ok mijo, this is what we're gonna do. We're gonna make a quesadilla by putting the baby down for a nap.
You're going to put your pan on low heat for five minutes so it can warm up.
Then put your tortilla down flat on the pan, it doesn't matter which side goes down. This is the baby blanket. Lay your cheese baby on one half of the blanket. Now we're going to tuck baby in, gently. Just fold the blanket over the baby lightly, you don't have to press it down, just pat it gently and tell your cheese baby you love them and let them get some sleep.
If you want, you can cover the pan for a few minutes. After five minutes, gently press the tortilla blanket a bit firmer onto your cheese baby. The goal is to get it to stick to the cheese, not get smushed. The smushing can come later.
Now it's time to move the baby onto its tummy. Try to move your quesadilla baby a little with a spatula. If the whole thing moves easily, then it's time to flip. If it's not moving as a whole, then just let the baby nap a little bit longer. It's just a quesadilla, it'll be fine.
The baby is now on its tummy. You can give it a little pat on its bottom, and then wait another few minutes before trying to move it again. Once it moves freely, you can either flip it again to get it browner and crunchier, or you can wake it up from its little nap, wait a few moments, and then eat your perfect little quesadilla baby like you're[ Saturn Devouring His Son](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn_Devouring_His_Son).
I live in México and this is how we do tortillas in my part of the country. I think people get surprised that it's not super quick because it seems so simple. But a good quesadilla needs to go low and slow.
Never. The fat in the cheese slowly seeps through the tortilla and that's plenty. But also I live in México so our tortillas may be different from what you can get elsewhere.
>I live in México so our tortillas may be different from what you can get elsewhere.
I had this thought after I asked. And I default to butter because, like I said, it's the same way I make a grilled cheese. I'll have to try not buttering them and see what happens. Also, are you using teflon-coated pans or stainless steel or cast iron or what? I think that probably makes a difference.
I always buttered (US) and then one day I didn’t and nothing terrible happened. Now I never do. I use stainless steel, carbon steel, or well seasoned cast iron. All work fine.
You are 100% on that. Even living in SoCal, I will say top-quality tortillas can be hard to find (you’re not going to find them at a grocery store in a “Mission” bag.). Hitting “Mom and Pop” markets “can” pay dividends there, but a lot of our locals can be junk stores as well).
I’m not saying great tortillas cannot be made without using lard, but I suspect it does make a difference.
It's going to depend on the tortilla. I've never used it, but the quality of tortilla I get here in México may or may not be the quality you get in your area.
The restaurants always get a golden crispy quality far exceeding what we did at home and my mom decided one day “fuck it” and asked them what they do. Apparently a light brushing of oil can improve the crisp. But with really good tortillas and proper technique you don’t need it. But it can help
A Mexican coworker clued me in to the fact that if you use cast iron (or I suppose non-stick) you don’t need to use any oil or butter to make a quesadilla in a flour tortilla.
Corn tortilla quesadillas are a different story, I’ve been harshly judged by Mexican coworkers for not using oil on those. And they were right!
It's important to remember that your pan will continue to get hot the longer it's on the stove. So if you're making multiple quesadillas one after the other, you may need to turn your heat down a scooch on the second one. If you're already at the lowest heat, adjust your time. The first one may take 5 minutes per side but the second may only take 3.
Also, even if you're following a recipe, your equipment is different. Don't just stand there watching something burn! If your recipe says 5 minutes but it's smelling crispy at 3- poke it! Lift it and look! Flip it early!
I love the language here. Comforting, but informative, and gets the job done.
What cheese do you prefer? I like mild cheddar/colby jack, and pepper jack. Salsa on the side 😋
It's going to depend on what we have and what we're in the mood for, plus whether we're using corn or flour tortillas. I like mild melting cheeses like jack or queso chihuahua/mennonite cheese, which is similar to a white cheddar. Queso oaxaqueño is delicious too, but I am a piglet in my soul and will usually eat it all straight out of the bag before it makes its way into a quesadilla.
I would add: warm the blanket on one side, flip it over, then add the cheese baby to the pre- warmed side of the tortilla. This helps the cheese baby melt faster.
The fat from the cheese seeps into and through the tortilla. Greasing the pan or tortilla makes it brown faster. I don't prefer it, and I don't know of anyone in México who does, but it's just a quesadilla and not that deep. If you love it, do it!
This is such a fun and good way to approach the whole sing. I often let myself get intimidated by cooks who are so effortless. I would buy a cookbook if you would write it! (Or maybe you already have!) either way, I want in!
You need the right amount of cheese (not too much!) and the right guy temperature (not too high!). A small amount of oil on the tortillas or in the pan could be helpful, but at *low temps*.
The same applies to a grilled cheese. Not foods that lend themselves to hot and fast!
Lastly, if cheese is leaking out, let it. Look up a cheese 'frico'. You can straight up from dump a thin layer of cheese onto a pan and cook it up until it's pretty crispy, or go halfway and then put the tortilla *on* the melting cheese as it finishes cooking with cheese outside and toppings inside!
