in a flour tortilla or between two corn tortillas, and heat until brown and crispy. Just about anything can be used to make a quesadilla, but more on that later. All in all quesadillas are so quick and easy to throw together making them perfect for a fast breakfast, lunch or supper – for one person, two people, a family or a party. They can actually be somewhat healthy depending on the ingredients you use, or more importantly – the ingredients you leave out.
So what’s in your quesadillas? Please share with us your favorite quesadilla recipe or provide a link to your favorite. Following are two of my old stand-by quesadilla recipes.
Black Bean and Corn Quesadilla Recipe
Serves: 4
Prep and Cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 can black beans, drained
1 cup cooked corn
½ cup onion, finely chopped
½ cup bell pepper, finely chopped
¼ cup chopped green chile
1 cup grated cheese (cheddar or Monterey Jack)
1 Tbsp. fresh cilantro or basil, chopped
4 large flour tortillas
Toppings
Pico de gallo – chopped tomatoes, onion, jalapeno (fresh or pickled)
Sour cream or sour cream substitute
Instructions
- Heat up a cast iron griddle over medium heat.
- Place all ingredients (except for tortillas and toppings) in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
- Place a tortilla on the griddle and spread some of the vegetables on half of the tortilla. Fold and cook until one side of the tortilla is toasty brown and crisp. Flip and cook the other side.
- Repeat with the remaining 3 tortillas.
- Top each bite with a little sour cream and pico de gallo.
Sometimes I’ll not fold the tortillas, but leave them flat and make one quesadilla with two tortillas. This works fine when you have only a few ingredients, otherwise, flipping them can be quite difficult because the filling falls out if you’re not careful. Once it’s cooked, I’ll cut the quesadilla in half.
Egg Quesadilla Recipe (aka Tortilla Egg Sandwich) for 1
This quesadilla makes a great breakfast or lunch – quick, easy, tasty and a great protein kick.
Ingredients
1 flour tortilla (8”) or 2 corn tortillas (I use whichever I have)
4 to 6 thin slices of cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, mozzarella or your choice)
½ tsp. Jamaican Jerk seasoning (be careful – this is HOT stuff!)*
1 fried egg with a fully cooked yolk
*substitutions – chopped green chile, 1 Tbsp. thick red chile sauce, 1 Tbsp. salsa (drained) – You don’t want your spicy ingredient runny unless you want a really messy quesadilla.
Instructions
- Heat up a cast iron griddle over a medium heat.
- In a small skillet, fry an egg until the yolk is cooked. I usually break the yolk – on purpose – when I crack the egg into the pan.
- While the egg is frying, spread the jerk seasoning evenly on the tortilla(s).
- Place the flour tortilla on the griddle (or one corn tortilla). Place the slices of cheese on the tortilla. (Corn tortilla – place 2 to 3 slices on the tortilla.)
- Place the cooked egg on one half of the flour tortilla and fold in half. (Corn tortilla – place the egg in the middle of the tortilla, top with the rest of the cheese and then the other corn tortilla).
- Cook until toasted and crispy. Flip and cook the other side until toasted and crispy. Serve.
We don’t use a side, because the flavor of the Jamaican Jerk seasoning is too good to cover up – not that you really could cover it up.
Kitchen Notes
Ingredients – A quesadilla can be vegan, vegetarian, or a meat lover’s supreme. All it takes is about a cup of chopped vegetables and precooked meat, if desired, and a touch of cheese (to hold it all together). Of course if you are vegan, omit the cheese.
Corn tortillas or flour tortillas? It doesn’t matter –we use whatever is in the fridge and we ALWAYS have one or the other.
Jamaican Jerk Seasoning – my favorites are Walkerswood and Carib – oh so HOT, but oh so GOOD.
Toppings – pico de gallo, your favorite salsa, guacamole, sour cream, or sour cream substitute, or nothing at all. We sometimes use a sour cream substitute (like Tofutti) with a little garlic paste, minced jalapeno, cilantro and green onion. This topping is especially good with our crab and red chile quesadillas.
Cooking method – Fry, grill, toast under the broiler, or my method, heat on a hot cast iron griddle.
So what’s in your quesadillas?
This post has been shared with the following blog hops. Please sure to click on the links to see many more delicious recipes.
Full Plate Thursday, Midweek Fiesta, Breakfast Ideas Mondays, Gluten-Free Wednesdays (with corn tortillas)
The Egg Q
uesadilla Recipe was highlighted at Gluten-Free Wednesday’s Egg Blog Hop.
Love love love quesadillas! I have never thought of using Jamaican jerk seasoning, sounds delicious. I recent fell in love with goat’s cheese and these Mediterranean Shrimp and Goat’s Cheese quesadillas are to DIE for!– http://savourthesensesblog.com/shrimp-goat-cheese-quesadillas/
I got the idea from Granite City Restaurant but I make them at home all the time. Leftover (or frozen Fridays brand) spinach and artichoke dip and crab meat, a little corn and black bean and finely chopped red onion. So so delicious.
Both of these recipes sound wonderful! Definitely will be giving them both a try because I LOVE quesadillas, if you haven’t figured that out already. -:) Thanks!
Hi! ur Quesadillas looks fantastic!! super like thanks for stopping my space u have lovely space too. Thanks for sharing this.
Daksha, Thanks for stopping by and for your nice comments!
Mmm…Your black bean and corn quesadilla is pretty much my standard. Another one I really love (stolen from my local Tex-Mex place) is a flour tortilla with Monterray Jack cheese, tomatoes, and avocados. Simple and delish.
It’s hard to go wrong with Tex-Mex! Sounds good! Thanks!
Hmmm, quesadillas are so good…and its close to lunchtime here.
I like mine with cheese inside, and with a avocado salsa on the side.
I’ve never put avocado “inside” a quesadilla, but looks like many of you do. I’ll have to give it a try. Thanks!
Our quesadilla recipe is very similar. I agree with you – if you put an ingredient in it and fold the tortilla over – it’s a quesadilla. However, if I’m not making it – whoever DOES make it can call it what they want!
Here’s my link: http://www.cookinghealthyforme.com/2011/05/confetti-quesadillas-also-known-as.html
This looks wonderful! I have pesto in a tube, but I’ve never seen cilantro in a tube. I’ll have to keep an eye out for it. Thanks for the link!
Looks delicious – I haven’t had a quesadilla in ages! the last one I tried was smoked salmon and dill cream cheese. I’ll have to make another one soon!
Smoked salmon and dill cream cheese sounds pretty darn good!
ok…these quesadilla recipes sound fantastic!!! definitely trying them soon!
I’m so going to try the egg quesadilla! That looks like it’d make a phenomenal breakfast.
Honestly my favorite quesadilla has always been just cheddar cheese in a tortilla fried until it’s nice and crispy and then dipped in salsa. So healthy, right? LOL.
Your presentation of the Quesadilla is so pretty. This is an awesome recipe that we would just love! Hope you have a fabulous week end and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
I’m definitely going to try this recipe! My boyfriend loves quesadilla so thanks for the recipe
This would be such a yummy breakfast! Thanks for sharing at Breakfast Ideas Mondays!
It looks good and sounds like a great breakfast.
I like to use either a spinach&herb tortilla or tomato basil tortilla, chedder cheese, chicken or turkey, chopped cilantro, chopped green onion, garlic powder, cumin, oregano and red chili powder (I use Chimayo red chili powder from New Mexico). Heat them in a pan until both sides are browned, makes from some AWESOME quesadillas. Now I’m going to have to have them tonight lol!
Erik, sounds like a great quesadilla!