Crispy oven baked quesadillas – RecipeTin Eats

July 6, 2024

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It is a helpful recipe for crispy quesadillas baked within the oven. Which implies you can also make 3, 4 or 8 at a time as a substitute of pan frying one after the other! Full of my favorite taco beef mince (floor beef) although you need to use hen, turkey, lamb or pork. Tremendous fast and straightforward!

Crispy oven baked beef quesadillas

Recipe writers “at all times” trumpet on about how fast and straightforward quesadillas are to make (yours really included). Which they’re, in the event you’re cooking for one or two individuals.

However in the event you’re cooking for 3 or 4 or 5 – and throw a hoard of hungry youngsters into the combo – who’s acquired time to pan fry them one after the other? No one I do know in the true world!

Answer: Use the oven. They’re really crispy and every little thing you need in a quesadilla, filled with a taco-flavoured meaty filling studded with corn, beans and oozy cheese. My favorite half is the sides the place the melted cheese goes crispy!

Simply in case you doubt me – extra proof of crispy:

That’s crispy!!

Components for crispy oven baked quesadillas

To make quesadilla crispy within the oven, what you place inside issues. Watery filling = soggy quesadillas. Mince works nicely as a result of it may be juicy with out being watery, and it’s nice to prepare dinner up with a tasty Mexican seasoning. Additionally, the floor of the quesadillas keep good and flat (in comparison with, say, irregular measurement chunks of meat) which equals crispier floor.

the meat quesadilla filling

Right here’s what goes into the taco flavoured beef filling. It’s the identical seasoning I used for my old-fashioned beef tacos which I like!

Beef mince (floor beef) – This recipe will work with any sort of meat although you will see hen and turkey is drier than beef, pork and lamb. Beef is my favorite – as a result of I do have a really huge tender spot for old-fashioned Beef Tacos (crispy taco shells and all!).
Taco seasoning – That is the mix I take advantage of for my Beef Taco Filling, made with easy pantry staples. Should you’re tempted to make use of a retailer purchased packet for comfort, go forward. However when you will have time, use this do-it-yourself combine and spot the way it doesn’t have that synthetic edge! I believe you’ll get pleasure from it. 🙂
Tomato paste – That is so as to add somewhat flavour, bind the filling and juice it up a bit. With out, the meat is somewhat dry and crumbly, I discover.
Corn and beans – That is so as to add some bulk and totally different texture into the filling, reasonably than simply utilizing meat. I take advantage of canned, although you need to use frozen corn as nicely. (Use leftovers in a salad or freeze flattered in ziplock baggage so you possibly can snap off a bit extra the subsequent time you make this!).

The quesadillas

Right here’s what you’ll want to assemble the quesadillas.

Flour tortillas – Use flour tortillas round 20cm/8″ huge. I’ve tried this with all types of manufacturers from and so they all baked up pretty and crispy aside from Outdated El Paso. These tortillas labelled as “tremendous tender and versatile!” which works towards us right here! They do go fairly crispy however they take an additional 3 to five minutes, however nonetheless not as crispy as all the opposite manufacturers I attempted (Mission, Coles and Woolworths manufacturers, La Banderita).

No matter model you will get, I nonetheless assume that is nonetheless price making. Firstly, it’s fast. Secondly, even when not as extremely crispy as pictured, it ought to crisp up an honest quantity and it is going to be a tasty trial-and-error to search out the tortilla model that works finest.
Cheese – Use any melting cheese you need. I take advantage of Colby, cheddar, tasty cheese (an Australian cheddar-like cheese) and Monterey Jack, all of that are staples in my fridge. I wouldn’t select to make use of mozzarella because it doesn’t have as a lot flavour but when that’s all I had, it wouldn’t cease me.
Olive oil – You want it, if you need crispy! Simply 1 teaspoon to grease the tray and a few for the quesadillas ( simply 1/2 teaspoon every).

Methods to make crispy oven baked quesadillas

Sizzling oven. Oil the tray. Cool the filling. Use the suitable tortillas!

Beef filling – Prepare dinner the meat first, breaking it up as you. Then when the pink (uncooked) color is nearly gone, add the Taco Seasoning and prepare dinner it for 1 minute which can deliver out the flavour. Add the tomato paste and stir for one more 1 minute to prepare dinner off the bitter uncooked flavour. Stir within the corn, beans and water. The water will “juice up” the filling a bit with out making it watery (which can compromise crispiness).
Cool the filling for quarter-hour. If it’s too scorching, it’ll steam contained in the quesadillas which makes the tortilla soggy = compromises crispiness (do you see a theme in at this time’s recipe? 😂).

Assemble quesadillas – Unfold the filling throughout half of every quesadilla and prime with cheese. Unfold evenly to make the quesadillas as flat as attainable.
Put together for baking – Grease a tray with olive oil (simply 1 teaspoon is sufficient), then place the quesadillas on the tray. Drizzle the floor with oil then unfold throughout the floor and sides (I take advantage of my palms). Oil is crucial for oven baked crispiness. Don’t be tempted to stint on the oil!

Double flip bake – Bake in a scorching oven (220°C / 425°F (200°C fan-forced)) for 8 minutes. Flip, bake for five minutes, then flip once more and bake for an additional 2 minutes or till it’s golden and crispy. The third flip is vital! The tortilla will get stained with pink oil from the meat which crisps up superbly, and it’s additional tasty.
Serve instantly! Reduce the quesadillas in half then serve together with your dipping sauce / toppings of selection. (Extra on this under).

Dipping sauces and toppings for quesadillas

Confession: as a rule in a I want one thing to eat, stat! scenario, I’ll munch on these plain or, at finest, bitter cream for dunking.

Although when energy-levels and time-scrambling allow, Avocado Sauce is my dipping sauce of selection. Firstly, it’s quick. Avocado, bitter cream, lime, coriander -> blitz. This simply occurs whereas the quesadillas are within the oven.

And secondly, I like that it’s creamier than guacamole so it’s simpler to dunk.

As for Pico de Gallo, it is a wonderful final touch so as to add some freshness to quesadillas and to spherical out the meal with some contemporary greens. However – I’ll be trustworthy. It doesn’t normally make an look after I’m making quesadillas midweek, as a result of I’m normally in a fridge clean-out or speedy meal situation! – Nagi x