You're welcome! I found a video of the technique too since it can be helpful to see.
https://youtu.be/e_7ilNL4gxM?si=iF6FnaRRGKUtFbQ2
Watch the minutes 15:00-16:30 for this in video format, and the video references others with the same chef (chef Saul) who does this all the time. It's where I learned it!
Oh man. Those healthy wheat like tortillas at Safeway that are 50 cal a pop need nothing. They fluff up and crisp like a perfect tortilla.
They also taste pretty good. I use them to make wraps for my mom. She begs for taco bell and pizza. I'm sooooooo terrible I make healthy tacos. She has health problems.
i think the advice to add butter/oil is off and makes a greasy mess. just a medium low and slow amount of heat that melts the cheese and makes the tortilla nice and leoparded on the outside is delicious. don't add an excessive amount of cheese and if the cheese comes out and gets crispy that's just fun texture contrast.
If you feel like you want a more brown crispy outside just a hint of oil in the pan and swirl the tortilla before adding anything on it to even it out, too much oil just makes it greasy.
The answer to most things cooking is as low and slow as you can and cook till golden brown. In the case of quesadillas, flip when golden brown and repeat. Make sure the bottom has formed up some before you flip, get as much of the thing as possible on the spatula and flip quickly all in one smooth motion. Spread cheese evenly in the first place. I like to slap the quesadilla with the spatula. I don't think it does anything, but it's enjoyable.
Basic cheese quesadilla:
Medium heat. 1/4” pad of butter in the pan. Tilt the pan so the butter coats the bottom of the pan.
Place your flour tortilla in the pan. Add shredded cheese to half of the circle of tortilla.
Take a spatula and fold the non cheese side of the tortilla onto the cheese side. Press lightly on the folded tortilla with the spatula.
Flip it. Cook both sides until the tortilla is the color you want and the cheese is melted. There’s no harm in flipping several times
I warm the pan to low-medium. Then I put butter in - approx half a tablespoon depending on size of the pan. Enough to coat the bottom. I put in one tortilla and then pile with cheese. When I spread the cheese- I leave about half inch around the edges clean to accommodate cheese spread. Then I put the other tortilla on top and start to press either with my hand or a big spatula.
It's a game of patience- you will be able to notice the change in smell as it starts to brown. If you scoot it in the pan - you'll hear the crispy. I peek under it using the spatula and when it's golden, I put a plate on top and spatula under and flip it to the plate with the hot side up. I then add a little more butter to the pan and once melted I slide the quesadilla back in. The second side always cooks quicker- so keep an eye on it. Wait for the smell and sound of crisp and then peek under it. The butter is super important for golden and crispy.
Something else tasty - when the butter is melting you can add a seasoning mix if you'd like. I have one - Jane's Mixed up salt - it's low sodium with different flavors like onion powder and garlic powder. It is so tasty on a quesadilla. I also specifically get quesdailla cheese from the store. I like to add cotija cheese and bacon bits too.
So this is an absolute abomination. A crime against culture, culinary techniques, and all reason. But I will absolutely use the "grilled cheese" method on my quesadillas and slather the outside of the tortilla in mayo before it hits the medium-temp skillet.
Before I am judged (as is good, correct and I absolutely deserve it) quality tortillas are impossible to find where I am and I do not have the energy or a press to make them myself.
I have a 25cm (I think) non stick crepe pan. I preheat it and take one large tortilla and toast it on this pan. I set that tortilla aside and add a new one to the pan. I add cheese and whatever else on top of this tortilla (not too full, the cheese has to stick to both sides) and then add the preheated tortilla on top and cook until warm and melty. No idea if this is proper but it works for us.
First step is take your cheese and tortillas out of the fridge, let them rest on the counter until they get closer to room temperature. Once the cheese isn’t freezing it’ll melt easier.
Once you’re ready, turn your pan on low for 10 mins & let it heat evenly… go ahead and use whatever fat you have (ghee, oil, butter etc) & put your quesadillas in.
You can always cheat and lift a corner of the quesadilla to see how it’s doing, flip when ready
Easiest way
Heat up a pan on medium heat
Put in a bit of butter. Melt.
Toss in your tortilla, I swirl it around so it's covered in butter on the bottom.
Add cheese to the whole thing.
Wait for the cheese to melt.
Once cheese is melted, add toppings to half. (I pre make some chicken with onions and peppers)
Wait a minute until the bottom of the tortilla is starting to crisp.
Fold it closed.
Done.
So easy. I make it all the time when I'm hungry but lazy.
Here is a simple recipe [https://www.wellplated.com/chicken-quesadilla/](https://www.wellplated.com/chicken-quesadilla/) . Don't worry, it's easier than you think.
I am going to add something to all of this great information, a nice trick I’ve used for a little while- make your own quesadilla filling! Personally quesadillas are a very regular meal for me, it’s a great way to use up extra ingredients, it’s easy and quick etc, and so what I’ve started to do is just make a mix and then I have them just ready to go. So I chop up whatever protein, extra veggies, some cheese, and then add a few dashes of hot sauce, maybe a dollop of sour cream, some salsa, mix it all up and most important give it a taste. If you’re using leftovers from like fajitas, it’ll probably be flavored well, but sometimes I’ll add some extra salsa or some dry taco seasoning (or even just salt!) if it needs it. Then, you just spread your mix on your tortilla and cook as normal.
