Corn Quesadilla

Crisp tortillas and melting cheese collide with spicy elote corn dip on this hearty, flavorful Corn Quesadilla. And the very best half? From begin to end, these come collectively in simply 10 minutes.

horizontal photo of elote quesadillas on wooden board with black and white striped towel

This corn quesadilla recipe was closely impressed by our beloved elote dip, a dish made with roasted corn in a creamy sauce of spicy mayonnaise, lime, and cotija cheese. Whether or not we eat it with a spoon or dip into it with tortilla chips, it’s been a long-time favourite snack in our home. Given our love of elote and quesadillas, it was solely a matter of time till I attempted combining the 2.

My boys and I are long-time followers of all issues quesadilla. In actual fact, quesadillas have been one of many first meals I taught my boys the best way to cook dinner. They’re easy, straightforward to make, and supply an effective way to make use of up leftovers.

Unsurprisingly, my boys liked this recipe from the primary chew. At this level, I do know that I have to multiply this recipe each time I make it. Who knew that including crispy, golden tortillas and gooey melted cheese to our beloved elote dip would make it even higher? I suppose it was a secure guess. These corn quesadillas are an effective way to make use of up any leftover dip (when and if we’re fortunate sufficient to have leftovers).

stacked quesadillas on board, filled with corn

Components and Substitutions

Tortillas – I want flour tortillas for the flavour, personally. And, you’ll discover that they maintain collectively higher than corn tortillas if you crisp them.

Cheese – For the quesadilla, Monterey jack or pepper jack are my go-to cheeses, as a result of they soften effectively. For the corn filling, I like to make use of cotija. It’s the crumbly, conventional selection for elote.

Corn – Recent, frozen, or canned corn works. I want to make use of recent corn, when it’s in season.

Mayo – Only a teaspoon of mayonnaise offers the elote filling a creamy base that’s wealthy and barely tangy.

Onion – I want crimson onion, for its milder taste when served uncooked. You possibly can swap in white or yellow onion although with out challenge.

Lime Juice – Don’t skip the lime juice. It helps lower by the richness with recent acidity, which makes the elote filling really feel much less heavy.

Chili Powder – For a touch of spice, I embody some chili powder. However, in case you are spice delicate, you possibly can omit this ingredient.

Cilantro – Cilantro is a basic ingredient in elote and my boys and I like the refreshing taste right here. Be happy to skip it, or sub parsley, if cilantro doesn’t thrill you.

Kosher Salt – Only a pinch, and also you’re going to regulate it to style. Actually, style the filling, and regulate it right here.

Butter – Until in any other case specified, I at all times use salted butter.

Notes on Gear

Rotary grater. I sometimes don’t suggest issues I haven’t owned for a very good lengthy whereas, however this rotary grater has been a dream to work with over the previous yr. It chews by all of our cheeses with ease.
Chef’s knife
Chopping board
Spatula or turner
Large nonstick skillet. I’ve been by about one million skillets (effectively, perhaps not fairly that many). For the previous a number of years that is the precise pan I’ve used for getting a quesadilla crisp with out something sticking.

ingredients for elote dip in stainless mixing bowl

The best way to Make a Corn Quesadilla

Mixing the Elote: To begin, you’ll mix the corn, onion, mayonnaise, chili powder, cotija, cilantro, salt, and recent lime juice in a small bowl. Give it a stir to combine it up after which style the combination. You’re solely including a pinch of salt and it would want extra, so regulate it as wanted after which let it relaxation for a minute.

Buttering the Tortilla: At this stage, I’ll calmly butter one aspect of a tortilla and put aside till wanted. Then, we’re going to grate the cheese, when you aren’t utilizing a pre-shredded selection.

Toasting the Tortilla: I place the buttered tortilla within the sizzling pan, butter-side down.

Constructing the Quesadilla: Layer half of the cheese over one half of the tortilla. Then, prime the cheese with the elote filling, and sprinkle the remaining cheese on prime.

Folding the Tortilla: As soon as all of the filling substances have been added, you’ll wish to fold the tortilla over on itself and let cook dinner for 2-3 minutes, till the cheese has begun to soften and the underside tortilla has browned.

cooked quesadilla with corn on the stove

Flipping and Ending: I rigorously flip the quesadilla over within the pan, and let the second aspect cook dinner, till crispy. The cheese must be totally melted by the point either side end cooking.

