Carrots & Cookies

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    • Apple Cider Vinaigrette Dressing in a small glass bowl with a white serving spoon.
      Apple Cider Vinaigrette Dressing
    • Double chocolate chip banana cookies on a white plate.
      Banana Cocoa Cookies
    • Mini banana pancakes dusted with powdered sugar, topped with sliced banana and almond slices on a white plate.
      Mini Banana Pancakes
    • Nine deviled eggs on a white plate with a sprig of fresh parsley for garnish.
      Easy Deviled Eggs Without Mustard
    • Three brown hard-boiled eggs in white egg cups.
      How to Make Steamed Hard-Boiled Eggs
    • A lettuce salad on a round white plate with a small white bowl of basil balsamic dressing.
      Basil Balsamic Dressing
    • Three different smoothies in glass jars with striped straws.
      16 Ways to Increase Protein in Smoothies without Protein Powder
    • One Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Smoothie in a glass jar topped with oats and a mini chocolate chip, served with a straw.
      Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Smoothie
    • A Christmas holiday salad in a large white serving bowl with a small white bowl with the salad dressing in the center of the salad greens.
      Quick and Easy Christmas Salad
    • A holiday salad in a white serving bowl with a gold serving spoon.
      Thanksgiving Fruit Salad
    • Three images of fruit smoothies with straws.
      8 Fruit Smoothies Without Yogurt
    • A whole roasted chicken stuffed with carrots and celery in a white Dutch oven.
      Easy Dutch Oven Chicken
    Home Recipes Dinner

    Easy Cheese Quesadilla Recipe

    Published: Jul 8, 2023 by Kristi Ruth RD · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    ↓ Jump to Recipe

    Easy cheese quesadillas made with just enough cheese and perfectly sized tortillas make a delicious part of dinner any day of the week! If you're looking for a recipe to make a quesadilla for kids, this is it!

    Let me show you how to make quesadillas with cheese in 10 minutes and how to serve them so they are parent AND kid-approved!

    Pieces of cheese quesadillas plated with guacamole, mango pineapple salsa, and tomato salsa in separate white ramekins.

    As far as nutrition is concerned, sometimes it's not about what you serve, but rather how you make it, how much you serve, or what you serve it with.

    Afterall, who can blame kids for loving cheesy foods like mac and cheese or quesadillas? Here I will show you how to make cheese quesadillas, provide filling ideas, and offer ideas of what to serve them with.

    Jump to:
    • What is a Cheese Quesadilla?
    • Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • Ingredient Notes
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Dietitian Mom Tip
    • How to Serve Cheese Quesadillas
    • Filling Ideas
    • What to Serve with Quesadillas
    • Helpful Tips
    • How to Freeze and Reheat Cheese Quesadillas
    • More Questions You May Have
    • Related Recipes
    • More Easy Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    What is a Cheese Quesadilla?

    Cheese quesadillas are a popular Mexican dish made with tortillas and cheese. And believe it or not, quesadillas are one of the easiest foods to make.

    Traditionally, quesadillas are made with corn tortillas. Still, I've notice that flour tortillas are used to make quesadillas more often than corn at home and in US restaurants. I think it's because corn tortillas tend to break apart when folded.

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    • Easy recipe It's almost too easy to call a recipe!
    • Kids tested, Parent Approved! Quesadillas are made with just enough cheese, but not too much. Yum!
    • Easy to customize Besides cheese, quesadillas can be filled with chicken, veggies, black beans, and more!
    • Can be served as a snack, appetizer, or main meal There are so many ways to serve quesadillas, the key is remembering to make them 😉
    • Serve it for breakfast, lunch, dinner! Check out the "ways to serve quesadillas" section below for all the different ways to serve quesadillas!

    Ingredient Notes

    Flour tortillas and shredded cheddar cheese plated separately and labeled.
    • Tortillas The kind of tortilla you should use comes down to personal preference. I've made quesadillas using corn tortillas, flour tortillas, and the corn and wheat tortillas that Trader Joe's sells.
    • Cheese You will want to use a cheese that melts easy to make quesadillas. I prefer shredded cheddar cheese, while my kids prefer Monterey Jack cheese.
    • Olive oil Brushing the tortilla with a small amount of olive oil will help it crisp up more and give it a nice golden-brown color. If you don't have olive oil, a small amount of butter can be used instead.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Four images showing steps to make a cheese quesadilla.
    1. Heat a skillet over medium heat.
    2. Brush one side of a tortilla with olive oil.
    3. Lay the tortilla on the warm skillet with the side brushed with olive oil facing down.
    4. Sprinkle cheese on one half of the quesadilla, leaving about one inch of space without cheese around the edge.
    5. Fold the half of the quesadilla without cheese on it over the half with cheese. Use a flat spatula to flatten the quesadilla.
    6. Let cook for about three minutes and when the cheese is about half melted, use a spatula to flip the quesadilla over on to the other side and continue cooking until the cheese is melted and the sides are light golden-brown in color.

