Description
The Ultimate Quesadilla is a delicious, easy-to-make dish featuring a crispy, golden flour tortilla filled with melted cheese and your choice of fresh ingredients like mushrooms, green onions, olives, tomatoes, and chicken. Served with a simple vinegar-seasoned lettuce side, this quesadilla is perfect for a quick snack or satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 large flour tortilla
- Handful of grated cheese (mild or sharp cheddar, or Monterey Jack)
- Olive oil or butter (about 1/2 teaspoon)
Fillings (optional)
- Sliced mushrooms
- Green onions
- Black olives, sliced
- Fresh tomatoes, diced
- Cooked diced chicken pieces
- Avocado
Accompaniments
- Lettuce (iceberg), thinly sliced
- Apple cider vinegar (for lettuce)
- Salt (for lettuce and seasoning)
Instructions
- Preheat the pan: Heat a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil or butter and spread it evenly across the bottom using a spatula to coat the surface.
- Warm the tortilla: Place one large flour tortilla in the hot pan. Flip the tortilla every 10 seconds for about a minute, allowing air pockets to form inside, making the tortilla light and slightly puffed.
- Add cheese and fillings: Once air pockets form, sprinkle a handful of grated cheese evenly over the top of the tortilla, making sure cheese stays on the tortilla and not the pan. Add your chosen fillings such as green onions, mushrooms, olives, tomatoes, and diced cooked chicken, layering them thinly to ensure even heating.
- Melt the cheese: Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid. Let the residual heat melt the cheese and brown the tortilla gently. If the pan starts to smoke, remove from heat briefly. Check every minute until the cheese is melted thoroughly.
- Flip the quesadilla: Using a spatula, carefully lift one side of the quesadilla and fold it over the other side like an omelette. The tortilla should be slightly browned; if not, increase heat to high and flip the quesadilla every 10 seconds until browned to your liking.
- Prepare the lettuce side: Thinly slice iceberg lettuce and sprinkle with apple cider vinegar and salt to taste. This fresh, tangy side pairs perfectly with the warm quesadilla.
- Serve: Serve the quesadilla hot alongside the vinegar-seasoned lettuce, and optionally with salsa, sour cream, or guacamole for extra flavor. Enjoy your ultimate quesadilla experience!
Notes
- For best results, do not overload the quesadilla fillings to ensure everything heats evenly and the cheese melts completely.
- You can customize the quesadilla with your favorite vegetables or proteins according to your preference.
- Use a cast iron skillet for the best heat distribution and crispiness.
- Covering the pan helps trap heat and melt the cheese perfectly without burning the tortilla.
- Adjust the heat as needed to prevent smoking or burning.
- The accompanying vinegar-seasoned lettuce adds a refreshing balance to the rich quesadilla.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 quesadilla
- 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