Serving: As soon as all of the cheese has melted and the tortilla is crisp across the edges, I switch the quesadilla to a slicing board and slice it into wedges.

Knowledgeable Tip

You’ll discover that “medium warmth” means one thing totally different on each single range. Gasoline ranges are inclined to run hotter and reply rapidly to modifications, whereas electrical stovetops take longer to warmth and funky. This is the reason I stress the significance of temperature management. You need it sizzling, so that you simply get a crispy brown exterior. However, an excessive amount of warmth will char the skin of the tortilla earlier than the cheese has an opportunity to soften.

Warming the Pan – While you’re preheating a skillet, give it longer than you suppose. It could possibly take a full minute or two to heat the metallic totally. If the meals doesn’t sizzle if you add it to the pan, then you definately didn’t wait lengthy sufficient.

Go Simple on the Filling – To ensure that your quesadilla cooks evenly, don’t overfill the tortilla. I do know, I do know. It’s tempting to actually pile it up in there. However, you’ll have higher outcomes with a number of, smaller quesadillas.

Let It Relaxation – Wait only a minute or so for the quesadillas to chill earlier than digging in. You’ll nonetheless get your cheese pull. However, giving it a bit time helps the substances keep within the quesadilla when slicing and consuming it.

Serving Recommendations

I wish to serve my quesadillas with some Pico de Gallo or heat Queso Dip and a giant ol’ pile of tortilla chips. And if it’s supper time, we’ll make it a full meal with a skillet of Chipotle Lime Rice and perhaps a salad alongside the quesadillas.

Corn quesadillas stacked vertically on board

Make Forward & Storage

Make Forward: I don’t suggest making this quesadilla prematurely. The crunchiness of the tortilla will probably be misplaced, and lots of the substances will begin to run when reheated.

The best way to Retailer: Leftover quesadillas could be saved in an hermetic container or Ziploc within the fridge for 1-3 days.

The best way to Reheat: I often reheat quesadillas in a nonstick skillet on medium warmth, so as to add a number of the misplaced crispiness again to the tortillas.

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Ceaselessly Requested Questions

Do quesadillas actually have to be buttered?

Hear, you may make a boring quesadilla with none butter. The tortilla will toast a bit and the cheese will nonetheless soften. However, you’ll not get these superb golden, crispy edges with out butter. And it gained’t style nearly as good, both. So, please don’t skip the butter.

Why is my quesadilla falling aside

Often this can be a results of overfilling the quesadilla, or making an attempt to flip it earlier than the cheese has melted. Mastering warmth administration will repair the latter, and limiting the entire thickness to about 3/4 of an inch will assist with the previous.

What if the tortilla is beginning to brown, however the cheese isn’t melting but?

If the tortilla is starting to brown however the cheese hasn’t melted but, that’s a matter of warmth administration. Scale back the warmth to medium-low and canopy the skillet with a lid for a few minute. You’ll wish to hold an in depth eye on the quesadilla, to maintain it from steaming moderately than crisping because the cheese melts.

Mix the corn, onion, mayonnaise, chili powder, cotija, cilantro, salt, and lime juice in a small bowl and stir to mix. Style the combination and regulate the salt, as desired. Put aside. Calmly butter one aspect of the tortilla and put aside.
Set a non-stick pan on the range over medium-low warmth. Place the buttered tortilla within the empty skillet, butter aspect down. Layer half of the cheese over one half of the tortilla, prime the cheese with the corn combination, after which sprinkle the remaining cheese over the corn. Fold the tortilla over on itself.
Enable the quesadilla to cook dinner for 2-3 minutes. When the cheese has begun to soften and the underside tortilla is browning barely, flip the folded quesadilla over alongside the folded edge to cook dinner the opposite aspect.
Proceed to cook dinner till all of the cheese is melted and the tortilla is crisp across the edges. Utilizing a spatula, switch the quesadilla again to a slicing board and lower into wedges whereas it’s sizzling, and serve heat.