Quesadillas

These quesadillas are a great crowd-pleaser. Serve them as appetizers, snacks, or a light meal. Eat them as is or dip them in salsa. They make a great game-day snack!

Quesadillas are one of the easiest things you can make. I hadn’t planned to give this recipe center stage, but I ran into someone who had never made them, so I decided to give them their due. If you fall in that category, never fear, you can become a quesadilla aficionado in mere minutes. Add these little delights to your quick meal list and you’ll never look back.

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Quesadillas are super versatile. I used only veggies and cheese in the ones I made, but you can make them with shrimp, chicken, or other protein, even beans. If you’re vegan, you can stick with veggies and/or beans and use vegan cheese. Flour tortillas work better than the corn ones but look around at the tortilla selection in your store. Many options are available now, including mixed grains and low carb.

Ingredients

The picture below shows the ingredients needed for spinach mushroom quesadillas and squash ones. At the very least, you’ll need soft tortillas and cheese. Cumin is my favorite savory thing, so I always sprinkle it on my quesadillas, but you can add other spices. If you like things spicy, try some chili powder. I usually add fresh cilantro, but that’s optional.

Making Quesadillas

First, you need to cut up the veggies so they’ll lay flat on the tortilla. If you use spinach, you don’t need to cut it up or cook it.

Saute the Vegetables

Sauteing the vegetables adds a step, but it also adds flavor and keeps the moisture of the veggies from making the tortilla soggy. Cook the mushrooms and onions for a few minutes in a skillet with some light oil before you add them to the tortillas.

Assemble the Quesadillas

After you’ve cooked the vegetables (except for the spinach), you’re ready for assembly. If you have kids who like to cook and a pair of tongs for the hot veggies, put an apron on them and get them to help with the assembly process.

You can put these together right in the skillet. If you have a griddle, you can do more than one at a time. The picture below shows the sequence.

1. First, put the plain tortilla in the skillet and sprinkle some Mexican blend cheese on the tortilla.
2. Add the mushrooms and onions.
3. Shake a dusting of cumin on top of the ingredients.
4. Grab a handful of fresh spinach out of a pre-packaged bag and put it on top of the mushrooms and onions.
5. Sprinkle on more cheese.
6. Finally, put another tortilla on top of all the veggies and cheese. The cheese is the “glue” that holds the tortillas together.

Cook the Quesadillas

Turn the heat to medium and cook each side for 4-5 minutes. Lift the edge of the tortilla after three minutes to make sure they’re not getting too brown. They cook pretty fast. When they’re brown enough for you, use a spatula to flip them over, and brown them on the other side. After cooking them, slide the quesadillas onto a cutting board and cut them into triangles.

You’ll find that some restaurants cook them in oil. I prefer to cook quesadillas in a non-stick skillet without any oil. That makes them somewhat crispy. If you want to use oil, try them that way. As I said, these are versatile, so make them your way. Serve them with chips and salsa, like our avocado tomatillo salsa. A bowl of beans makes this a more filling meal.

We frequently make squash quesadillas too. You can use zucchini, calabaza, or yellow squash. The process is the same as it is for making the mushroom spinach ones. Cut the squash into rounds, chop some onion, and saute these ingredients for a few minutes.

After adding the cheese to the tortilla, arrange the squash and onion on the tortilla, Sprinkle the spice of your choice, add a bit more cheese, and top it with another tortilla. Cook each side for 4 – 5 minutes and serve.

Quesadillas make a quick meal for a couple, or you can make several for a crowd. Be sure to have some chips and salsa on hand. Cut into triangles, they make for a fun, casual meal or snack.