If you thought that quesadillas were just cheese in tortillas then think again. Here are the best and most beautiful examples of quesadilla recipes, and how creative you can get with them.
- Corn Tortilla & Cheddar
- Sheet Pan Shredded Rotisserie Chicken
- Mozzarella & Chicken (Keto-Friendly)
- Copycat Taco Bell Jalapeno Sauce
- Avocado & Black Bean
- Bacon & Eggs
- Vegan Black Bean & Mushroom
- Plant-Based Cashew Cheese & Chickpeas
- Grilled Chicken & Queso Fresco
- Mexican Cheese & Spinach (Keto-Friendly)
- Breakfast Pinto Beans & Pickled Jalapeño
- Turkey & Cranberry Sauce
- Chicken Thigh & Green Pepper
- Chicken Breast & Coconut Flour Tortillas
- BBQ Chicken & Cheddar (Gluten-Free)
- Pimento Cheese Chicken
- Bacon, Egg & Cheese
- Chorizo
- Cheesy Zucchini Spinach
- Vegan Black Bean Corn
- Thai Chicken
- Grilled Shrimp
- Cheesy Ground Beef
- Crispy Cheese & Mushroom
- 24 Best Quesadilla Recipes [Easy Filling & Flavor Ideas]
Here’s a list to get those creative juices flowing, and help inspire you to your next kitchen adventure!
Corn Tortilla & Cheddar
With just one small adjustment, this corn tortilla quesadilla recipe combines all the elements of your favorite cheese snack. By swapping corn tortillas for flour tortillas, the Mexican classic is converted into an easy gluten-free friendly appetizer with its own unique flavor. Corn tortillas give a distinctive nutty flavor that flour tortillas cannot replicate, with a texture that’s a little chewy.
Each tortilla is topped with shredded cheese, a mixture of black beans, corn, fresh cilantro, and seasonings for the filling. Then, they are cooked in a hot skillet until the outside is golden brown and the middle is filled with gooey, melted cheese.
Sheet Pan Shredded Rotisserie Chicken
These easy baked quesadillas are perfect for nights when something needs to be thrown together fast for a group. Since they’re baked instead of pan-fried, they get crispy every time and are simple to personalize, depending on taste.
Mix some rotisserie chicken, black beans, salsa, and cheese, scoop it into a tortilla, and then bake! You can substitute other meats or even chickpeas for a vegetarian option instead of the chicken if desired. Don’t forget to add some spice if you’d like as well!
Mozzarella & Chicken (Keto-Friendly)
These keto-friendly chicken quesadillas don’t have a traditional flour tortilla. You bake a layer of shredded cheese on parchment paper, then put all your favorite toppings on one side of the tortilla. Add mozzarella, cheddar cheese, cooked chicken, bell pepper, diced tomatoes, and guac on the side for dipping!
Drain the oil from your cheese pan before cooking the toppings in the middle of the quesadilla. These quesadillas are also perfect for anyone who isn’t doing keto but believes there’s no such thing as too much cheese.
Copycat Taco Bell Jalapeno Sauce
The ingredients inside this copycat Taco Bell quesadilla are simple, and all you need to make one of your own is cooked chicken, cheese, and tortillas. The one ingredient that sets Taco Bell’s quesadillas apart is their quesadilla sauce, which you can whip together quickly at home.
Mix minced pickled jalapenos and jalapeno juice, sugar, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and salt into mayonnaise in a mixing bowl until well combined. It’s best to allow homemade sauces like this to sit for about half an hour before using them.
Avocado & Black Bean
These avocado and black bean quesadillas are cheesy, veggie-filled, and perfect for vegetarians or people just trying to cut back on meat. Sauté some onion and bell pepper in olive oil, then add your black beans and taco seasoning. In a separate bowl, mash avocado with lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper to taste.
Lastly, spread both mixes onto a tortilla, sprinkle with shredded mozzarella, fold it in half, and cook in the pan until the outside is crisp and the cheese inside is melted.
Bacon & Eggs
You’ve heard of breakfast burritos, but get a load of these breakfast quesadillas. They’re made with just five simple ingredients, meaning that the focus remains on the beautiful bacon at their center.
Lay some crisp bacon that you’ve either cooked yourself or from a package of fully cooked bacon (or bacon bits!), chopped green onion, and shredded cheese onto one half of a tortilla.
Spoon on some fluffy scrambled eggs, fold in half and pan-fry for one to two minutes on each side. You can serve these with the usual salsas and sour cream on the side or add a cup of queso into the mix as a dip!
Vegan Black Bean & Mushroom
Having specific dietary needs doesn’t mean you have to miss out on quesadillas. These vegan quesadillas with black beans are not only vegan but also gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and completely homemade.
The vegan cheese sauce uses tapioca flour, nutritional yeast, and coconut milk (or any pre-purchased vegan cheese) to create a creamy sauce that goes perfectly with the sauteed onion, garlic, peppers, and mushrooms. Put everything on your favorite gluten-free tortilla and viola! You have a delicious, healthy meal in just half an hour!
