Ages ago, I took a red eye to Hawaii with my then-boyfriend. We arrived in Honolulu at 7 am and found ourselves in a beachfront bar drinking Mai Tais and snacking on grilled chicken quesadillas. You can guess how this story unfolds: I married the boyfriend and decided that the quesadilla might indeed be the world’s best food.
Here’s why quesadillas are amazing:
- Easy. A basic quesadilla has two ingredients.
- Versatile. You can experiment with your favorite tortillas, cheese, protein, and veggies. You can also try different cooking methods, from the grill to the microwave.
- Fast. You can prepare a simple quesadilla in minutes, or even seconds if you already have shredded cheese.
- Forgiving. The fail rate of a quesadilla is very low since you need only melt cheese between tortillas.
- Weeknight-friendly. The quesadilla comes together quickly, and many kids love it. You can even serve it on paper plates with no utensils, so it’s easy to prepare and easy to clean up.
- Comforting. Few other ingredients satisfy as well as melted cheese.
- Economical. As of September 15, you can buy an 8 oz. bag of shredded cheese for $1.97 and 10 medium flour tortillas for $1.98 at Walmart. That will make you four quesadillas.
Use this guide to leverage the quesadilla in your weekly food menu without getting bored. I’ll cover different quesadilla cooking methods, tips for experimentation, and recipes to inspire your next melted cheese creation.
Quesadilla cooking methods: Stovetop, air fry, bake, grill, or microwave
You can cook a quesadilla with nearly any type of heating element, from cooktop to oven flame. Heck, you could probably use a hair dryer to melt the cheese if you wanted (though I have not tried this). Below is a breakdown of your cooking options with tips and timing for each.
Stovetop
- How to. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Put a tortilla in the skillet, cover it with shredded cheese, and top with a second tortilla. Flip halfway through the cook time.
- Timing. Shoot for cooking your quesadilla for 3 minutes on each side. Adjust depending on how crispy you like it.
- Tips. Add a tiny bit of oil to the pan for a crispier texture. If you’re using large tortillas and any ingredients besides cheese, use the plate method to flip: Place a dish over the quesadilla in the pan, hold the dish in place as you turn over the entire pan, so the quesadilla is now upside down on the dish. Slide the quesadilla back into the pan to cook its other side.
- Best for. Getting that crispy texture quickly and with minimal oil.
Air fry
- How to: Preheat the air fryer to 375°F or 190°C. Assemble your quesadilla and place it in the preheated air fryer.
- Timing: Air fry the quesadilla for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Tips: Use cooking spray on the outside of the quesadilla for extra texture.Let it cool for a minute before slicing.
- Best for: Great texture, but only an option for who have a large enough air fryer.
Bake
- How to: Preheat your over to 375°F or 190°C. Lightly coat a baking sheet with oil. Assemble the quesadilla on the baking sheet and place it in the heated oven.
- Timing: Bake for 5 minutes, flip, and cook for another five minutes.
- Tips: Line the sheet with foil for the easiest clean up.
- Best for: Great texture and easy cleanup.
Grill
- How to: Heat up your grill. Assemble the quesadilla and place it in a grill basket.
- Timing: Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
- Tips: Spray the tortilla with oil for extra crunch. Keep the quesadillas away from direct heat and close the BBQ lid to melt the cheese. Opt for cheese that goes well with the smoky charcoal flavor. Cheddar or Monterey jack are classic choices.
- Best for: Parties. Great texture and flavor.
Microwave
- How to: Assemble the quesadilla on a microwave-safe plate. Pop it in the microwave.
- Timing: Cook for 1 to 2 minutes and then check to see if the cheese is melted.
- Tips: If the cheese isn’t melted after 1 minute, continue cooking in 15-second increments until your quesadilla is ready. Use paper plates for a no-mess meal. If you want the crispy exterior texture, place the quesadilla in a hot, oiled skillet for 30 to 60 seconds on each side.
- Best for: The fastest, easiest way to prepare a quesadilla.
Quesadilla nutrition profile
A quesadilla made from 4 oz. of shredded cheddar cheese and two 8-inch Mission flour tortillas has:
- Calories: 750
- Fat: 43.9g
- Protein: 34.8g
- Carbs: 54.1g
- Cholesterol: 112.3 mg
Add 4 oz of chicken breast to the mix and the nutritional numbers are:
- Calories: 887
- Fat: 46.9g
- Protein 60.3g
- Carbs: 54.1g
- Cholesterol: 195mg
Creating your signature quesadilla
Quesadillas are fabulous for using leftovers and for experimenting with new flavor combinations. You can mix and match cooked proteins, cheeses, vegetables, starches, and seasonings below to create your signature dish.
Proteins
- Grilled chicken, pulled chicken, leftover chicken, rotisseries chicken
- Steak, roast beef, ground beef
- Pork, carnitas
- Leftover fish, crab meat, shrimp
- Tofu
- Scrambled eggs, sausage, or bacon for breakfast quesadillas
Cheeses
- Cheddar
- Jack
- Oaxaca
- Queso chihuahua
- Mozzarella
- Havarti
- Cream cheese (use along with another cheese for extra creaminess)
- Ricotta
- Goat cheese
Vegetables
- Grilled or roasted onions or peppers
- Scallions
- Sauteed mushrooms
- Cooked spinach
- Fresh or roasted tomatoes
- Pickled jalapenos
- Corn
- Beans
Starches
- Rice
- Potatoes
Seasonings
- Cilantro
- Chili powder
- Paprika
- Cumin
- Salt
Toppings
- Guacamole
- Salsa
- Sour cream
- BBQ sauce if you’re using pulled pork or another smoky meat as the protein
Easy weeknight quesadillas (no recipe needed)
Pick any one of the cooking methods described above and apply them to these classic quesadilla combos:
- Rotisserie chicken and shredded jack
- Leftover taco meat and shredded cheddar
- Leftover black beans or refried beans and shredded pepper jack
- Leftover pulled pork and cheddar or jack cheese
Delicious quesadillas that always impress
If you’d rather opt for a tried-and-true ingredient combination, try one of the recipes below. These are the most popular BlogChef quesadilla recipes:
- Applebees chicken quesadilla grande recipe. These bad boys are stuffed with chicken breast, bacon, Colby-jack cheese, and pico de gallo. Serve them with salsa and guacamole for a well-rounded and satisfying meal.
- Beef quesadilla recipe. This recipe mimics classic taco flavors, with ground beef, beans, seasonings, and Mexican cheese.
- Chicken bacon ranch quesadilla recipe. Five ingredients delivers a powerful flavor profile, and this dish is ready in minutes if you use leftovers.
- Steak quesadilla recipe. Steak, green pepper, onion, mushrooms, tomato, plus mozzarella and Italian seasoning is a combo you’ll crave once you try it.
- Alice Springs quesadilla recipe. Chicken, bacon, and sauteed mushrooms melted together with Colby-jack and served with honey-mustard dipping sauce. You can’t beat it.
