Veggie Quesadilla Recipe

Quesadillas! A crisp stuffed tortilla! Juicy and delicious. This is my vegetarian version with options to make a chicken quesadilla and a DIY quesadilla seasoning.

Quesadillas can be made with meat and as a vegetarian version. I have cooked my vegetables and seasoned them with homemade quesadilla seasoning.

Planning chicken quesadilla? You will need to season and cook or grill your chicken before adding it to the diced vegetables. Whatever stuffing you wish to use, your vegetarian or chicken/ meat quesadilla is ready in a jiffy. Try the ones with scrambled eggs, they are delicious!

Make a huge batch, as you can freeze these up. Serve with guacamole and salsa as a dipping sauce. Next time, I will pair it with Homemade Russian Dressing, Silken Tofu Creamy Ranch Dressing, or even Spicy Tomato Jam Recipe.

Jump to:

• Veggie Quesadilla Recipe and I
• Why MSK Veggie Quesadilla Recipe
• A little about Quesadillas
• How to make Quesadillas
• How to make Quesadilla
• Substitutes
• For Your Questions
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Veggie Quesadilla Recipe

Why MSK Veggie Quesadilla Recipe

Make this recipe as a Quesadilla Recipe as it is

• As usual, delicious and straightforward, just irresistible
• You can make a Quesadilla using vegetables or any meat!
• Plus, you have one delicious spice mix, a Mexican one that works on both vegetarian and meat dishes.
• Double, triple or halve the recipe easily

A little about Quesadillas

Quesadillas originated from Mexican in the 16th century. Traditionally, quesadillas are made with corn tortillas. They were filled with cheese, meat and vegetables and warmed on a griddle.

Now, this cheese-dude( that is what quesadilla translates to) is topped with salsa, guacamole and sour cream. In the United States, breakfast quesadillas are pretty popular. Then you can have them as a dessert with fillings such as chocolate, Nutella, butterscotch, caramel, condensed milk, and fruits.

What I mean is fill yours up with veggies, eggs, chicken, beef or pork and cheese that melts easily.

Quesadillas and nachos are popular street foods in Mexico. Perfect for our theme this month for Shhh Secretly Cooking. Our hostess, Preethi from Preethi's Cuisines, wanted us to explore World Street food. Preethi is a busy working Mom, and her recipes are easy and delicious, just like her Pepper and Dates Relish here.

My partner here is Renu from Cook with Renu. Her Air Fryer Roasted Veggies are delicious. I have vanilla and cinnamon as her secret ingredients. She has made churros. I am drooling over the pictures here.

Renu gave me tomato paste and paprika as my secret ingredients.

How to make Quesadillas

These are the ingredients you will need. For quantities, please check the recipe card.

• Tortillas
• Cheese
• Filling in your choice

Quesadilla Spice mix:

• Onion powder
• Dried oregano
• Salt
• Cumin powder
• Paprika
• Black pepper
• Cayenne pepper

The Vegetable Filling:

• Oil 
• Onion
• Garlic 
• Capsicum
• Coriander leaves
• Corn  kernels (frozen-thawed)
• Green peas (frozen-thawed)
• Spinach
• Tomato  paste

How to make Quesadilla

Quesadilla Spice Mix

• Mix ingredients in a small bowl to use in the filling.

Let's get the vegetable filling ready next

• Heat the oil in a thick skillet and sauté the onion and garlic over high heat for 2 minutes.
• Add and cook the capsicum for 1 minute.
• Add corn, green peas, spinach, coriander leaves, tomato paste and spices. Mix and cook for 2 minutes. 
• Transfer to a bowl and cool.

To make quesadillas

• Place the tortilla on a flat surface.
• On one side, sprinkle a bit of cheese and add the filling for 1 portion.
• Top with cheese and fold in half.
• Grease a tawa or skillet with 2 teaspoons of oil and preheat it. If you are using a nonstick pan, do not grease it.
• Press the quesadilla on the skillet and cover it with a lid.
• Cook for 3 minutes on a low flame or until the side of the skillet is crisp and golden brown.
• Flip over and use the folded edge as the base.
• Press down lightly. Cook uncovered for 3 minutes or until crisp.
• Transfer to a cutting board and cut in half.
• Serve immediately with a dipping sauce.

Substitutes

• Since I am not a great fan of beans, I use corn. You can use beans; baked beans are great, and then avoid tomatoes.
• Use corn tortillas in place of whole wheat ones.
• I prefer Amul processed cheese. It is readily available, but I have mixed it with mozzarella as the latter melts. You can use a sharp cheddar.
• I used vegetables, but you can always use soya mince. Boil and squeeze out the excess liquid from the stir-fry with the vegetable filling for a better taste.
• You can use chicken breast, mince, pork or beef for your filling.” The juicier the cut, the better,” is what Nagi of Recipetineats says.

How to serve

• Quesadilla tastes best hot! Serve it with a sauce of your choice as a dipping sauce.
• How about some Russian dressing, chipotle sauce or ranch dressing? I will love it with guacamole and tomato salsa.

Variations

• Since I am not a great fan of beans, I use corn. You can use beans, baked beans are great, only I will avoid tomatoes.
• Use spinach,  mushrooms, green onions, olives and feta.
• How about using your leftovers to make a filling?

Equipment

You will need

• Bowls
• Grater
• Knife and board
• Wok
• Skillet
• Spoons and ladles

How to store

• To freeze quesadillas, wrap them in cling wrap after they are assembled. Transfer to ziplock bags or airtight containers.
• To serve, thaw in the microwave, then follow the recipe instructions.

For Your Questions

Protips:

• You can make 6 well-stuffed quesadillas. 8 with lesser stuffing.
• For crisp quesadillas, let the filling cool.
• The best trick is to use lesser vegetable filling 2-3 tablespoons per tortilla.
• My suggestion is to make a filling beforehand.
• Use a high-quality melting cheese, such as mozzarella. I used it mixed with processed cheese and Happy Cow cheese, too.
• Flip the tortilla only once, using the folded edge as the base.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How to make quesadillas that are easy to handle?

  

  The best trick is to use lesser vegetable filling 2-3 tablespoons per tortilla. Using cooled filling will give you crisp quesadillas. Use a high-quality melting cheese, such as mozzarella. I used it mixed with processed cheese and Happy Cow cheese too.
  
  Flip the tortilla only once, using the folded edge as the base.

• Should I use oil or butter to fry the quesadilla?

  

  If you are using an iron skillet, use a small amount, approximately ½ to 1 teaspoon of oil or butter while cooking. For a non-stick pan, avoid using oil. Using too much oil will make the quesadillas soggy.

• Can you make a quesadilla without cheese?

  

  A quesadilla without cheese is called an empanada. 

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Summary:

To summarise, Quesadillas are delicious and versatile. Perfect as a healthy street food option, where you can prepare the filling and store it. Takes the pressure off the busy weekday meals, and kids are happy too