Description
The Ultimate Quesadilla is a simple yet delicious recipe featuring large flour tortillas loaded with melted cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese and your choice of fresh fillings like mushrooms, green onions, olives, tomatoes, and chicken. Cooked in a skillet to achieve a perfectly browned, crispy exterior and gooey cheese interior, this quesadilla is served with a tangy lettuce salad dressed with apple cider vinegar and salt. It’s a versatile and satisfying meal ideal for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Quesadilla Ingredients
- 1 large flour tortilla
- Handful of grated cheese (mild or sharp cheddar, or Monterey Jack)
- 1/2 teaspoon olive oil or butter
- Sliced mushrooms (optional)
- Chopped green onions (optional)
- Black olives, sliced (optional)
- Fresh tomatoes, diced (optional)
- Cooked diced chicken pieces (optional)
- Salt, to taste
Accompaniment
- Iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced
- Apple cider vinegar, to sprinkle
- Salt, to sprinkle
- Salsa, for serving
- Sour cream, for serving
- Guacamole, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the skillet: Place a large skillet, preferably cast iron, on medium-high heat. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil or butter and spread it evenly over the surface with a spatula.
- Warm the tortilla: Place one large flour tortilla in the hot skillet. Flip it over every 10 seconds or so, about 3-4 times, until air pockets start forming within the tortilla.
- Add cheese and fillings: Sprinkle a handful of grated cheese evenly over the tortilla, taking care not to let cheese touch the pan. Add your chosen fillings such as green onions, sliced mushrooms, olives, diced tomatoes, or cooked diced chicken. Avoid layering too thickly to ensure even heating.
- Melt the cheese: Reduce the heat to low and cover the skillet. Let the residual heat melt the cheese and brown the tortilla. If the pan starts smoking, remove from heat briefly. Check every minute until the cheese is melted.
- Flip the quesadilla: Once the cheese is melted, use a spatula to lift one side and fold it over the other, like an omelette. The tortilla should be lightly browned. If not, raise heat to high and flip every 10 seconds until browned.
- Prepare the lettuce salad: Thinly slice iceberg lettuce and sprinkle with apple cider vinegar and salt to taste.
- Serve: Plate the quesadilla alongside the dressed lettuce, salsa, sour cream, and guacamole. Enjoy your delicious homemade quesadilla!
Notes
- This technique creates quesadillas with perfectly melted cheese and a crispy tortilla.
- Feel free to customize with your favorite fillings like sautéed veggies or different meats.
- Don’t overfill the quesadilla to ensure even cooking and melting.
- Using a cast iron skillet helps achieve a nicely browned, crispy finish.
- Serve immediately for best texture and flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 quesadilla with accompaniment
- Calories: 407 kcal
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 603 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 17 g
- Cholesterol: 56 mg