Plant-Based Cashew Cheese & Chickpeas
These ultimate vegan quesadillas are another delicious way to get a meal full of delicious veggies. This recipe is similar to other vegan quesadilla recipes, though this one doesn’t require beans. Mushrooms, onion, bell peppers, and garlic are sautéed first in olive oil, then tossed in another homemade vegan queso.
This vegan queso uses enchilada sauce for heat and cashews, chickpeas, salsa, fresh lime, and spices, all mixed in a blender to get that smooth and creamy texture. You can also use the queso as a dip!
Grilled Chicken & Queso Fresco
From a vegan option to a very… not… vegan option. This chicken filling is made by marinating it in vinegar, chili, and garlic, mixed in with cheese and onions, and all housed in beautiful flour tortillas.
I’ve often gone ahead with cooking chicken fresh, but having it marinated first really makes all the difference. It matches brilliantly with melted cheese and crispy onions.
Mexican Cheese & Spinach (Keto-Friendly)
For these low-carb quesadillas, you’ll be making tortillas from scratch. You’ll need two eggs plus two egg whites, cream cheese, salt, psyllium husk powder, coconut flour, and a hand mixer. You’ll want to use a non-stick pan and some oil for your tortillas if you fry them, as the cream cheese makes them extra sticky when pouring the batter.
Once the tortillas are finished either baking them in the oven or frying them on the stove, fill them with fresh baby spinach and any hard or Mexican-style cheese of your choosing. Cook them evenly until the cheese is gooey.
Breakfast Pinto Beans & Pickled Jalapeño
Breakfast in a tortilla will never be wrong and will always be an easy way to keep bites of food from spilling all over the floor or our laps. These breakfast tortillas add another layer of flavor by using scrambled eggs mixed with hot sauce, green onion, cilantro, and jalapeno on a whole wheat tortilla.
Don’t forget to add your favorite cheese before cooking these 1-2 minutes until the tortillas are crispy and golden on each side, or the homemade guacamole for dipping!
Turkey & Cranberry Sauce
Here’s one more way for you to use up all those Thanksgiving leftovers we always seem to find looming in our refrigerators for too long – turkey cranberry quesadillas!
Grab a package of corn tortillas and layer on some slices of Havarti cheese, canned slices of cranberry sauce (or homemade cranberry sauce!), slices of leftover turkey, and more cheese between two of the tortillas.
Use some non-stick spray to crisp the tortillas for a few minutes on each side, and use some mashed potatoes and gravy for dipping.
Chicken Thigh & Green Pepper
These keto-friendly chicken quesadillas use Kbosh veggie pizza crusts in place of traditional tortillas, as they are thin and flexible and come in a wide variety of veggie flavors.
Pick your favorite veggie crust and sauté chicken thighs in a pan with avocado, salt, and pepper. Add the taco seasoning, then add chopped bell peppers and sliced green onions. Once the filling is prepared, spoon it onto the veggie crusts and top with cheddar cheese, then crisp the crusts back up and melt the cheese.
Chicken Breast & Coconut Flour Tortillas
This cheesy chicken quesadilla recipe is also keto-friendly and gluten-free. Mix coconut flour, heavy cream, and xanthan gum in a bowl. Allow the batter to rest for a few minutes, and then pan fry the batter in coconut oil or olive oil.
Once the tortillas are finished frying, top them with shredded chicken and cheese to taste, and continue frying evenly on both sides until the cheese is melted. These tortillas come out slightly thicker than typical ones, so watch how much xanthan gum you use to thicken the batter!
BBQ Chicken & Cheddar (Gluten-Free)
These barbecue chicken quesadillas are so easy. You can cook two large chicken breasts and shred them ahead of time yourself, or you can buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it. Once you have all your meat in a bowl, simply mix it with your favorite barbecue sauce until all the chicken is evenly coated.
Layer the barbecue chicken and your favorite cheese between two tortillas. Cook a couple of minutes until the tortilla is crisp, and you’re all finished with this smoky-sweet twist on a traditional quesadilla.
Pimento Cheese Chicken
These pimento cheese quesadillas are packed with heat and spicy flavors, thanks to the cheese and an extra kick from pickled jalapeño peppers. Pimento cheese, a Southern cheese dip, forms the creamy, cheesy base.
You can buy pimento cheese from the store or make your own with fresh shredded white cheddar, pimentos, cream cheese, mayonnaise, and spices before spreading a thick layer onto a tortilla.
Cover the cheese spread with shredded chicken and a handful of pickled jalapenos, and then slather another layer of cheese spread on a second tortilla. Once these are crisped and cooked to perfection, serve them with cherry tomatoes, avocado slices, and lime wedges.