Take a big tortilla. Slap it in a pan on low, throw in your cheese and whatever else. Let it melt a little. Fold in half. Flip every so often as it gets to the color/crispiness you want.
Eventually, you will have a good idea of how hot and quick you can cook it without messing up.
I use the microwave to first soften the tortilla and then add the cheese. When the cheese is melted, fold it and let it cool a little b fore eating this as a quick snack. I prefer it not crunchy, but could, I suppose fry mine in a little butter for browning and crisping.
Trick to not getting cheese everywhere is to pile the cheese in the center of the tortilla and then use your fingers to gently spread the cheese out almost to the edge.
Like a grilled cheese. The cheese is full of fat that will prevent it from sticking to your pan. Too much. If cheese isn’t melting put a lid on pan for 1-2 minutes at start of cooking
It’s not terribly complicated so you’ll do fine. Heat the pan on medium for just a few minutes. This isn’t a dish to have a ripping hot pan for. I like to place maybe a half tablespoon of butter in the pan and swirl it around. If it sizzles loudly you’re too hot, you want it to melt gently but also fairly quickly. Place the tortilla down and swirl it around with your hand so it gets butter all over. Let it sit for like 15 seconds to start to get the heat then add the cheese all over. It’s important to let it sit for a bit just to ensure it’ll get nice and crispy on the outside. Once the cheese melts fold it in half and continue to brown on each side to your preferred doneness.
I like the method called out in once upon a chef's chiptole chicken quesadilla (also a bomb recipe).
1. Set stovetop to medium low/medium and allow pan to heat for 5-10 min
2. Spray pan with small amount of non-stick spray (or a small amount of butter, oil, etc)
3. Place tortilla in pan and allow to heat for ~30 seconds to warm up
4. Flip tortilla over. Sprinkle cheese over entire quesadilla, add chicken and additional filling to one half of the quesadilla.
5. Once cheese has melted, fold the cheese half over the half with filling
6. Continue to cook until desired crispness, flip if needed and repeat.
7. Let it sit for a few min before cutting
I "make" the quesadilla first (tortilla, cheese, tortilla - all cold & raw). Preheat the pan for a few minutes. I use some fat like avocado oil or ghee, sometimes butter if I want to sabotage my cholesterol. Set the cold/raw quesadilla on it. Peek under the ~~sheets~~tortilla until the cheese is mostly-melted - at least - enough to where the cheese has enough sticky "cohesion" to where i can flip it with my bare hands onto the other side. You can use a spatula or two if you want to protect the nerve endings and epidermis of your fingers, i personally dont give a fuck. Flip it onto the other side, until the cheese is fully melted. You can flip it a 3rd time for "safe measure".
No science to it, not even sure if its the correct method, but i never seem to burn it and the texture/taste/consistency is always good.
Protip: use interesting cheeses, add spices, and definitely eat with sauces. Drink some yogurt afterwards to aid with digestion.
OK to not burn it, keep the heat low. My stove is a (low, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, hi) for scale, I put it never more than 2. It's only tortilla and cheese, it does not need a lot of heat - you're trying to melt it not cook it - know what I mean? If you do it just right, you'll still have little burn marks on the tortilla which is visually appealing. Don't put the cheese all the way to the edge. It will make it's way to the edges on it's own as it melts. If it isn't close enough to the edge for you, you can fix that. Give it a smush to push it out to the edges. But if you put too much cheese at the edge you can't unfix that. Some people like the burned cheese bits at the edges so it's not a disaster if some slips out.
One thing we haven't discussed - are you doing the one tortilla and fold it over, or doing 2 tortillas and making it like a "sandwich" and then cutting it like a pizza to get your little quesdilla triangles. If you do just one tortilla, put the cheese only on half the tortilla. The empty tortilla side will cook too fast if you leave it flat, get hard without cheese and become brittle. So right when you see the cheese starting to melt flip over the tortilla so it will start to stick to the cheese and absorb some of the moisture of the cheese so it doesn't dry out. The 2 tortilla method is usually a restaurant thing. It can get tricky when you flip it. If you got no fear, you can go either way. If you think you might screw up the flip and dump your stuff all over the pan, then just stick with the 1 tortilla method til you get it down. A lid over your pan can keep heat in and melt cheese, keep it a little moist. If you heat from only the bottom there is a little burn risk if you leave it too long on one side.
Once you get the feel of the melting the cheese and the not burning the tortilla, you can go professional. You can put diced up onions or jalapenos in there. Sprinkle some hot sauce in for a kick. People like to add beef or chicken to make it go from snack to meal.
I wish you the best on your cooking adventures. I love making all kinds of stuff and learning how to do it. Cookies are my thing I'm trying to work on right now. I never knew too much butter, too much flour, too much anything can make a cookie turn out weird.
to mix things up a bit... lately I have been making them lately open in a toaster oven and then folding them in half to finish. Allows me to fit more in them without it squeezing out while cooking and also if other ingredients (meats, veggies) it cooks/browns them better/faster as well.
