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Kick your "sandwich" game up a notch with a baked ham and cheese quesadilla. It's quick and easy to make a perfect mash-up of the cheesy American favorite grilled ham and cheese sandwich and the quesadilla, which is a Mexican staple. You'll love this for a hot lunch or a soup and sandwich dinner kind of night.
These quesadillas are baked rather than fried. It uses far less oil than the traditional quesadilla, but spraying the pan and brushing the top tortilla with vegetable oil retains some of that crispiness. There's also no need to get the perfect fold because these quesadillas use a full tortilla for both the top and bottom. It's as easy as laying out a tortilla, adding the fillings, then placing a second tortilla on top and popping it in the oven for about 10 minutes. Of course, if you're feeling crafty, try this recipe with homemade flour tortillas.
The key to the ham and cheese quesadilla is thinly sliced ham. Pick up deli-style ham or cut some leftover ham into the thinnest slices you can to ensure the quesadillas stay flat. While Monterey Jack is recommended, it will work well with many other styles of shredded cheese.
Adding tomatoes and chopped green onion gives the quesadillas a nice veggie kick. You can also add diced sweet peppers, herbs such as basil, oregano, or cilantro, or try it with other finds from your fridge. It's infinitely adaptable, which is why quesadillas are always a hit and a good economical choice for a quick, light meal.
Ingredients
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Cooking spray, for greasing pan
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4 large flour tortillas, divided
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1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
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8 ounces ham, thinly sliced
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1/2 cup diced tomatoes
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2 tablespoons chopped green onion, optional
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Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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Vegetable oil, for brushing tops
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 425 F.
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Lightly spray a cookie sheet with vegetable cooking spray.
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Arrange 2 of the tortillas on the cookie sheet and then evenly top with 1/4 cup of the cheese.
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Top the cheese with the sliced ham, the diced tomatoes, green onion (if using), and then the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese.
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Sprinkle each with a little freshly ground black pepper and then cover each with the remaining tortillas.
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Brush the tops with vegetable oil and bake in the oven for about 10 to 12 minutes, until browned.
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Cut quesadillas into wedges and serve with mustard or mayonnaise.
Recipe Variation
- If you don't have ham, try this quesadilla with thinly sliced smoked turkey instead.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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644 | Calories |
21g | Fat |
83g | Carbs |
29g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 4 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 644 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 21g | 27% |
Saturated Fat 6g | 32% |
Cholesterol 49mg | 16% |
Sodium 1376mg | 60% |
Total Carbohydrate 83g | 30% |
Dietary Fiber 5g | 19% |
Total Sugars 1g | |
Protein 29g | |
Vitamin C 4mg | 19% |
Calcium 175mg | 13% |
Iron 6mg | 31% |
Potassium 457mg | 10% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
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