Quesadillas with Guacamole Cheese Recipes | Jamie Oliver Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the best melting cheese for quesadillas? ›

Sometimes the best cheese for quesadillas is whatever you have in the fridge when the craving strikes. Cheddar and Monterey Jack are standards of American-style quesadillas. But if you are planning ahead, consider that freshly grated cheese such as cheddar or Monterey Jack makes the meltiest quesadillas.

I opt for butter over oil whenever possible, but this is one case where oil is better: Butter contains water, which means that your quesadillas will turn out damp and floppy. Oil is pure fat, so it browns tortillas impeccably, resulting in pleasantly crispy spots on the outside of your quesadilla.

Spread ¼ cup (25 grams) of cheese over the tortilla.

You will be adding the rest of the cheese later; the two layers of cheese will help "glue" the quesadilla together.

Too much fat will make your quesadilla soggy instead of crispy. Use just enough to coat the bottom of your skillet — about 1/2 teaspoon of butter or oil. Warm it in the skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the tortilla and top with cheese.

Traditional Mexican cheeses like Oaxaca cheese or Chihuahua cheese are commonly used in quesadillas because they melt easily and have a mild, slightly salty flavor. Other cheese options include Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, and mozzarella.

Mexican melting cheeses like queso Oaxaca (quesillo), Chihuahua, Asadero, and Quesadilla are the best Mexican cheese for quesadillas.

Once it's hot, lay in a tortilla and sprinkle with two tablespoons of the cheese mix, making sure you leave a decent border all around the edge. When the cheese begins to melt, add a few slices of chilli and a pinch of epazote (or oregano), and fold over the tortilla, pressing it down to help seal it.

The quesadilla is crispy on the outside without being hard, and it's moist on the inside, the melted cheese providing a contrast. You need really good melting cheese and good tortillas. Aside from the flavors, you've got to pay attention to the mouthfeel: it's crispy then creamy then soft then crispy-crunchy.

Corn tortillas go well with Mexican dishes like tacos, enchiladas, and tamales. They are also perfect for use in tostadas, sopes, and quesadillas. Flour tortillas are often used in burritos, fajitas, and chimichangas. They are also great for making quesadillas, sweet dishes like dessert tacos, and breakfast burritos.

To get a folded-in-half tortilla to stick together without cheese, try eggs. Put the open tortilla in the pan, then pour a thin layer of beaten eggs on top. Cook slowly until the eggs start to solidify but are still wet on top. Then fold the tortilla in half.

Why are quesadillas unhealthy? ›

Think of quesadillas as a Mexican grilled cheese sandwich, but kicked up more than a notch by delicious, savory fillings. They're not the healthiest choice when you're dining out. Those globs of glorious melted cheese are full fat and the fillings may be glistening from the oil they're sautéed in.

Once you have the tortilla all folded up, place it in a hot pan, griddle or panini press. I cooked mine in a pan, so I used a spatula to slightly flatten and flip the quesadilla. Cook until browned on both sides and enjoy with whatever toppings you want.

Storage & Make Ahead

Quesadillas are really best the day they're made, but if you have any extras, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for around 3 days. If you want to make these ahead, you can prep your filling ahead of time, then assemble in your tortilla when you're ready to use.

Queso de Oaxaca

Queso Oaxaca is probably the most popular choice of cheese for melting. It has a stringy texture, not totally unlike mozzarella, and has a similar taste and texture.

If you follow the tips below, you can count on a smooth sauce when you use Asiago, Cheddar, colby, fontina, Gouda, Gruyère, Havarti, Monterey Jack, or Muenster. Blue cheeses and soft cheeses such as Brie and Camembert also melt well if you remove the rind.

(They went with "cheese food.") Velveeta is the ultimate high-moisture melter because whey, the liquid that separates from the curd in the cheese-making process, is actually reincorporated back into the cheese -- it's hyper-hydrated -- and emulsifiers, which act similarly to the flour in a bechamel, are already ...

However, there are some disadvantages to using sliced cheese for grilled cheese. One of the biggest issues is that sliced cheese often does not melt as well as grated cheese. That means if you want a nice cheese pull from the middle of your sandwich, you might not get it.