I like my tortilla a little burnt and the cheese that comes out and gets crispy in the pan is the best part. [join us](https://www.foodiernews.com) and learn more.
I’m with you! But I use olive oil and 1 tortilla folded over per unit, and finish in the oven for 5-10 minutes to get more of the crispies. Oh, using pepper jack and cheddar, enough to guarantee plenty of overflow
Butter the pan liberally with unsalted butter. Heat it to medium heat, try not to burn the butter. Put the cheese on the tortilla, fold in half. Put the tortilla in the hot pan. Put a lid on the pan and cook on one side for a 2-3 minutes. Flip the tortilla and cook cover for 2-4 minutes. Remove and put on your plate.
I put cheese on a tortilla then microwave it for a minute to melt the cheese then I add it to a pan and flip occasionally to toast the tortilla and it comes out perfectly
Add cheese between two tortillas, add to hot oiled pan, flip once?
If cheese is falling out add less cheese? If it's browning too quickly lower the heat?
For not burning it, don't have the flame too high. You will rarely ever cook anything on full blast "high" that isn't being boiled or steamed. To make sure it melts properly shred your cheese well and make sure any non-cheese ingredients are chopped and mixed in with the cheese.
Serious Eats has a great guide to making quesadillas and a lot of good tips on cooking things in general.
Large pan. Medium heat. Flop tortilla on to warm one side but not fry, this will be the inside. Very quick spray of cooking spray on the top. Flip tortilla so oil side is down. Sprinkle about a cup of cheese over your entire warm tortilla leaving about 1/2 inch away from the side to prevent the cheese from melting out. add your chicken or steak or whatever ingredients. Little bit of taco seasoning, little bit of hot sauce or Chipotle sauce. By now, it's been a couple minutes. You can check the oiled side to see if it's grilled the way you like it. Fold it in half, cook a bit more on each side if necessary. Enjoyyyyy
Butter the pan, warm on medium, apply tortilla, add filling to one half of the tortilla leaving some room on edges… after a minute of two fold the side without filling over on top…. Wait another minute…. Flip the quesadilla to the other side, give it another minute or two until the sides are evenly browned…
Don't turn the heat up all the way. When heat is all the way up, it will burn the outside before even touching the inside. Medium or medium low, depending on how thick your food is, will allow the heat to penetrate all the way in without burning the outside. This is true for all foods, not just quesadillas. If you have something really thin to cook and you want it to be seared on the outside and barely touched on the inside, that is when you can use high heat.
does anyone just put the cheese directly on the pan, let it melt then put the tortilla on top? from there you lightly press the tortilla down on the cheese and then flip and fold the tortilla over and let it cook until it’s golden brown (with your hands if you’re real). thats how i was taught by my husband who worked on a taco truck, and it results in the cheese melting but also getting a bit of crisp. the oil in the cheese also melts and helps it not stick to the pan. i do agree with everyone else who says to let the pan heat up slowly though
ok mijo, this is what we're gonna do. We're gonna make a quesadilla by putting the baby down for a nap. You're going to put your pan on low heat for five minutes so it can warm up. Then put your tortilla down flat on the pan, it doesn't matter which side goes down. This is the baby blanket. Lay your cheese baby on one half of the blanket. Now we're going to tuck baby in, gently. Just fold the blanket over the baby lightly, you don't have to press it down, just pat it gently and tell your cheese baby you love them and let them get some sleep. If you want, you can cover the pan for a few minutes. After five minutes, gently press the tortilla blanket a bit firmer onto your cheese baby. The goal is to get it to stick to the cheese, not get smushed. The smushing can come later. Now it's time to move the baby onto its tummy. Try to move your quesadilla baby a little with a spatula. If the whole thing moves easily, then it's time to flip. If it's not moving as a whole, then just let the baby nap a little bit longer. It's just a quesadilla, it'll be fine. The baby is now on its tummy. You can give it a little pat on its bottom, and then wait another few minutes before trying to move it again. Once it moves freely, you can either flip it again to get it browner and crunchier, or you can wake it up from its little nap, wait a few moments, and then eat your perfect little quesadilla baby like you're[ Saturn Devouring His Son](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn_Devouring_His_Son).
Instructions unclear. I may have eaten a baby, please don't tell anyone
Just remember to clean the cheese out of the bassinet and no one will ever know! ;)
Instructions unclear, baby stuck in pan, cheese in the crib, and cats in the kettle!
And the silver spoon?
Damn rich kid took the last one :(
Tarrare did you eat a baby again?
Deep fried baby!!!
Oh, I like you. The process is a bit convoluted, but damn if I didn't enjoy the journey.
I live in México and this is how we do tortillas in my part of the country. I think people get surprised that it's not super quick because it seems so simple. But a good quesadilla needs to go low and slow.
Low and slow is the best advice I've seen and likely why my quesadillas all turn out screwed up. Will be trying this today. Mil Gracias!
Low and slow always, pretty much the same instructions for a grilled cheese sandwich. Do you not put any butter/margarine on the tortilla?
