Mexican Quesadilla Recipe

Make Quesadilla at Home: Your Guide to the Easiest and Quickest Pocket Meal

Cheesy, flavoursome, quick-to-make - what else do you need for a fulfilling meal?
The Mexican cuisine is a treasure trove for any food lover. The mind-blowing blend of multiple spices and herbs that create fireworks in every bite is a must-try.

Quesadilla can be a perfect start to your culinary trip to Mexican cuisine. This dish is made with a generous amount of cheese, seasonings, and vegetables. Truth be told, you can make many different variations of quesadillas, and the result will always impress your tastebuds. For today, we have a completely vegetarian quesadilla recipe for you. The steps to this recipe are easy to follow. The ingredients are easy to get. Are you excited? We are!

Vegetarian Quesadilla Recipe

A flavoursome snack or a go-to option for a quick meal - a Mexican quesadilla with delicious veg stuffing sandwiched in tortillas is an all-rounder! While the grown-ups will be excited to be served this dish, the kids will also happily dig in. 

Veg Quesadilla Ingredients

With these ingredients, you can make four quesadillas. It will take around 40 minutes. The following ingredients are needed to make the stuffing for the Mexican food quesadilla. 

• Extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, sunflower oil, or butter - 2 tablespoons
• Onion - 1 medium-sized or ½ cup sliced
• Garlic - 2 to 3 small to medium cloves or ½ teaspoon finely chopped
• Button mushrooms - 2 to 2.5 cups sliced or 250 grams
• Thinly sliced red bell pepper or mix of green and red bell pepper - ½ cup
• Salt - to taste
• Cumin powder or ground cumin - ½ teaspoon
• Sweet paprika - ½ teaspoon
• Red chilli powder or cayenne pepper - ½ teaspoon
• Crushed black pepper - ¼ teaspoon
• Dried oregano - ½ teaspoon or to taste
• Lemon juice - ½ teaspoon (optional)
• Chopped coriander leaves or parsley - 1 tablespoon

We said that there are many variants, and we meant it! Instead of mushrooms and bell peppers, you can add zucchini, squash, and corn. Many like to add black beans to their quesadilla. Feel free to try combinations of your favourite vegetables.

Here are the remaining ingredients you will need for this quesadilla recipe.

Medium-sized tortillas - 4
Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese - ½ cup 
Any neutral oil - 3 to 4 tablespoons or as needed

Some Tips!

Feel free to use any cheese you have at home; even cheese slices will do so if you do not have any other option. 

Fun fact! You can make a vegan quesadilla using the same recipe by simply altering regular cheese with plant-based or non-dairy cheese.

Step 1: Make the Stuffing

Heat a pan with oil or butter. Add garlic and onion. Saute until they have a nice golden brown colour. Sprinkle salt and then add the sliced button mushrooms.

Stir the mix. Don’t worry if you see a lot of water or liquid coming out of the mushroom mix; it’s natural. Turn the heat up slightly, continue cooking, and the liquid will dry up. Then, you can add the ground spices and the oregano. A good mix will ensure the vegetable soaks up the spices nicely. 

Add the bell pepper slices and cook them on medium-low heat. They should combine well with the rest of the mixture but not completely soften up. A bit of crunch will be enjoyable. 

Turn off the heat. Sprinkle the chopped coriander or parsley leaves and the lemon juice. Give another stir, and the stuffing will be ready.

You can make this stuffing beforehand and keep it in the fridge in a covered container.

Step 2: Shape the Quesadillas

Heat a tawa or pan on low flame. Add a tiny bit of oil. Place the tortilla and let one side toast up slightly. Flip with a spatula to cook the other side.

You can do two things here: cook both sides, shift to a plate, and fill the stuffing. This way, you can shape all your four tortillas and then fry them. Or, as soon as you flip the tortilla, start putting the stuffing! 

On one half of the tortilla, make a layer of cheese. Add four or five tablespoons of the stuffing; spread nicely over the cheese. Then? Another layer of cheese! Fold the other side of the tortilla over the stuffing, making a semi-circle, and voila, you will have a quesadilla ready!

Before adding the cheese and stuffing, you can spread mayonnaise, sour cream, ketchup, or barbeque sauce over the tortilla to enhance the flavours. 

Step 3: Cook the Quesadillas

On the same frying pan, cook the tortilla nicely with some more oil. Press slightly with a spatula or any other kitchen object you find convenient. The idea here is to sandwich the quesadilla nicely, allowing the cheese to melt and both sides to become golden and crisp.

If the cheese isn’t melting properly, but the tortilla is getting cooked fast, turn the heat to low and cover it with a lid for a few seconds.

Step 4: Cut and Serve

Cut each quesadilla into three triangular pieces using a knife or pizza cutter. Place on a plate and serve with tomato salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.

Conclusion

Quickly fry them during the morning rush hour at home, pack them into kids’ lunch boxes, and wrap them in paper or aluminium foil to enjoy a meal on the go. Quesadilla is always a super hit. What makes this Mexican dish even more amazing is how easily one can modify the recipe according to personal taste. 

FAQs

Can I make quesadillas with left-over paneer sabzi?

Definitely! Layer the paneer sabzi along with the cheese on a tortilla and cook till crisp. Enjoy with your choice of sauce or salsa.

Can I add potato to the quesadilla stuffing?

Why not! Boil the potato, cut in small cubes or mash and add the quesadilla stuffing. 

How do I make quesadillas more spicy?

You can add green chillies to the stuffing or a layer of hot sauce when shaping the quesadillas.