The Best Flavor-Packed Cheese Quesadilla

This classic cheese quesadilla has the best combination of melty cheese, umami-filled mushrooms, and spicy jalapenos for the best flavor and texture around.

Serves: 4        Time: 20 minutes        Cookbook: Rick Bayless Online

Cheese quesadillas are the stuff that makes life happy. My wife and I turn to this fast, easy, and semi-healthy Mexican comfort food frequently when we need a mid-day snack, an accompaniment for dinner, or when planning food to serve friends or family.

There are plenty of recipes out there, but today’s comes from the guru of Mexican cuisine, Rick Bayless. If anyone knows how to make a quesadilla, it’s Rick! He’s traveled the length and breadth of Mexico, learning the cuisine and discovering the best of the best recipes from chefs and home cooks alike.

What makes today’s recipe special is the unique combination of melty cheese, umami-boosting mushrooms, and spicy jalapenos that create a quesadilla you can’t get enough of. Let’s get cooking!

Jump Ahead:

• ❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• 🧀 Ingredients Needed to Make this Cheese Quesadilla
• 🍴 Equipment You’ll Need in the Kitchen
• 🥄 How to Make this Cheese Quesadilla
• ♾️ Variations on this Cheese Quesadilla Recipe
• ❓ Cheese Quesadilla: Tips, Tricks, and FAQs

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Flavor Packed: These cheesy packages of goodness are filled with flavor and tons of umami – that meaty flavor that makes you go “Mmmm!” The jalapenos give it just the right amount of spice!

Easy: If you’re looking for easy recipes, look no further. This is a super easy cheese quesadilla recipe, and it has become our favorite option for making quick quesadillas for lunch, get-togethers, or just because. They’re excellent appetizers!

Simple: This classic Mexican dish is made with a very simple recipe. You need only a few simple ingredients, many of which you might already have in your pantry or refrigerator!

Ingredients Needed to Make this Cheese Quesadilla

• Corn Tortillas: If possible, purchase fresh corn tortillas from a Mexican market near you. The flavor will be well worth the trip! Otherwise, go with a good brand from your local grocery store. If no corn tortillas are available, flour will work in a pinch.
• Mexican Melting Cheese: Melty cheese is ideal for this recipe. Pick shredded cheese like Monterey jack cheese or Mexican cheese blends.
• Mushrooms: Any mushrooms will work, but button or shiitake will boost the flavor.
• Jalapenos: Jalapenos give this dish a nice zing without making it too hot.
• Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil or another neutral vegetable oil like grapeseed oil is perfect for crisping up the tortillas.
• Cilantro: You’ll want one small bunch of fresh cilantro. Dried really won’t work for this recipe.
• Salsa: Choose for favorite salsa for serving with the quesadillas.
• Salt: Kosher or sea salt is ideal.

Equipment Needed In the Kitchen

12-Inch Skillet

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Mixing Bowls

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Serving Plate

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Spatula

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Rimmed Sheet Pan

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• Large Skillet: Choose a good nonstick skillet or a very well-seasoned cast iron skillet large enough to hold one pound of sliced mushrooms before they cook down. A 12-inch skillet should be sufficient.
• Mixing Bowls: Have a couple of bowls at your disposal for this recipe. It makes cooking a breeze when your mushroom mixture is in one, and your cheese is in another when assembling the quesadillas.
• Serving Plate: This is optional, but I swear, serving these up to your family or friends on nicely laid-out plate makes them taste even better.
• Spatula: A spatula will help you flip the corn tortillas as the quesadilla melts and cooks.

How to Make this Cheese Quesadilla

Get ready to make the best quesadillas every with this fool-proof recipe from Rick Bayless!

Make the filling

First up, it’s time to make the delicious, spicy mushroom filling!

Clean and slice the mushrooms. If you purchase pre-sliced mushrooms, you can skip this step.

Next, remove the stem and de-seed the jalapenos. Then, slice them fine.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. When the pan and oil heat up, add the sliced mushrooms and sliced jalapenos.

Stir, then cover and cook for 1 minute. Repeat this several times until the mushrooms release a lot of liquid, about five minutes.

Once the mushrooms have released their liquid, simmer uncovered for a few more minutes until all the liquid evaporates.

Chop up the cilantro, then add it to the mix once there is no more liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Place the filling in a bowl, and set aside.

Assemble and cook the quesadillas

Carefully wipe the pan clean with a paper towel, then add another drizzle of olive oil to the bottom of the frying pan and place it back over medium heat.

Place one half of the tortilla into the pan, then add cheese and a few tablespoons of the mushroom mixture to that half of the tortilla.

Place a second tortilla on top, and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. Lift the quesadilla and add a drizzle of olive oil to the pan, then flip the quesadilla so the bottom tortilla is now on top. Continue flipping every few minutes until the uncooked tortillas become nice and crispy and the cheese melts.

After you make each perfect cheese quesadilla, place quesadillas on a baking sheet and pop them into the oven on the lowest setting to keep warm. This will help prevent the melted cheese from hardening and keep each side of the tortilla nice and crispy.

Repeat this process until you have four delicious quesadillas.

Serve the quesadillas

Once the last tortilla cooks, cut all the tortillas into quarters with a pizza cutter and serve! If serving family-style, lay tortillas on a platter in a decorative pattern, then sprinkle extra chopped cilantro and oaxaca cheese over the top half of each tortilla.

Serve this traditional Mexican quesadilla with sour cream, extra filling, and salsa on the side.

Variations on this Cheese Quesadilla Recipe

These quesadillas are absolutely amazing! But if you have friends or family members who aren’t fans of mushrooms or spice, then you’ll want to switch it up. Here are several variations to try!

Simple Cheese Quesadilla: Make a few quesadillas with just cheese for the choosiest of eaters. Pick your favorite kind of cheese, including authentic Mexican cheese, pepper jack cheese, mozzarella cheese, colby jack, and cheddar cheese.

Fully Loaded Quesadilla: In addition to the mushroom filling, consider adding black beans, corn, and diced carnitas, carne asada, or chicken. Add any of your other favorite fillings, too! If you go for this version, you might want flour tortillas instead of corn. A large flour tortilla will hold more than corn tortillas can.

Air Fryer Quesadillas: Don’t have a lot of time? Pop your fully assembled quesadillas in a single layer in the bottom of your air fryer. Air fry at 350 degrees for 4 minutes, checking halfway. You want the bottom and top of the tortilla to crisp and the cheese to melt. Different cheese will melt faster or slower, so keep an eye on it. The best cheese is a type that will melt easily. When finished, slide quesadillas out and serve!

Cheese Quesadilla: Tips, Tricks, and FAQs

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