    Dietitian Mom Tip

    As a dietitian mom, I try to take note of foods that kids really love and then find ways to make and serve them so that they are part of a well-balanced meal.

    To me, cheese quesadillas are sort of like cheese pizzas in that they are rarely turned down by kids. And, if you think about it, the only ingredient the two have in common is cheese.

    Does cheese have fat? Yes. Do kids need fat in their diets? Also yes. In my opinion, the key to raising kids so they have a healthy relationship with food is to expose them to all kinds of food and show them different ways food can be served, as opposed to restricting or telling them they can't have something.

    So, when I serve something like cheese pizza or cheese quesadillas, I serve other things with it, like salad and fresh fruit. And if I'm the one making the meal, I use less cheese. Easy as that.

    How to Serve Cheese Quesadillas

    Believe it or not, there are several ways to serve quesadillas. Here are a few ways that I've come up with. If you can think of more, please let me know!

    • Serve as an after-school snack, appetizer, or as a side dish. Use small tortillas to make quesadillas, slice them into small triangle shaped pieces. Serve with fruit salsa or in place of chips with turkey chili.
    • Serve as a main meal Use large flour tortillas to make bigger quesadillas and slice into larger triangle shaped pieces. Serve with guacamole, a variety of salsas, and a salad.
    • Pack in school lunches If your kids don't mind eating their cheese quesadillas cold, wrap a leftover quesadilla in foil and pack it in their school lunch bag with an ice pack to keep it cool.
    • Quesadillas for breakfast! I know it might sound strange, but if you stuff the tortilla with scrambled eggs in addition to cheese, it turns into a delicious breakfast quesadilla!

    Filling Ideas

    While cheese quesadillas can be served 'as is,' they also can be filled with a variety of other foods, depending on your preference. Here are a few suggestions:

    • Shredded chicken (cooked)
    • Veggies Cooked bell pepper, chopped mushrooms, onions, corn, and spinach make delicious additions to cheese inside of a quesadilla.
    • Leftover taco meat
    • Black beans

    What to Serve with Quesadillas

    • Guacamole It's the best!
    • Traditional salsa
    • Salsa Verde
    • Pineapple Mango salsa
    • Corn
    • Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
    • Refried beans
    • Black beans and rice
    • Barbecue chicken
    • Salad A simple lettuce salad with veggies, southwest quinoa salad, bean, or chicken salad would taste delicious with simple cheese quesadillas.
    A child's hand dipping one piece of a quesadilla into guacamole plated with more pieces of quesadilla, mango salsa, and salsa.

    Helpful Tips

    • In my experience, flour tortillas are the best tortillas to use for making quesadillas.
    • Use a cheese that melts easily.
    • I find that using one tortilla and folding it to make a quesadilla makes it easier and less messy to flip than when making them by melting cheese between two quesadillas.
    • Cheese from a block tends to melt easier than pre-shredded cheese because of the 'anti caking' ingredients added to store-bought pre-shredded cheese.
    • Shredded cheese or crumbled cheese will melt faster than slices of cheese.
    • Use a cheese that you and your kids like.
    • Don't increase the heat to cook the quesadillas faster. This will result in crispy tortillas and cheese that hasn't fully melted.
    • Use kitchen shears (I like to call them kitchen scissors) to cut the quesadillas into slices. If you don't have kitchen scissors, use a pizza slicer or sharp knife.
    • To increase the amount of protein in a quesadilla, add shredded cooked chicken, leftover taco meat, or black beans in with the cheese.
    • To increase fiber in this recipe, use whole wheat or corn tortillas, or add beans or vegetables as a filling.
    • If adding meat to the quesadilla, only use meat that has been pre-cooked.
    • Have two skillets going at the same time to get more quesadillas cooked in less time.

