Cheddar, Bacon, and Scallion Quesadillas
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Time
25 minutes
Yield
Makes 2 folded 8-inch quesadillas
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Use a light hand when seasoning with kosher salt, as the cheese itself is rather salty. Cooling the quesadillas before cutting and serving is important; straight from the skillet, the cheese is molten and will ooze out. We advise against using sharp or aged cheddar cheese in this recipe, as both tend to separate and turn greasy. Serve the quesadillas with salsa, guacamole, or sour cream. Finished quesadillas can be held on a baking sheet in a 200-degree oven for up to 20 minutes
Instructions
- Fry bacon strips in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate; pour fat into small bowl and reserve, if desired. Wipe out skillet with paper towels.
- Heat skillet over medium heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Place 1 tortilla in skillet and toast until soft and puffed slightly at edges, about 2 minutes. Flip tortilla and toast until puffed and slightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Slip tortilla onto cutting board. Repeat to toast second tortilla while assembling first quesadilla. Sprinkle 1/3 cup cheese, half the bacon, 1 tablespoon scallions, and half of jalapeños, if using, over half of tortilla, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge. Fold tortilla in half and press to flatten. Brush surface generously with oil or bacon fat, sprinkle lightly with salt (omit if using bacon fat), and set aside. Repeat to form second quesadilla.
- Place both quesadillas in skillet, oiled sides down; cook over medium heat until crisp and well browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Brush surfaces with oil or bacon fat and sprinkle lightly with salt. Flip quesadillas and cook until second sides are crisp and browned, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer quesadillas to cutting board; cool about 3 minutes, halve each quesadilla, and serve.
Time
25 minutesYield
Makes 2 folded 8-inch quesadillasIngredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For a quesadilla recipe that was authentic in spirit yet also quick enough to make a satisfying snack, we kept the tortillas crisp by lightly toasting them in a dry skillet and then filling them with cheese, lightly coating them with oil, and returning them to the skillet until they were well browned and the cheese was fully melted. Not yet satisfied that our quesadilla recipe was speedy enough, we made the process even more convenient by switching to small 8-inch tortillas and folding them in half around the filling. This allowed us to cook two at a time in the same skillet, and the fold kept our generous cheese filling from oozing out.
Before You Begin
Use a light hand when seasoning with kosher salt, as the cheese itself is rather salty. Cooling the quesadillas before cutting and serving is important; straight from the skillet, the cheese is molten and will ooze out. We advise against using sharp or aged cheddar cheese in this recipe, as both tend to separate and turn greasy. Serve the quesadillas with salsa, guacamole, or sour cream. Finished quesadillas can be held on a baking sheet in a 200-degree oven for up to 20 minutes
Instructions
- Fry bacon strips in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate; pour fat into small bowl and reserve, if desired. Wipe out skillet with paper towels.
- Heat skillet over medium heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Place 1 tortilla in skillet and toast until soft and puffed slightly at edges, about 2 minutes. Flip tortilla and toast until puffed and slightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Slip tortilla onto cutting board. Repeat to toast second tortilla while assembling first quesadilla. Sprinkle 1/3 cup cheese, half the bacon, 1 tablespoon scallions, and half of jalapeños, if using, over half of tortilla, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge. Fold tortilla in half and press to flatten. Brush surface generously with oil or bacon fat, sprinkle lightly with salt (omit if using bacon fat), and set aside. Repeat to form second quesadilla.
- Place both quesadillas in skillet, oiled sides down; cook over medium heat until crisp and well browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Brush surfaces with oil or bacon fat and sprinkle lightly with salt. Flip quesadillas and cook until second sides are crisp and browned, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer quesadillas to cutting board; cool about 3 minutes, halve each quesadilla, and serve.
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