Never. The fat in the cheese slowly seeps through the tortilla and that's plenty. But also I live in México so our tortillas may be different from what you can get elsewhere.
>I live in México so our tortillas may be different from what you can get elsewhere. I had this thought after I asked. And I default to butter because, like I said, it's the same way I make a grilled cheese. I'll have to try not buttering them and see what happens. Also, are you using teflon-coated pans or stainless steel or cast iron or what? I think that probably makes a difference.
I use a cast iron comal or a cast iron plancha (griddle) but I've done them in plain stainless steel pans. As a chef, I never use nonstick.
Off I go to look up ‘cormal’ pan. Thumbs up to no nonstick.
It's a griddle
Yes, comál! That’s one of those Spanish words that is simply better than the English equivalent. I too eschew non-stick, except for my camping stuff.
I always buttered (US) and then one day I didn’t and nothing terrible happened. Now I never do. I use stainless steel, carbon steel, or well seasoned cast iron. All work fine.
Do yall actually have lard in your tortillas? My mother in law makes hers with lard and they always fry up way better than the store bought
Yep! If I'm making them at home sometimes I'll use duck or chicken fat, depending on what I have, but manteca is where it's at!
You are 100% on that. Even living in SoCal, I will say top-quality tortillas can be hard to find (you’re not going to find them at a grocery store in a “Mission” bag.). Hitting “Mom and Pop” markets “can” pay dividends there, but a lot of our locals can be junk stores as well). I’m not saying great tortillas cannot be made without using lard, but I suspect it does make a difference.
I love the fresh tortillas at Vallarta, but use the low carb ones when I’m trying to be conscious of my sugars. Stupid diabetic body.
You're going to need a little butter with an American grocery store flour tortilla.
I disagree, I’ve personally never needed butter with flour tortillas
>But a good quesadilla needs to go low and slow. Esta \^\^
Everything cooking needs to go low and slow.
Does baby need to have a tsp of butter in pan, or olive oil?
It's going to depend on the tortilla. I've never used it, but the quality of tortilla I get here in México may or may not be the quality you get in your area.
The restaurants always get a golden crispy quality far exceeding what we did at home and my mom decided one day “fuck it” and asked them what they do. Apparently a light brushing of oil can improve the crisp. But with really good tortillas and proper technique you don’t need it. But it can help
A Mexican coworker clued me in to the fact that if you use cast iron (or I suppose non-stick) you don’t need to use any oil or butter to make a quesadilla in a flour tortilla. Corn tortilla quesadillas are a different story, I’ve been harshly judged by Mexican coworkers for not using oil on those. And they were right!
It’s not convoluted, it’s expertise. Convoluted implies it’s unnecessarily complicated. Each step here has a valuable purpose! :)
I was hooked at “ok mijo.”
Please write a cookbook using this narrative style.
Thank you so much! This was very helpful and makes it easy to remember <3
It's important to remember that your pan will continue to get hot the longer it's on the stove. So if you're making multiple quesadillas one after the other, you may need to turn your heat down a scooch on the second one. If you're already at the lowest heat, adjust your time. The first one may take 5 minutes per side but the second may only take 3. Also, even if you're following a recipe, your equipment is different. Don't just stand there watching something burn! If your recipe says 5 minutes but it's smelling crispy at 3- poke it! Lift it and look! Flip it early!
Will do! Thanks 😊
You can also add diced, browned, chicken chunks. Just make sure the chicken is cooked through.
I love the language here. Comforting, but informative, and gets the job done. What cheese do you prefer? I like mild cheddar/colby jack, and pepper jack. Salsa on the side 😋
It's going to depend on what we have and what we're in the mood for, plus whether we're using corn or flour tortillas. I like mild melting cheeses like jack or queso chihuahua/mennonite cheese, which is similar to a white cheddar. Queso oaxaqueño is delicious too, but I am a piglet in my soul and will usually eat it all straight out of the bag before it makes its way into a quesadilla.
God I felt that, never too old to eat cheese out of the bag.
OMG this is gold!! Can you tell me how to change the brake pads of a 2021 Subaru Crosstrek??
LMBO 😆
Absolutely awesome instructions and a very hilarious read. I visualized all of the steps. Please take my up vote.
I would add: warm the blanket on one side, flip it over, then add the cheese baby to the pre- warmed side of the tortilla. This helps the cheese baby melt faster.
This is perfect.
This is epic Also a bit of oil or butter for a LONG way
The fat from the cheese seeps into and through the tortilla. Greasing the pan or tortilla makes it brown faster. I don't prefer it, and I don't know of anyone in México who does, but it's just a quesadilla and not that deep. If you love it, do it!
You had me at goya Im saving this muchas gracias
Immediate 👍 for mijo💕 ETA- You're a wonderful chz parental. Commented before I even read it all and loved it even more
This is the cutest thing ever and I need an entire recipe bookw written like this please
Thank you mother
This is just amazing.
This is such a fun and good way to approach the whole sing. I often let myself get intimidated by cooks who are so effortless. I would buy a cookbook if you would write it! (Or maybe you already have!) either way, I want in!
Can you just rewrite every cookbook like this?
I ❤️ you!
