How to make quesadilla?

To make your own vegetarian quesadilla, all you’ll need is a sauté pan or a frying pan, an assortment of veggies, some kind of shredded melty cheese and a tortilla or thin flatbread to hold it all together. Here’s how to do it:

Make Mushroom and Veggie Filling

1. First you need to make the filling for your veggie quesadilla. Prep and chop all the veggies – onions, red bell pepper and mushrooms, herbs, and garlic – and set aside. After the filling is cooked and ready, making quesadillas is a breeze.

Set 4 large tortillas or 6 small tortillas aside. Grate the cheddar cheese and set aside. You’ll want to work quickly as soon as you start assembling the quesadillas.

Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a pan until shimmering. Reduce heat. Add ½ cup sliced onions and ½ teaspoon finely chopped garlic.

sliced onions and minced garlic added to sauté pan with oil

2. Sauté onions and garlic till onions become light golden on medium-low heat.

onions becoming golden in pan

3. Add 2 to 2.5 cups sliced or chopped button mushrooms, adding salt as needed.

salt and mushrooms added to pan

4. Increase the heat a bit and sauté mushrooms, stirring often. As the mushrooms begin to cook, they will start to release a lot of water.

mushrooms after releasing a lot of water

5. Continue to sauté until all the water evaporates. 

mushrooms in pan after water has evaporated away

6. Add the following ground spices:

  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin or cumin powder
  • ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or red chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed black pepper 
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano (or add to taste)
herbs and spices added to pan with mushrooms

7. Mix well on a low heat.

vegetarian quesadilla filling after mixing in spices

8. Add ½ cup of thinly sliced red bell pepper.

Note: You can use any colored bell pepper if you do not have red capsicum.

sliced red bell pepper added to pan

9. Mix and sauté on a medium-low heat for a few minutes until the veggies are half cooked. They should have some crunch and not soften completely.  

veggie filling for quesadillas in a sauté pan

10. Switch off heat. Add ½ teaspoon lemon juice. 

Note: Lemon juice brings some acidity and tang to the dish. If you do not prefer, omit it.

teaspoon of lemon juice over pan with veggies

11. Add 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (coriander leaves) or parsley. Mix and set aside. 

fresh coriander added to vegetarian quesadilla filling

Roast Tortilla (Optional)

12. While this step is optional, I find that it gives the tortilla better texture and flavor. If you have an extra 30 seconds to spare, give it a try.

Heat a heavy skillet or frying pan. Keep the heat to medium or medium-low. Place a tortilla on a heavy skillet or pan for 10 to 15 seconds. 

You can grease the pan with some oil before roasting the tortilla if you prefer.

roasting tortilla for making quesadillas

13. Drizzle some oil at the sides. Move the tortilla with a spatula so that the oil is spread through. You can also brush or spread a bit of oil on top of the tortilla. Use any neutral oil.

splashing oil around the tortilla

14. Turn over with a spatula.

tortilla flipped over after pan roasting

Assemble Veggie Quesadilla

15. As soon as you turn over the tortilla, begin layering the fillings. First add 2 to 3 tablespoons shredded cheddar or other melty cheese on one side of the tortilla.

cheese added to half the tortilla

16. Top with with 4 to 5 tablespoons of the sautéed veggie filling.

veggie filling topping the cheese

17. Top again with 2 to 3 tablespoons of shredded cheese. Feel free to turn off the heat if the pan gets too hot.

Tip: Prefer to work away from the heat? Alternatively, after roasting the tortilla, place it on a board or plate. Fill it, fold it and then carefully return it to the pan. Spread 2 to 3 teaspoons oil before returning the quesadilla to the skillet.

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