    How to Freeze and Reheat Cheese Quesadillas

    First, let the quesadillas cool completely. Then, place them in a freezer-safe resealable bag to freeze. To keep the pieces from sticking together, you can place a layer of wax paper between them.

    Others will suggest wrapping each piece in plastic wrap before freezing. Personally, I find this to be too time consuming. And because we usually reheat them within a few days, they aren't in the freezer long enough to get freezer burnt.

    As for reheating quesadillas, my number one 'go to' is my air fryer. Reheating quesadillas at 375 degrees for about 2-3 minutes will crisp them right up. The amount of time it takes will vary depending on your air fryer, if it's pre-heated, and how thick the quesadillas are.

    Cheese quesadillas can also be reheated in the microwave, oven, or on the stovetop. No matter how you choose to reheat them, be sure to remove the quesadillas from the bag or plastic wrap before reheating.

    More Questions You May Have

    What is the best cheese for a quesadilla?

    This cheese quesadilla recipe calls for Monterey jack cheese because it's easy to find, has a mild flavor, melts easy, and of course, tastes good! Still, any cheese that melts easy can be used, like pepper jack cheese, cheddar cheese, Mexican cheese (like queso fresco or chihuahua cheese), or mozzarella cheese.

    Are quesadillas a meal?

    It depends, lol. Quesadillas definitely can be considered a meal, especially when served with one or more sides to balance it out.

    What is a good side dish for quesadillas?

    Guacamole, salsa, refried beans, and salad all make excellent and easy side dishes for quesadillas.

    How do you eat a quesadilla?

    Mini quesadillas are often eaten by hand, while larger pieces of a quesadilla are eaten using a fork and knife.

    Are cheese quesadillas gluten free?

    Yes, as long as they are made with gluten free ingredients, like corn tortillas.

    Related Recipes

    • Black beans and rice
    • Chicken enchilada bake
    • Turkey tacos
    • Air fryer tortilla chips
    • Guacamole
    • Taco seasoning
    • Turkey chili

    More Easy Recipes

    • Easy Mashed Red Skinned Potatoes
    • One bowl of creamy pasta with salmon and arugula in a white bowl with a fork.
      Easy Salmon Pasta Dish
    • A plate of pumpkin pancakes topped with toasted pecans.
      Pumpkin Pancakes with Pancake Mix
    • Pesto in a white bowl with a white spoon and a plate of sourdough to the top left of it.
      5-Minute Pistachio Pesto

    Did you love this cheese quesadilla recipe? I'd love to know what you served them with! Please let me know by giving this recipe a 5-star rating or by leaving a comment below.

    Don't forget to follow me @carrots.and.cookies on Instagram for more dietitian tips and meal inspiration!

    📖 Recipe

    Pieces of a cheese quesadilla on a white plate with guacamole, mango salsa, and salsa.

    Cheese Quesadilla Recipe

    Kristi
    Easy cheese quesadillas made with just enough cheese and perfectly sized tortillas make a delicious part of dinner any day of the week! If you're looking for a recipe to make quesadilla for kids, this is it!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course dinner, Main Course, Snack
    Cuisine American, Mexican
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 187 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 skillet
    • 1 spatula
    • 1 Kitchen shears also known as kitchen scissors
    • 1 cheese grater
    • 1 measuring cup set

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 flour tortillas
    • 1 cup Queso Fresco, Cheddar, Mozzarella, or Monterey Jack cheese shredded
    • ½ teaspoon olive oil

    Instructions
     

    • Heat a greased skillet over medium heat.
    • Brush one side of a tortilla with olive oil.
      ½ teaspoon olive oil, 4 flour tortillas
    • Lay the tortilla on the warm skillet with the side brushed with olive oil facing down.
    • Sprinkle one-quarter cup of cheese on one half of the tortilla, leaving about one-half of an inch of space without cheese around the edge. Let cook flat for about two minutes, just until the cheese starts to melt.
      1 cup Queso Fresco, Cheddar, Mozzarella, or Monterey Jack cheese
    • Fold the half of the quesadilla without cheese on it over the half with cheese. Use a flat spatula to flatten the quesadilla. Continue to cook.
    • After another minute, when the cheese is melted, use a spatula to flip the quesadilla over on to the other side and continue cooking until both sides are light golden-brown in color.