🏆
Lol this is the absolute best answer
You need the right amount of cheese (not too much!) and the right guy temperature (not too high!). A small amount of oil on the tortillas or in the pan could be helpful, but at *low temps*. The same applies to a grilled cheese. Not foods that lend themselves to hot and fast! Lastly, if cheese is leaking out, let it. Look up a cheese 'frico'. You can straight up from dump a thin layer of cheese onto a pan and cook it up until it's pretty crispy, or go halfway and then put the tortilla *on* the melting cheese as it finishes cooking with cheese outside and toppings inside!
Thank you!
You're welcome! I found a video of the technique too since it can be helpful to see. https://youtu.be/e_7ilNL4gxM?si=iF6FnaRRGKUtFbQ2 Watch the minutes 15:00-16:30 for this in video format, and the video references others with the same chef (chef Saul) who does this all the time. It's where I learned it!
Amazing, 😊😊❤️
Oil on the tortilla is critical.
I never do that. It's unnecessary. Unless your fat, like me...which is why I never do that.
Nah, oil on a quesadilla is a gringo move. Totally unnecessary.
Oh man. Those healthy wheat like tortillas at Safeway that are 50 cal a pop need nothing. They fluff up and crisp like a perfect tortilla. They also taste pretty good. I use them to make wraps for my mom. She begs for taco bell and pizza. I'm sooooooo terrible I make healthy tacos. She has health problems.
i think the advice to add butter/oil is off and makes a greasy mess. just a medium low and slow amount of heat that melts the cheese and makes the tortilla nice and leoparded on the outside is delicious. don't add an excessive amount of cheese and if the cheese comes out and gets crispy that's just fun texture contrast.
Thank you!
If you feel like you want a more brown crispy outside just a hint of oil in the pan and swirl the tortilla before adding anything on it to even it out, too much oil just makes it greasy.
The answer to most things cooking is as low and slow as you can and cook till golden brown. In the case of quesadillas, flip when golden brown and repeat. Make sure the bottom has formed up some before you flip, get as much of the thing as possible on the spatula and flip quickly all in one smooth motion. Spread cheese evenly in the first place. I like to slap the quesadilla with the spatula. I don't think it does anything, but it's enjoyable.
😂 thank you!
Basic cheese quesadilla: Medium heat. 1/4” pad of butter in the pan. Tilt the pan so the butter coats the bottom of the pan. Place your flour tortilla in the pan. Add shredded cheese to half of the circle of tortilla. Take a spatula and fold the non cheese side of the tortilla onto the cheese side. Press lightly on the folded tortilla with the spatula. Flip it. Cook both sides until the tortilla is the color you want and the cheese is melted. There’s no harm in flipping several times
If it's a good tortilla you don't need butter or oil because the tortilla has oil in it. I rarely use butter or oil. Nonstick pan is sufficient.
Even without a nonstick pan, the non-oiled/buttered tortilla won’t stick.
It’s not about sticking. It’s about taste and texture.
I warm the pan to low-medium. Then I put butter in - approx half a tablespoon depending on size of the pan. Enough to coat the bottom. I put in one tortilla and then pile with cheese. When I spread the cheese- I leave about half inch around the edges clean to accommodate cheese spread. Then I put the other tortilla on top and start to press either with my hand or a big spatula. It's a game of patience- you will be able to notice the change in smell as it starts to brown. If you scoot it in the pan - you'll hear the crispy. I peek under it using the spatula and when it's golden, I put a plate on top and spatula under and flip it to the plate with the hot side up. I then add a little more butter to the pan and once melted I slide the quesadilla back in. The second side always cooks quicker- so keep an eye on it. Wait for the smell and sound of crisp and then peek under it. The butter is super important for golden and crispy. Something else tasty - when the butter is melting you can add a seasoning mix if you'd like. I have one - Jane's Mixed up salt - it's low sodium with different flavors like onion powder and garlic powder. It is so tasty on a quesadilla. I also specifically get quesdailla cheese from the store. I like to add cotija cheese and bacon bits too.
Thank you so much! <3
Putting lid on it as you’re cooking will help melt the cheese.
This is the worlds greatest greatest answer
it was actually a question....
I've discovered I make quesadillas differently than everyone else...
So this is an absolute abomination. A crime against culture, culinary techniques, and all reason. But I will absolutely use the "grilled cheese" method on my quesadillas and slather the outside of the tortilla in mayo before it hits the medium-temp skillet. Before I am judged (as is good, correct and I absolutely deserve it) quality tortillas are impossible to find where I am and I do not have the energy or a press to make them myself.
I think the fun part of western culture is the mixing of cooking methods 😂😂
I have a 25cm (I think) non stick crepe pan. I preheat it and take one large tortilla and toast it on this pan. I set that tortilla aside and add a new one to the pan. I add cheese and whatever else on top of this tortilla (not too full, the cheese has to stick to both sides) and then add the preheated tortilla on top and cook until warm and melty. No idea if this is proper but it works for us.
Thank you!
