Chorizo and Sweet Potato Quesadillas
By Steve DunnPublished on April 3, 2023
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Use fresh Mexican chorizo here (not the dry-cured Spanish version). Ten-inch tortillas might also be labeled “large burrito” tortillas. Use the large holes of a box grater or the shredding disk of a food processor to shred the sweet potato. Two fish spatulas work well for flipping the quesadillas in step 4. The quesadillas can be served plain, with your favorite hot sauce, or with our Tomatillo-Avocado Sauce or Quick Salsa.
Instructions
- Combine sweet potato and ¼ teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Cover and microwave until just softened, about 2 minutes.
- Heat 1½ tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chorizo and cook, mashing and stirring until it has broken into fine crumbles and juices are bubbling, about 3 minutes. Stir in sweet potato and reduce heat to medium. Cook until sweet potato is fully softened and has soaked up most of pork juices, about 5 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking. Transfer pork mixture to large bowl. Add peppers, cheese, and cilantro to pork mixture and stir to combine. Wipe out skillet.
- Spread one-quarter of filling over half of each tortilla, leaving ½-inch border at edge. Fold tortillas over filling and press firmly to seal. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and line with single layer of paper towels.
- Heat ¼ cup oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Place 2 quesadillas in skillet, pressing into pan with thin spatula, and cook until browned on both sides and cheese has melted, 1½ to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to prepared rack. Repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and remaining 2 quesadillas. Cool for at least 3 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
Making a quesadilla with a complex filling, rather than just cheese, poses a few challenges for the cook that could lead to undercooked, bland, or limp and soggy results. We addressed these issues by using quick-cooking chorizo sausage along with shredded sweet potato, which was concentrated in the microwave so that it don't sog out the quesadilla. Jarred piquillo peppers delivered superconvenient yet bold flavor, and Monterey Jack cheese was used not just for its distinctive flavor but also for its ability to easily melt without breaking. Finally, we shallow-fried our quesadillas rather than cooking them in a dry skillet, promoting enhanced browning for flavor and a crispness that could stand up to the heavier filling. Check out our version for two.
Want more? Read the whole storyBefore You Begin
Use fresh Mexican chorizo here (not the dry-cured Spanish version). Ten-inch tortillas might also be labeled “large burrito” tortillas. Use the large holes of a box grater or the shredding disk of a food processor to shred the sweet potato. Two fish spatulas work well for flipping the quesadillas in step 4. The quesadillas can be served plain, with your favorite hot sauce, or with our Tomatillo-Avocado Sauce or Quick Salsa.
Instructions
- Combine sweet potato and ¼ teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Cover and microwave until just softened, about 2 minutes.
- Heat 1½ tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chorizo and cook, mashing and stirring until it has broken into fine crumbles and juices are bubbling, about 3 minutes. Stir in sweet potato and reduce heat to medium. Cook until sweet potato is fully softened and has soaked up most of pork juices, about 5 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking. Transfer pork mixture to large bowl. Add peppers, cheese, and cilantro to pork mixture and stir to combine. Wipe out skillet.
- Spread one-quarter of filling over half of each tortilla, leaving ½-inch border at edge. Fold tortillas over filling and press firmly to seal. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and line with single layer of paper towels.
- Heat ¼ cup oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Place 2 quesadillas in skillet, pressing into pan with thin spatula, and cook until browned on both sides and cheese has melted, 1½ to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to prepared rack. Repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and remaining 2 quesadillas. Cool for at least 3 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.
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