Quesadilla

How to make the best quesadilla:

Use one tortilla per quesadilla. Then fold it over on itself to create a half-moon shape. You can make two quesadillas at once this way, nestled in the pan with their folded sides next to each other. Giant, round quesadillas made with two tortillas are too tricky to flip and slice.

Choose your cheese carefully. Freshly grated cheese (as opposed to pre-shredded cheese) melts best. I prefer cheddar cheese to Monterey Jack, since cheddar, is less gooey and produces a more firm, easy-to-slice quesadilla. If you want to go the traditional route and can find it, use Oaxaca cheese!

Use a medium-to-large skillet. Be sure your pan is large enough to accommodate the quesadilla lengthwise, so it can get nice and toasty from end to end.

Don’t crank up the heat too high. You want a moderate heat that will slowly melt the cheese and crisp the tortillas without scorching them. Reduce the heat as necessary and then make sure to cook each side long enough that they get deeply golden and crisp. The crispiness is key.

Oil/butter is optional. I often cook me tortillas in a cast iron pan without any oil at all—they’re less likely to burn that way. Just barely frying the outsides with a light brush of oil or melted butter is a nice touch (I included instructions for how to incorporate oil/butter in the recipe below, but you can certainly skip it).

Add beans. I like to include cooked beans as a protein-rich filler that lightens up the cheesy-carby elements. It seems like a more well-balanced, full meal that way.

Chop up your fillings. You can’t sandwich large hunks of ingredients in a quesadilla—they’ll fall out, and you’ll end up with hot cheese dripping down your chin. Awkward. Chop them up small!

Bonus tip! For a cheesy flavour explosion, sprinkle a little bit of cheese on the outside of the quesadilla, let it melt, and then flip it so the cheese fries against the quesadilla. Repeat with the other side if you’d like.

mexican, cheese, food, protein