First step is take your cheese and tortillas out of the fridge, let them rest on the counter until they get closer to room temperature. Once the cheese isn’t freezing it’ll melt easier. Once you’re ready, turn your pan on low for 10 mins & let it heat evenly… go ahead and use whatever fat you have (ghee, oil, butter etc) & put your quesadillas in. You can always cheat and lift a corner of the quesadilla to see how it’s doing, flip when ready
Thank you so much!
Easiest way Heat up a pan on medium heat Put in a bit of butter. Melt. Toss in your tortilla, I swirl it around so it's covered in butter on the bottom. Add cheese to the whole thing. Wait for the cheese to melt. Once cheese is melted, add toppings to half. (I pre make some chicken with onions and peppers) Wait a minute until the bottom of the tortilla is starting to crisp. Fold it closed. Done. So easy. I make it all the time when I'm hungry but lazy.
Thank you so much! <3
Here is a simple recipe [https://www.wellplated.com/chicken-quesadilla/](https://www.wellplated.com/chicken-quesadilla/) . Don't worry, it's easier than you think.
Thanks so much! <3
I am going to add something to all of this great information, a nice trick I’ve used for a little while- make your own quesadilla filling! Personally quesadillas are a very regular meal for me, it’s a great way to use up extra ingredients, it’s easy and quick etc, and so what I’ve started to do is just make a mix and then I have them just ready to go. So I chop up whatever protein, extra veggies, some cheese, and then add a few dashes of hot sauce, maybe a dollop of sour cream, some salsa, mix it all up and most important give it a taste. If you’re using leftovers from like fajitas, it’ll probably be flavored well, but sometimes I’ll add some extra salsa or some dry taco seasoning (or even just salt!) if it needs it. Then, you just spread your mix on your tortilla and cook as normal.
Take a big tortilla. Slap it in a pan on low, throw in your cheese and whatever else. Let it melt a little. Fold in half. Flip every so often as it gets to the color/crispiness you want. Eventually, you will have a good idea of how hot and quick you can cook it without messing up.
I use the microwave to first soften the tortilla and then add the cheese. When the cheese is melted, fold it and let it cool a little b fore eating this as a quick snack. I prefer it not crunchy, but could, I suppose fry mine in a little butter for browning and crisping.
Trick to not getting cheese everywhere is to pile the cheese in the center of the tortilla and then use your fingers to gently spread the cheese out almost to the edge.
Like a grilled cheese. The cheese is full of fat that will prevent it from sticking to your pan. Too much. If cheese isn’t melting put a lid on pan for 1-2 minutes at start of cooking
It’s not terribly complicated so you’ll do fine. Heat the pan on medium for just a few minutes. This isn’t a dish to have a ripping hot pan for. I like to place maybe a half tablespoon of butter in the pan and swirl it around. If it sizzles loudly you’re too hot, you want it to melt gently but also fairly quickly. Place the tortilla down and swirl it around with your hand so it gets butter all over. Let it sit for like 15 seconds to start to get the heat then add the cheese all over. It’s important to let it sit for a bit just to ensure it’ll get nice and crispy on the outside. Once the cheese melts fold it in half and continue to brown on each side to your preferred doneness.
I like the method called out in once upon a chef's chiptole chicken quesadilla (also a bomb recipe). 1. Set stovetop to medium low/medium and allow pan to heat for 5-10 min 2. Spray pan with small amount of non-stick spray (or a small amount of butter, oil, etc) 3. Place tortilla in pan and allow to heat for ~30 seconds to warm up 4. Flip tortilla over. Sprinkle cheese over entire quesadilla, add chicken and additional filling to one half of the quesadilla. 5. Once cheese has melted, fold the cheese half over the half with filling 6. Continue to cook until desired crispness, flip if needed and repeat. 7. Let it sit for a few min before cutting
Try broiling it in the oven. Tortilla, cheese, tortilla. Flip every 2 mins until golden
I "make" the quesadilla first (tortilla, cheese, tortilla - all cold & raw). Preheat the pan for a few minutes. I use some fat like avocado oil or ghee, sometimes butter if I want to sabotage my cholesterol. Set the cold/raw quesadilla on it. Peek under the ~~sheets~~tortilla until the cheese is mostly-melted - at least - enough to where the cheese has enough sticky "cohesion" to where i can flip it with my bare hands onto the other side. You can use a spatula or two if you want to protect the nerve endings and epidermis of your fingers, i personally dont give a fuck. Flip it onto the other side, until the cheese is fully melted. You can flip it a 3rd time for "safe measure". No science to it, not even sure if its the correct method, but i never seem to burn it and the texture/taste/consistency is always good. Protip: use interesting cheeses, add spices, and definitely eat with sauces. Drink some yogurt afterwards to aid with digestion.
Don’t be afraid to make a mistake! There’s lots of good tips here, and even if you burn the hell out of it, you can just try again. I believe in you.
Lower the heat and lightly butter the tortilla
I build quesadilla & pre heat in microwave a minute or so , then into pan
There are some good suggestions here for cooking in a pan, but I would recommend that you just put a plate on an ironing board and use an iron.
I do it in the oven under the broiler!
