Quesadillas With Cheese
Delicious cheese quesadilla loaded with melted cheese and topped with 4 Ingredient Guacamole and Pico de Gallo. Upgrade your quesadilla with cheese and turn it into our popular Carne Asada Quesadilla or Quesadilla with Steak. Top it with your favorite Tacos Toppings.
More Mexican Recipes and Carne Asada Recipes – Carne Asada Fries, Street Tacos, Tacos al Carbon and Mexican Shrimp Cocktail.
Ingredients
Quesadilla recipes require minimal ingredients as well as minimal time to make. This queso quesadilla recipe requires just ten minutes and two ingredients: cheese and flour tortillas (store bought or homemade flour tortillas).
Queso Quesadilla
You can use almost any “meltable” cheese. Fantastic cheese options include: Mexican cheese blend, Monterey jack, Colby, cheddar, gouda, pepper jack or even Oaxaca. Mix and match as you see fit for your Cinco de Mayo menu!
How to Make A Cheese Quesadilla
Only a few short minutes stand between you and cheez-y goodness!
- Spread 1/2 – 3/4 cup of cheese evenly over 1 side of the tortilla.
- Fold over and cook for about 3-4 minutes per side, until the cheese is melted through out.
- Top the tortilla with your favorite toppings and get to grubbing!
Crispy Tortilla Crust
For an extra crispy crust, add 1/2 tbsp of butter to the hot pan, and let it melt, then add a stuffed tortilla to the pan. Repeat between batches.
You can also use oil, but it doesn’t beat a buttery tortilla shell.
Topping Ideas
The topping we use in this Mexican favorite are typical for San-Diego Mexican food. There are a ton of other toppings that would be killer. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Salsa Recipes or Hot Sauce
- Pickled Banana Peppers
- Pickled Red Onions
- Mango Pico de Gallo
- Mexican Crema
- Smoked Queso
- Shredded Lettuce
- Cilantro
- Fresh Lime Slices
- Green Onions
Add Some Protein
Looking to bulk up your meal? Here are some Mexican-flavored proteins that would be amazing stuffed inside. Almost any protein leftovers can be diced and thrown in with success. Make sure to check out our printable griddle cooking temperature chart.
- Carne Asada
- Achiote Chicken
- Instant Pot Carnitas
- Pollo Asado
- Birria
- Camarónes a la Diabla
- Mexican Potatoes (vegetarian option)
Flavor Combinations
There are many ingredients that pair together really well to take your quesadilla with cheese to the next level. Here are a few popular combinations we think you’ll enjoy:
Pizza Quesadilla – add pizza seasoning, pepperoni, sausage and mozzarella
Hawaiian – add bacon, ham, diced pineapple with mozzarella
Fajita Quesadilla – add bell peppers, onions and pepper jack cheese
Pulled Pork Quesadilla – add pulled pork, BBQ sauce, red onions, and mozzarella
Vegetarian – cooked zucchini, mushrooms and bell pepper with Monterey jack
Breakfast Quesadilla – add diced ham, bacon or sausage with cheddar cheese
Steak Quesadilla – Throw in leftover steak with any cheese
Jack O Lantern – Come Halloween, check out how to turn this cheese quesadilla into Jack O Lantern Quesadillas.
Or just kick back with a Bourbon Margarita and call it a day with just cheese!
Side Dish Ideas
Fully loaded tortillas don’t need a side, but if you’re serving them at a party or splitting with friends, you may want to amp up the menu! Here are some side dish ideas:
- Chips and Salsa
- Refried Beans
- Mexican Rice
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Mexican Pickled Carrots
Expert Tips
- Avoid pre-shredded bagged cheese as the coating prohibits the cheese from melting properly.
- A healthy level of cheese is in each serving. To reduce calories, take it down to as little as a 1/4 cup of cheese.
- Keep cheese about 1/4″ – 1/2″ from the edges of the tortilla. The cheese will spread as it melts.
- Use a pizza cutter to quickly and easily cut into wedges.
- Serve with a side of Chipotle Crema or even Sriracha Aioli .
Mexican Drinks
Here are some Mexican drinks that would pair extremely well with this dish:
Mexican Mule
Corona Sunrise
Michelada
Mexican Candy Shot
Cheese Quesadilla Recipe
Ingredients
Quesadillas:
- 4 flour tortilla, soft taco size
- 2-3 cups shredded cheese (*Note 1)
- 2 tbsp butter (optional for extra crispy crust)
Optional Toppings:
Instructions
Quesadilla:
- Pre-heat a cast iron skillet or non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- Place the tortilla on a flat surface. Add 1/2-3/4 cup of cheese to one side of the tortilla. Keep the cheese about 1/4" from the edge of the tortilla. Fold the tortilla in half ensuring the edges line up.
- OPTIONAL STEP: For an extra crispy tortilla crust, add 1/2 tbsp of butter to the pan. Let melt before continuing to the next step.
- Carefully transfer the quesadilla to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes per side if using butter. If not using butter, cook for 3-4 minutes per side until the cheese is melted throughout. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Repeat until all the quesadillas have been cooked.
- Slice each quesadilla in half and top with your favorite toppings.
