Quesadilla

A tortilla folded on cheese on a hot comal — Mexico City may put no cheese in some, but this one does.

Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.

Start cooking
Measurement system
Prep
5 min
Cook
8 min
Rest
None
Total
13 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Spice
No chilli
Cost
Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price
Quesadilla

About

A quesadilla is a folded tortilla cooked on a dry pan until the cheese melts. Corn in the centre of the country; flour in the north. Mushrooms, squash blossom, or nothing but cheese. This is not a grilled cheese with a Mexican sticker, and it is not a burrito.

What you'll need

4 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.

0 of 4 ready
2 servings

Ingredients

Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.

Steps

  1. Step 1

    Heat a dry pan. Warm a tortilla, add cheese (and mushrooms if using), fold, and cook both sides until the cheese runs and the tortilla spots.

    6 min

  2. Step 2

    Salsa on the side. Eat hot.

Nutrition

Per serving · estimate

Calories
314 kcal
Protein
18.1 g
Carbs
31.5 g
Fat
13.9 g
Saturated fat
8.2 g
Fibre
4.5 g
Sugar
2.6 g
Sodium
402 mg

Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.

Allergens

Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.

  • Milk
  • Vegetarian

Adapt this recipe

The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.

Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 10 November.

Substitutions

  • Corn tortilla → Flour tortilla

    Different region, same snack.

Tips

  • A raw tortilla pressed on a comal is the market version if you have masa.
  • Flour tortillas are northern and valid.

History & culture

Street stalls, school snacks, the thing you make when there is a tortilla and a bit of cheese. CDMX arguments about cheese-less quesadillas are real and we are not settling them here.

The name says cheese. Regional practice disagrees, which is how living food works.

Traditional

Provenance: Editorial adaptation.

Questions about this recipe

Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.

How long does Quesadilla take?

13 min all in — 5 min prep, 8 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.

How many does it serve?

The recipe is written for 2 quesadillas. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.

How hard is it?

Very easy.

How spicy is it?

No chilli.

What allergens should I watch?

This recipe is labelled for Milk. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.

Does it fit a diet?

The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian.

6 more questions
What does it cost to cook?

Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.

What equipment do I need?

Frying pan, Comal or dry skillet.

How much salt do I put in?

This recipe does not list a salt amount. We will not invent one.

What can I use instead?

Corn tortilla → Flour tortilla. Different region, same snack.

Any tips from this recipe?

A raw tortilla pressed on a comal is the market version if you have masa. Flour tortillas are northern and valid.

Can I use an air fryer?

This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.

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