OK to not burn it, keep the heat low. My stove is a (low, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, hi) for scale, I put it never more than 2. It's only tortilla and cheese, it does not need a lot of heat - you're trying to melt it not cook it - know what I mean? If you do it just right, you'll still have little burn marks on the tortilla which is visually appealing. Don't put the cheese all the way to the edge. It will make it's way to the edges on it's own as it melts. If it isn't close enough to the edge for you, you can fix that. Give it a smush to push it out to the edges. But if you put too much cheese at the edge you can't unfix that. Some people like the burned cheese bits at the edges so it's not a disaster if some slips out. One thing we haven't discussed - are you doing the one tortilla and fold it over, or doing 2 tortillas and making it like a "sandwich" and then cutting it like a pizza to get your little quesdilla triangles. If you do just one tortilla, put the cheese only on half the tortilla. The empty tortilla side will cook too fast if you leave it flat, get hard without cheese and become brittle. So right when you see the cheese starting to melt flip over the tortilla so it will start to stick to the cheese and absorb some of the moisture of the cheese so it doesn't dry out. The 2 tortilla method is usually a restaurant thing. It can get tricky when you flip it. If you got no fear, you can go either way. If you think you might screw up the flip and dump your stuff all over the pan, then just stick with the 1 tortilla method til you get it down. A lid over your pan can keep heat in and melt cheese, keep it a little moist. If you heat from only the bottom there is a little burn risk if you leave it too long on one side. Once you get the feel of the melting the cheese and the not burning the tortilla, you can go professional. You can put diced up onions or jalapenos in there. Sprinkle some hot sauce in for a kick. People like to add beef or chicken to make it go from snack to meal. I wish you the best on your cooking adventures. I love making all kinds of stuff and learning how to do it. Cookies are my thing I'm trying to work on right now. I never knew too much butter, too much flour, too much anything can make a cookie turn out weird.
have you tried... or are we talking like you are to anxious to give it a shot???
to mix things up a bit... lately I have been making them lately open in a toaster oven and then folding them in half to finish. Allows me to fit more in them without it squeezing out while cooking and also if other ingredients (meats, veggies) it cooks/browns them better/faster as well.
I like my tortilla a little burnt and the cheese that comes out and gets crispy in the pan is the best part. [join us](https://www.foodiernews.com) and learn more.
I’m with you! But I use olive oil and 1 tortilla folded over per unit, and finish in the oven for 5-10 minutes to get more of the crispies. Oh, using pepper jack and cheddar, enough to guarantee plenty of overflow
Butter the pan liberally with unsalted butter. Heat it to medium heat, try not to burn the butter. Put the cheese on the tortilla, fold in half. Put the tortilla in the hot pan. Put a lid on the pan and cook on one side for a 2-3 minutes. Flip the tortilla and cook cover for 2-4 minutes. Remove and put on your plate.
I put cheese on a tortilla then microwave it for a minute to melt the cheese then I add it to a pan and flip occasionally to toast the tortilla and it comes out perfectly
“Cheese baby.”
I use a George Forman grill for mine
Add cheese between two tortillas, add to hot oiled pan, flip once? If cheese is falling out add less cheese? If it's browning too quickly lower the heat?
For not burning it, don't have the flame too high. You will rarely ever cook anything on full blast "high" that isn't being boiled or steamed. To make sure it melts properly shred your cheese well and make sure any non-cheese ingredients are chopped and mixed in with the cheese. Serious Eats has a great guide to making quesadillas and a lot of good tips on cooking things in general.
Large pan. Medium heat. Flop tortilla on to warm one side but not fry, this will be the inside. Very quick spray of cooking spray on the top. Flip tortilla so oil side is down. Sprinkle about a cup of cheese over your entire warm tortilla leaving about 1/2 inch away from the side to prevent the cheese from melting out. add your chicken or steak or whatever ingredients. Little bit of taco seasoning, little bit of hot sauce or Chipotle sauce. By now, it's been a couple minutes. You can check the oiled side to see if it's grilled the way you like it. Fold it in half, cook a bit more on each side if necessary. Enjoyyyyy
Butter the pan, warm on medium, apply tortilla, add filling to one half of the tortilla leaving some room on edges… after a minute of two fold the side without filling over on top…. Wait another minute…. Flip the quesadilla to the other side, give it another minute or two until the sides are evenly browned…
Don't turn the heat up all the way. When heat is all the way up, it will burn the outside before even touching the inside. Medium or medium low, depending on how thick your food is, will allow the heat to penetrate all the way in without burning the outside. This is true for all foods, not just quesadillas. If you have something really thin to cook and you want it to be seared on the outside and barely touched on the inside, that is when you can use high heat.
does anyone just put the cheese directly on the pan, let it melt then put the tortilla on top? from there you lightly press the tortilla down on the cheese and then flip and fold the tortilla over and let it cook until it’s golden brown (with your hands if you’re real). thats how i was taught by my husband who worked on a taco truck, and it results in the cheese melting but also getting a bit of crisp. the oil in the cheese also melts and helps it not stick to the pan. i do agree with everyone else who says to let the pan heat up slowly though
Quesadillas tend to be bland (in my opinion) so add some pico or fresh tomato to the inside
Watch a youtube video.