One of my favorite parts of traveling is picking up food inspiration from the different cities and countries we visit. That’s how I came up with this freakin’ delicious recipe for fried quesadilla! They’re a riff on traditional quesadillas fritas, a popular street food in Mexico City. It’s like empanadas and tacos had a baby, but stuffed with melty cheese. So, quesadillas!
The fuel for our fried quesadilla fire is none other than Cowboy Charcoal. If you’ve been here a while, you know that it’s by far my favorite charcoal for outdoor cooking. It burns insanely hot and clean, so I can feel confident in how I’m cooking the recipes. Plus, I can feel comfortable using it in my smoked butter and smoked chimichurri recipes because I know there are no additives. Definitely pick up a bag before your next grill session!
Post sponsored by Cowboy Charcoal
Why You’ll Love Fried Quesadilla
If you walk around Mexico City, you’ll find plenty of these incredible deep-fried quesadillas. I wanted a way to make them at home and eliminate some of the drawbacks of deep frying — one of the great things about cooking outside!
I was also able to ponder some of my favorite quesadilla recipes and think about what filling I was craving, which is how I landed on ground beef flavored with my Cowboy Butter Seasoning. The great thing about a fried quesadilla, though, is you can stuff it with whatever you want! Various fillings like chicken, pork, beans, or even just cheese quesadillas (like the classic quesadillas fritas) would be so freakin’ delicious.
We’re also making our own homemade tortilla dough in this recipe. Don’t be intimidated — it’s super easy! And fresh tortillas are unmatched in flavor and texture. It really brings the whole recipe together.
Craving more quesadillas? Check out my recipes for Cheesesteak Quesadilla, Easy Steak Quesadilla and Chipotle Ranch Steak Quesadilla.
Fried Quesadilla Ingredients
- Dough: To make the tortilla dough for the fried quesadilla, we’ll use masa harina corn flour, warm water and salt.
- Quesadilla: Grab some ground beef, my Cowboy Butter Seasoning, shredded Colby Jack cheese and neutral oil for frying.
- Toppings: We can’t have a quesadilla of any kind without toppings! I went with shredded lettuce, sour cream, pico de gallo and cotija cheese for this recipe. If you’re feeling extra, make some guacamole using my method below.
Homemade Guacamole
When it comes to tacos and quesadillas, I’m all about the toppings. Guacamole is such a classic, and it’s easy to make! Here’s my recipe for homemade guacamole, which I use in a bunch of different recipes, including this elote pork belly. First, core and mash 5-6 ripe avocados in a medium bowl. Add in 1 cup finely diced red onions, 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, juice from 3-4 medium limes and kosher salt to taste. Serve and enjoy!
Bring the Flavor Home
How to Make Fried Quesadilla
First, let’s make the tortilla dough. In a bowl, combine 2 cups masa harina corn flour, 1.5 cups warm water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix the ingredients until a soft, pliable dough forms — it should feel like Play-Doh. If the masa dough is too dry, add a bit more water. Cover the masa ball with a damp towel and let rest for 10 minutes.
Next, preheat your fire for medium-high heat using Cowboy Lump Charcoal (about 350 degrees Fahrenheit). Place a skillet on the grill, then heat some oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 pound ground beef and cook until browned. Stir in 1.5 tablespoons Cowboy Butter Seasoning and a splash of water. Simmer until the beef is fully cooked, then set aside.
Next, divide your masa dough into 8 equal balls. Using a tortilla press or your hands, flatten each ball between plastic or parchment into a 5–6 inch circle.
Spoon Monterey Jack cheese onto one side of each dough round. You’ll need about 1.5 cups total for all your fried quesadilla. Fold the dough into a half-moon and gently press edges to seal tightly.
To fry the quesadilla, heat neutral vegetable oil in a deep skillet to 350 degrees F. Fry quesadillas in batches in the hot oil, flipping once, until golden brown and crispy on both sides (about 2–3 minutes per side). Pull off and set on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
While the fried quesadillas are still hot, carefully split open each quesadilla down the seam. Stuff generously with the seasoned beef.
Pile on shredded lettuce, a drizzle of sour cream, and a spoonful of pico de gallo. Add cotija cheese on top. Serve and enjoy!
What to Serve with Fried Quesadilla
Think about your favorite cantina and pick your favorite sides from there to go with your fried quesadilla — you can’t go wrong! A simple green salad with lime dressing, slaw with lots of lime juice and scallions, Mexican rice, corn salad or Mexican street corn, and refried beans or black beans and rice would all be so freakin’ delicious with this recipe.
Leftovers and Reheating
If you’ve got leftover fried quesadillas, let them cool to room temp. Then wrap them individually in aluminum foil or place in an airtight container. You can store in the fridge for up to 3 days or even freeze them for up to three months. If you’re going to freeze your fried quesadilla, wrap it tightly in foil and then place in a freezer bag.
To reheat your fried quesadilla, warm it up on the stovetop with a little bit of oil for 2-3 minutes per side to maintain that golden brown texture. You could also warm it in a 350-degree oven (still wrapped in the foil) for 10 minutes or in your air fryer at 350 degrees F for 5 minutes.
More Travel Inspiration
FAQs
If you don’t have time to make the corn tortillas, then I’d recommend buying the premade empanada dough. The quesadilla’s will have a more doughy texture, but will still be delicious!
For the fried quesadillas to be the perfect texture, 350-375 degrees is your best bet. You can use an instant read thermometer to test the temperature.
If you don’t have one, drop a small piece of the masa dough in the oil. If it’s the right temp, it will sizzle and float to the surface. You also want the oil to shimmer but not smoke.
Because it’s the good stuff, basically everywhere! Check the company’s store locator for a hardware store or grocery store that carries it near you. You can also order online.
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Fried Quesadilla
Ingredients
Dough:
- 2 cups Masa Harina
- 1 ½ cups Warm Water
- ½ tsp Salt
Quesadilla:
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 1 ½ tbsp Cowboy Butter rub
- 1.5 cups Shredded Jack Cheese
- Neutral oil for frying
Toppings:
- Shredded Lettuce
- Sour Cream
- Pico de Gallo
- Cotija Cheese
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine masa harina, warm water, and salt. Mix until a soft, pliable dough forms (like playdough). If it’s too dry, add a bit more water. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Preheat fire for medium high heat using Cowboy Lump Charcoal (about 350F)
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned. Stir in my Cowboy Butter Rub and a splash of water. Simmer until fully cooked then set aside.
- Divide dough into 8 equal balls. Using a tortilla press or your hands, flatten each ball between plastic or parchment into a 5–6 inch circle.
- Spoon jack cheese onto one side of each dough round. Fold over into a half-moon and gently press edges to seal tightly.
- Heat oil in a deep skillet to 350F. Fry quesadillas in batches, flipping once, until golden and crispy on both sides (about 2–3 minutes per side). Pull off and set to the side to drain..
- While still hot, carefully split open each quesadilla down the seam. Stuff generously with the seasoned beef. Pile on shredded lettuce, a drizzle of sour cream, and a spoonful of pico de gallo. Add cotija cheese on top. Serve and enjoy!
