Air Fryer Quesadillas

A big plus for these air fryer quesadillas is that it makes leftovers from taco night into an entirely different meal. And it's just as delicious! I mean, just look at all that ooey gooey goodness!

What are Quesadillas?

Quesadilla is of Mexican origin and roughly translates to mean “little cheesy pastry”. The basic quesadilla consists of a tortilla, usually corn but flour can be used, filled with cheese, and cooked on the stovetop. There are endless possibilities of fillings as well from beans to ground beef to vegetables.

Why You'll Love These Easy Quesadillas

• Quick and easy to make needing just 4 ingredients and 15 minutes.
• Easy cleanup with a little soapy water to clean the nonstick basket.
• Super crispy tortilla that makes it perfect to hold in your hand.
• An endless variety of fillings.
• And kids love them!

Best Cheese for Quesadillas

Any cheese that melts well can be used in quesadillas. I love to use cheddar but Monterey Jack, pepper jack, Gruyere, or manchego are also great choices.

Tip: Always grate your own cheese as the pre-shredded packaged varieties will not melt as well due to being coated with either potato or cornstarch.

Variations

Meats - not in the mood for ground beef? Try shredded rotisserie chicken, BBQ chicken, carnitas beef, fajita chicken or beef, pork tenderloin, or grilled shrimp or lobster. Remember to always use cooked meat.

Cheeses - any melty cheese will work great! Try cheddar, Monterey Jack, Gruyere, Oaxaca, Queso asadero, mozzarella or fontina.

Vegetables - roasted vegetables, spinach, black beans, regular or refried beans, and sauteed peppers and onions are just a sampling of the possibilities.

Ingredients for Air Fryer Quesadillas

Tortillas - traditionally, corn tortillas are used but flour tortillas are softer and easier to work with as well as being larger and can hold more filling. If on a gluten-free diet, stick with the corn tortillas which will require less cook time.

Seasoned Ground Beef - I use leftover ground beef from taco night in my quesadillas. If you are making the meat from scratch, cook up the ground beef with taco seasoning until done then drain well.

Refried Beans - makes these filled tortillas tastier while supplying some extra fiber, iron, magnesium, and zinc. Refried Black Beans can also be used.

Cheese - I use cheddar cheese but any melty cheese will work.

Tip: For the best, crispiest quesadillas, use dry fillings rather than moist ones.

How to Make Crispy Air Fryer Quesadillas

1. Spray one side of the tortillas with oil spray such as avocado or vegetable oil. This will be the outside.
2. Spread the dry side of the tortilla with refried beans.
3. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the beans.
4. Add the cooked seasoned ground beef.
5. Fold the tortilla in half.
6. Secure with toothpick or cocktail pick.

Note: If making just a cheese quesadilla, double the amount of cheese.

7. Place folded tortillas in basket of air fryer. No preheating needed.
8. Air fry for 4 minutes.

9. Turn tortillas over and cook an additonal 4 minutes. They should look golden brown and be quite crispy.

Cut each crispy quesadilla in half and serve with sides of salsa, guacamole, and sour cream. For dinner, consider sides of Mexican/Spanish Rice, corn on the cob, corn salad, or just simply chop some lettuce and tomato and serve with slices of avocado.

Tips & Tricks

• Skewer the folded tortilla with a toothpick or cocktail pick to keep the tortilla from opening up. If you don't have one handy, open the air fryer after several minutes and push down the top of the tortilla then continue cooking.
• Always flip the quesadilla halfway through cooking time to get both sides brown and crispy.
• To make a crispy tortilla, lightly spray the outside of the tortilla, using an oil spray such as avocado or vegetable oil. This will help them toast up to a golden brown and have no greasy residue when done.

Storing & Reheating

To store - air fry and let cool, then wrap with plastic wrap or place in a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

To freeze - once cool, wrap each quesadilla in plastic wrap then freeze on a baking sheet. Once frozen, they can be stored in a larger freezer bag for up to 3 months.

To reheat - Thaw frozen quesadillas prior to reheating.

• Air Fryer - Preheat air fryer to 350 degrees and air fry for 3-5 minutes.
• Oven - Preheat to 325 degrees then place unwrapped quesadillas on baking sheet and cook for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.
• Stovetop - Reheat in a dry skillet on medium heat for 30-60 seconds each side.
• Microwave - is not recommended.

More Air Fryer Recipes

Air Fryer Grilled Cheese - is easy to make and hard to resist. A delicious sandwich with a crispy, golden brown outside and warm ooey-gooey melty cheese inside.

Air Fryer Toasted Ravioli - is a crispy, bite-sized fried cheese appetizer that takes just 12 minutes to whip up. 

Air Fryer Frozen Fish Sticks from The Short Order Cook - Fish sticks never tasted like this when you were a kid. Air Fryer Frozen Fish Sticks are hot, crispy, and ready for your favorite dips in no time.

Air Fryer Hot Dogs - are cooked to perfection, complete with toasted bun, and are ready in less than 15 minutes!

Find more easy air fryer recipes on 2CM!