    Notes

    *Nutrition facts are an estimate and can vary depending on the type and size of tortilla, kind of cheese used, and more. The numbers estimated for this recipe reference a regular flour tortilla and Fresco cheese.
    • In my experience, flour tortillas are the best tortillas to use for making quesadillas.
    • Use a cheese that melts easily.
    • I find that using one tortilla and folding it to make a quesadilla makes it easier and less messy to flip than when making them by melting cheese between two quesadillas.
    • Cheese from a block tends to melt easier than pre-shredded cheese because of the 'anti caking' ingredients added to store-bought pre-shredded cheese.
    • Shredded cheese or crumbled cheese will melt faster than slices of cheese.
    • Use a cheese that you and your kids like.
    • Don't increase the heat to cook the quesadillas faster. This will result in crispy tortillas and cheese that hasn't fully melted.
    • Use kitchen shears (I like to call them kitchen scissors) to cut the quesadillas into slices. If you don't have kitchen scissors, use a pizza slicer or sharp knife.
    • To increase the amount of protein in a quesadilla, add shredded cooked chicken, leftover taco meat, or black beans in with the cheese.
    • To increase fiber in this recipe, use whole wheat or corn tortillas, or add beans or vegetables as a filling.
    • If adding meat to the quesadilla, only use meat that has been pre-cooked.
    • Corn tortillas are smaller than typical flour tortilla. If using corn tortillas to make this quesadilla recipe, use 2 tablespoons of cheese per tortilla.
    • If using mini flour tortillas instead of full-size tortillas, use 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons of cheese per tortilla.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1quesadillaCalories: 187kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 8gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 450mgPotassium: 77mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 246IUCalcium: 216mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Dinner

    • Five halves of hummus veggie wraps stacked together.
      5-Minute Hummus Veggie Wrap
    • Top view of orzo with broccoli in a white serving dish with a gold serving spoon.
      Easy Orzo with Broccoli
    • Pieces of Italian chicken with orzo and broccoli to the side.
      Easy Italian Baked Chicken
    • Six pieces of avocado toast topped with tomato and a variety of other topping that differ by piece. Served on a white platter.
      Easiest Avocado Toast with Tomato
    5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Kristi Ruth RD wearing a green top with jeans and holding a white platter with tri-colored carrots.

    Welcome to Carrots & Cookies! I'm a busy working mom of three and can now say that I've been a dietitian for 20 years!! I'm on a mission to show you that eating well doesn't have to be complicated by providing you with easy recipes and practical nutrition tips! More about me...

    Popular Recipes

    • Three pieces of barbecue chicken with two ears of corn topped with pieces of cilantro and served on a white plate.
      15-Minute Air Fryer BBQ Chicken

    • Pesto with tortellini, chicken, and broccoli in a large white serving bowl with a spoon.
      15-Minute Pesto with Tortellini

    • Up close image of nut free trail mix in a glass mason jar (top view). Trail mix also around the base of the glass jar.
      Nut Free Trail Mix for Kids

    • One ripe pineapple with a still on held up over a pile of pineapples.
      How to Pick a Good Pineapple

    • Top view of a bowl of Carrot Butternut Squash Soup topped with pumpkin seeds.
      Easy Carrot Butternut Squash Soup

    • Shredded chicken on a white platter.
      How to Boil Chicken Breast for Shredding

    Easy Recipes for Summer

    • A pile of cooked marinated lemon pepper chicken on a white plate.
      Easy Lemon Pepper Chicken Marinade

    • Chunks of fresh watermelon topped with Tajin and cinnamon.
      5-Minute Tajin and Watermelon

    • Kale salad in a yellow bowl with a set of tongs in the salad as to serve.
      Easy Kale (Tuscan) Salad

    • A chip being dipped into guacamole served in a white ramekin.
      4-Ingredient Guacamole Recipe

    • Pieces of fresh fruit on toothpicks and bamboo skewers on a white plate with yogurt and granola in separate ramekins.
      Favorite Fruit on a Stick

    • Strawberry banana smoothie bowl served in a white bowl and topped with sliced banana, freeze dried strawberries, chia seeds, and chocolate chips.
      Easy Strawberry Banana Smoothie Bowl

    Footer

    Featured In

    Southern Living logo.
    Yahoo logo.
    Well + Good logo.
    Eat This logo.
    Eating Well logo.
    Womans World logo.
    LiveStrong logo.
    Fod news logo.
    Real simple logo.
    Parade logo.
    Parents logo.
    The Beet logo.
    Clean Plate logo.

    ↑ back to top

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Statement

    Copyright © 2024 Carrots & Cookies

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.