Cheese Quesadilla

Looking for a delicious and easy meal to start your day off right? Look no further than these cheese quesadillas loaded with fresh ingredients and authentic Mexican cheese - they're perfect as an appetizer or main course and can be made in just 15 minutes!

Contents

• 🌟 Why this recipe works
• 🍽 Key Ingredients
• 🔪 How to make
• 💭 Cooking tips
• 📖 Recipe Variations
• 🥗 What to serve with
• 🙋 Frequently asked questions
• 🧊 Storing and ♨️ reheating
• 🍳 Related recipes
• 👪 Serving size
• 📋 Recipe

🌟 Why this recipe works

This cheesy quesadilla recipe is so delicious and easy to make. The combination of two different types of Mexican cheese, green onions, grape tomatoes, and olives, makes for an incredibly flavorful dish.

The beauty of this recipe is that you can customize it to your tastes. Although it tastes so good with just melted cheese and crunchy fresh onion and tomato, you can also spice it up or add some protein like beans, chicken, or beef.

These cheese quesadillas are a great meal option for busy nights. Plus, it's a great way to use up any leftover tortillas or cheese you may have in the fridge. All you need is just 15 minutes, and you'll have a delicious meal ready to go.

Mexican recipes like these cheesy quesadillas and enchilada recipes like beef enchilada casserole or enchiladas Verdes are perfect for a family dinner, game night, and parties. They can be served as an appetizer or main dish.

So, if you're looking for a delicious and easy-to-make quesadilla, this cheese quesadilla is the perfect option. It's incredibly flavorful, customizable, and ready in just 15 minutes!

🍽 Key Ingredients

With just a few ingredients you probably already have in the fridge and pantry, you'll be ready to whip up this delicious cheese quesadilla recipe. Here's what you need:

Fresh ingredients - Chopped green onions, tomatoes, and black olives add a nice crunch and flavor to the quesadillas.

Shredded cheese - A combination of Mexican cheeses like Oaxaca and white cheese gives this dish a gooey melty cheese taste that everyone loves.

Seasoning - A sprinkle of Italian seasoning in these quesadillas gives them a delicious aromatic flavor, and the finishing touch of salt and pepper brings all the flavors together.

Flour tortillas - Using flour tortillas for this recipe is the best option as they are soft and brown nicely in the pan. You can use small or large ones for this recipe. Just make sure you have a large, based frying pan if you're using large burrito-style tortillas.

Substitutions

Flour tortillas

You can use flour or corn tortillas in this recipe. A corn tortilla will be slightly crunchier when cooked.

Cheese

It's best to use good melting cheese for quesadillas like Monterey Jack cheese, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, or Gouda cheese. You can also use a combination of cheeses if you prefer.

🔪 How to make

Making the best cheese quesadilla recipe doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming. This easy and simple recipe takes only 15 minutes of your time and delivers a delicious, flavorful Mexican-style dish that everyone will love.

Preparations

• Finely dice the fresh tomatoes, green onions, and black olives.
• Shred the cheese using a box grater.
• Remove the uncooked tortillas from the package to a plate.

Cooking instructions

Step 1
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Place 1 uncooked tortilla into the hot skillet.

Step 2
Spread shredded cheese on top, followed by..

Step 3
Diced tomatoes.

Step 4
Top with chopped green onions.

Step 5
And lastly the sliced of black olives.

Step 6
Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.

Step 7
Place another tortilla on top and cook for 2 to 3 minutes before flipping.

Step 8
Cook the other side for 2 to 3 minutes until it is golden brown.

Step 9
Transfer the tortilla to a chopping board and cut it into 4 pieces using a pizza cutter or sharp knife.

Step 10
Repeat the process with the remaining tortillas and ingredients. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Toppings suggestions: Guacamole, sour cream, fresh cilantro, salsa, queso dip, or Pico de Gallo

💭 Cooking tips

Shred your own cheese!

Using pre-shredded cheese doesn't melt as well as freshly grated cheese, as it is coated in cellulose to prevent clumping.

Make them crispy

If you want to make your quesadillas extra crispy, heat a spoonful of butter or olive oil in the skillet before you cook tortillas. This will give them a crispy exterior with a golden-brown color.

📖 Recipe Variations

If you want to upgrade your cheese quesadilla with some spice or meat, here are a few variations to try:

Ground beef quesadillas

Cook up 1 pound of ground beef and 1 can of black beans. Fill each tortilla with 2 tablespoons of the cooked ground beef mixture and enjoy. If you want to know which seasonings to add to your ground beef, check out our comprehensive guide on how to cook ground beef.

Spicy quesadillas

For a bit of heat, finely dice 2 jalapenos and place 3 or 4 slices on top of the cheese along with the tomatoes, onions, and olives, then sprinkle some chili powder on top instead of the Italian seasoning.

Chicken quesadillas

If you have any leftover shredded chicken from last night's dinner, mix 1 cup with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and Italian seasoning, and add 2 tablespoons of the mixture to each cheese quesadilla.

🥗 What to serve with

If you're making these delicious cheese quesadillas as part of a Mexican dinner, we have some more delicious recipes you can combine with them.

Mexican lasagna

This easy Mexican lasagna recipe is perfect to pair with a quesadilla. It's layered in the same form as traditional lasagna but uses tortillas instead of pasta and has a spicy enchilada sauce.

Chicken flautas

Another Mexican classic dish that combines crispy chicken rolled tortillas with a creamy avocado dip. This crispy chicken flautas recipe is great for a Mexican dinner because the homemade avocado crema is a delicious creamy dip for the flautas, the cheese quesadillas, and any other Mexican dish.

Soup

What would a Mexican dinner be without a classic Sopa de Fideo? It's a simple tomato-based soup flavored with garlic, onion, chicken stock, and Fideo pasta. If you're looking for something with more oomph, try one of these 30 best Mexican soup recipes.

Other recipes like baked beef empanadas, Mexican spring rolls, or Mexican pizzas are also worthy contenders to serve with traditional quesadillas.

🙋 Frequently asked questions

🧊 Storing and ♨️ reheating

It's easy to store and reheat any leftovers you may have once the quesadillas cool completely.

Fridge - Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Freezer - You can freeze quesadillas for up to 3 months. Wrap them individually in foil and place them in a freezer bag to prevent freezer burn.

Reheating - Reheat quesadillas in a skillet over medium heat until the cheese has melted and the tortilla is lightly golden. You can also reheat them in the oven at 375°F (190°C) for 10 minutes or in a microwave for 1 to 2 minutes.

If you have an air fryer, you can reheat them in the air fryer basket for 3 to 4 minutes. Air frying them gives you the best crispy cheese quesadillas. You may need to reheat each cheese quesadilla one at a time.

🍳 Related recipes

If you're looking for more delicious Mexican dishes, why not try one of our 30 authentic Mexican ground beef recipes or one of our 30 easy Mexican breakfast recipes? There's something for everyone in this collection of tasty Mexican cuisine!

👪 Serving size

This cheese quesadilla recipe makes 4 large quesadillas, which can easily be shared between 2-4 people, depending on your appetite.

With the right ingredients and a few simple steps, you can enjoy a delicious cheese quesadilla in no time. Bon appetit!

Love this appetizer recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.

Try one of my comfort appetizer recipes for your next family meal! And if you have any questions, I'm here to help!

📋 Recipe