Easy Baked Quesadilla

Easy Baked Quesadilla

The Spruce / Karen Hibbard

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Children and adults alike love oven-baked quesadillas because they are quick to make and yummy to eat. There are so many ways you can create your quesadillas, and the kids can help you assemble them since there is no hot stove top to worry about. You don't need a second set of hands to make this meal but it makes for a great way to encourage your kids to cook with you in the kitchen.

You missed your kids so much during the day having the family cook together is a great way to bond with the kids. This recipe is not hard to follow and guarantees a delicious meal the kids will be proud to say they helped make. Here's how to bring the kids into the kitchen

Pick Out the Ingredients Together

While you are lining the cookie sheet with tin foil and finding the cooking spray have your child choose the ingredients. You can choose to make the quesadillas plain, which means just cheese and the tortillas, or you can add protein and vegetables.

For proteins you can use:

  • Chicken, either cooked in a Mexican spice over the weekend so it's easy to chop up and cook on a weeknight, or pick up a cooked rotisserie chicken from your local deli on the way home. 
  • Ground up beef
  • Strips of pork or pulled pork
  • Steak
  • Shrimp
  • Black beans (mash up half of the beans and then add the rest)
  • Scrambled eggs

For vegetables, you can choose to saute them in a little bit of oil to make them a bit soft, or just throw them in raw. This decision can be made based on how hungry your crew is. You can add:

  • Onions (caramelized or sautéed) or red onion
  • Jalapeños
  • Tomatoes
  • Cilantro
  • Green or red peppers
  • Spinach
  • Avocados
  • Corn
  • Sautéed mushrooms

For toppings, you can use guacamole, salsa, sour cream, Greek yogurt, lettuce, green onions, bacon bits, cilantro, or pico de gallo. For the cheese, this can be personal preference. If you want to keep the dish Mexican combine Monterey Jack and cheddar. 

If you want to make this recipe gluten-free, you can pick up gluten-free tortillas and make your own spicy shredded cheese combo. Shred your own cheese combo, great arm workout for the kids, and then you can add the spices such as cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or chili powder. 

Ingredients

  • 4 flour tortillas

  • 3 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

  • 1 cup salsa, optional

  • Chicken, beef, shrimp, or other protein, see above suggestions, optional

  • Caramelized onions, peppers, tomatoes, or other vegetables, see above suggestions, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Easy Baked Quesadilla ingredients

    The Spruce / Karen Hibbard

  2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Take a piece of aluminum foil that is big enough to cover a cookie sheet front and back. Center it on a cookie sheet.

    aluminum foil lined baking sheet

    The Spruce / Karen Hibbard

  3. Place 2 tortillas side by side on foil. Sprinkle cheese evenly on both tortillas.

    tortillas with cheese on top, on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet

    The Spruce / Karen Hibbard

  4. Place protein option on top of cheese.

    beans and chicken on top of the cheese and tortilla on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Karen Hibbard

  5. Place vegetable option on top of protein.

    vegetables on top of the the tortilla with protein and cheese on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Karen Hibbard

  6. Spoon about half the salsa over the top, making a very light layer, if desired.

    salsa over the vegetables and cheese mixture on the tortillas on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Karen Hibbard

  7. Cover each stack with another tortilla.

    top Quesadilla with the second tortilla

    The Spruce / Karen Hibbard

  8. Bring 2 sides of the foil together above the quesadillas, sealing foil at the center of cookie sheet. Crimp edges of foil to seal along the side of cookie sheet.

    Quesadilla wrapped in aluminum foil

    The Spruce / Karen Hibbard

  9. Bake for 10 minutes. Open foil carefully. Slice each quesadilla in quarters and serve with optional toppings (if desired).

    Easy Baked Quesadilla cut into quarters

    The Spruce / Karen Hibbard

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
778 Calories
34g Fat
83g Carbs
33g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 778
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 34g 44%
Saturated Fat 17g 84%
Cholesterol 80mg 27%
Sodium 987mg 43%
Total Carbohydrate 83g 30%
Dietary Fiber 5g 17%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 33g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 611mg 47%
Iron 5mg 30%
Potassium 264mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)