Bacon, Egg & Cheese
This riff on a classic breakfast sandwich is the best way to start the day off strong. Crispy bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, and savory, shredded cheese combine for a breakfast quesadilla that’s packed with comforting flavors.
Burrito-sized tortillas call for a larger skillet to cook them in, but the more significantly sized the tortilla, the more quesadilla you have once you’re finished! Pair these with sour cream and your favorite salsa or Picante sauce, or even spice it up with a hot sauce or pickled jalapenos.
Chorizo
Chorizo on quesadillas might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of ways to change your regular quesadilla recipe, but this flavorful twist is perfect for spicing up any meal at any time of the day.
This heat-packed recipe uses spicy chorizo sausage to add extra protein and flavor to your quesadillas. Spicy ranchero sauce on the side adds extra flavor.
With a mix of skillet-fried gold potatoes, browned and crumbled chorizo, onion, garlic, spices, and three different kinds of cheese, this recipe will bring anyone back for seconds (or more!) Just layer the potatoes, cheese, and chorizo in a tortilla, fold it in half and cook the tortilla until it’s golden brown.
To make the quesadilla filling, combine crispy potatoes, Mexican chorizo, plenty of shredded cheese, and seasonings such as onion, garlic, and hot paprika. Once you fry the quesadillas, serve with ranchero sauce, a combination of hot sauce, cream cheese, lime, and shredded cheese.
Cheesy Zucchini Spinach
This vegetable-packed quesadilla feels healthy even as it tastes completely indulgent. The melted cheese envelops spinach and zucchini so even picky eaters will be happy to eat their veggies.
Cook the zucchini and garlic in olive oil until softened but not mushy. The exact cook time may vary depending on how thick you slice your zucchini, so watch to get that nice firm texture.
Spoon the mixture onto a tortilla. Top with fresh baby spinach and shredded Monterey jack cheese, then pan-fry until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is golden and crisp. If you want your spinach more wilted, try adding it to the pan of zucchini for a couple of minutes instead of adding it straight from the package.
Vegan Black Bean Corn
You may think that quesadillas, which by definition have lots of cheese, are impossible to make vegan. However, this recipe combines all your favorite quesadilla flavors with a dairy-free cheese alternative.
You can buy vegan cheese at the store or make your own vegan nacho cheese spread with soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, tapioca starch, and miso paste. Sauté black beans, onion, garlic, corn, and black beans. Season with chili powder, cumin, and salt.
Once the vegetable mixture is cooked and warm throughout, put the mixture on a tortilla along with some gooey vegan cheese, freshly diced tomatoes, sliced green onions, and fresh cilantro. Ta-da! Sweet from the corn and spicy from the chili powder and jalapenos, this quesadilla packs a punch.
Thai Chicken
For a unique twist, this Thai chicken quesadilla adds a twist to the traditional dish without messing with the iconic combination of chicken and cheese. A Thai-inspired sauce of rice vinegar, coconut milk, garlic, peanut butter, and ginger coats the tortillas with a tangy, spicy flavor.
Everything gets melted into a pile of gooey pepper-jack cheese. The sauce for the chicken includes sweet chili sauce, ginger, coconut milk, brown sugar, peanut butter, lime, and soy sauce. Luckily, you can use the extra sauce from the chicken for dipping the quesadillas!
Besides chicken breast, you will need peanuts, cilantro, onion, carrots, and Napa cabbage. Cook the vegetables and chicken. Then, shred pepper jack cheese, place on a tortilla, and top with the chicken filling and Thai sauce. Put a second tortilla on top and cook until crispy.
Grilled Shrimp
Forget everything you’ve learned about seafood and cheese—sweet shrimp and savory cheese were made to go together in this quesadilla. This fresh, vibrant take on a classic is a great way to get reluctant eaters to try some seafood.
To make these grilled shrimp quesadillas, combine a mild shredded cheese such as Monterey Jack with precooked shrimp tossed in Caribbean seasoning. Top with pineapple, red onion, and cilantro for a burst of freshness. Finally, top with a second tortilla and cook on a grill until crispy.
Cheesy Ground Beef
Want to create the ultimate comfort meal? These cheesy ground beef quesadillas serve up cheeseburger flavors in tortilla form. The method and ingredients are simple: All you need is ground beef, grated cheese, tortillas, and seasonings.
First, brown the ground beef until fully cooked through. Be sure to season and add tomato sauce or broth to avoid sticking to the pan. Then, add to a tortilla and top with shredded cheese. Fold the tortilla into a semicircle and cook on both sides until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is crispy.
Crispy Cheese & Mushroom
This healthy twist on a quesadilla helps you get your daily serving of vegetables while serving up comforting flavors. Earthy mushrooms pair well with savory cheese.
Start this recipe by cooking sliced mushrooms with garlic and scallions until they release moisture and take on some of the flavors of the aromatics. Assemble the quesadillas with the mushrooms and shredded cheese, top with a second tortilla, and cook until both sides are crispy.