Spicy Cheese Quesadilla Recipe

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Spicy Cheese Quesadilla Recipe

This spicy cheese quesadilla recipe features a bold buttery-Tapatio tortilla, melty Mexican cheese, creamy jalapeño sauce, and optional meatless crumbles for an easy 20-minute meal.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings:

Author: Shreya Walia

Ingredients

Spicy Tortilla Shell

1 Tortilla
2 tbsp Earth Balance Butter
Tapatio Hot Sauce to taste

Creamy Jalapeno Sauce

1/2 c Sour Cream
1/2 c Mayonnaise (I used veganaise)
1.5 tbsp Sriracha
2 tbsp Pickled Jalapeno
2 tbsp Pickled Jalapeno Brine (or you can use rice vinegar)
1/4 tsp Onion Powder
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Cumin Powder
1/8 tsp Smoked Paprika
1/8 tsp Cayenne
3/4 tsp Red chili powder

Other Ingredients

1/3 c Mexican Blend Shredded Cheese

Optional Filling: Meatless "Beef" Crumbles

1 tbsp Canola Oil
1/4 c Veggie Crumbles
1/4 tsp Taco Seasoning

Instructions

Make the spicy tortilla shell: Heat your skillet over medium heat. In a bowl, mix equal parts melted butter and Tapatio hot sauce. Coat both sides of the tortilla in the mixture, then cook it on the skillet until lightly toasted but not fully crisp — it will cook more once filled.
Blend the jalapeño sauce: Add all jalapeño sauce ingredients to a food processor and blend until creamy and completely smooth. Taste and adjust heat or tang as needed.
Prepare optional meatless crumbles: Heat oil in a skillet and add the crumbles. Season lightly with taco seasoning, or just salt and pepper if you prefer a milder flavor. Cook until heated through and slightly crisp around the edges.
Assemble the quesadilla: Add shredded cheese, a spoonful of jalapeño sauce, and meatless crumbles to one half of the spicy tortilla. Fold the other half over to close.
Cook and melt: Cover the skillet with a lid to help the cheese melt fully. Flip and cook until both sides are golden and crispy.
Serve: Cut into wedges and serve with sour cream, salsa, guac, or extra jalapeño sauce.

Notes

Note: this is a huge batch of the creamy jalapeno sauce! You definitely won't use it up with one quesadilla. Store the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Storage: Store leftover quesadilla slices in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet or air fryer to bring back the crispiness.

Freezing: Freeze fully cooked quesadillas between parchment sheets for up to 2 months. Reheat directly from frozen in a skillet or air fryer.

Substitutions: Use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream, vegan mayo instead of regular, or swap Mexican blend cheese for Monterey Jack, Oaxaca, or even a spicy pepper jack.

Variations + Add-Ons: Add sautéed onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, roasted corn, sliced jalapeños, black or kidney beans, or even crispy potatoes for extra texture. You can also drizzle extra jalapeño cream sauce inside, add avocado slices, or spoon in a little salsa before folding for a saucier quesadilla experience.But whether you're adding veggies, beans, or a meat-substitute, you can cook these ingredients using the same steps.

I usually sauté the veggies, beans, or meat-substitute in a little bit of oil, add some taco seasoning on top, and cook for a couple of minutes. Keep in mind that a lot of seasoning isn't really necessary here. The tortilla is already cooked in hot sauce and butter, and the quesadilla is filled with the creamy jalapeno sauce. So keep the sprinkling of taco seasoning relatively light since the veggies/beans/meat-substitute likely doesn't need it.

Nutrition