Air Fryer Quesadillas

What are Quesadillas?

Quesadillas are folded tortillas filled with cheese or a variety of other fillings. They are most associated with Mexican cuisine, although many other cuisines have influenced and added their own flavors to the traditional quesadilla.

These air fryer cheese quesadillas are crazy easy to assemble, fast to cook, and delicious. They are made with only two ingredients: cheese and flour tortillas. However, there’s no rule keeping you from adding your own twist on this quesadilla. That’s one of the best things about quesadillas — it’s easy to adjust the filling to your liking.

How to Make Air Fryer Quesadillas

Few recipes are able to boast a “less than 10 minute” cooking time and have only two steps. This air fryer quesadilla achieves both!

• Place the tortilla in the Airfryer: Place one tortilla on the bottom of the air fryer basket, then add the shredded cheese. Place a second tortilla on top.
• Flip the quesadilla: Air fry for about eight minutes, flipping the quesadilla halfway through the cooking time. Quesadillas are ready when cheese is fully melted and tortillas are lightly golden.

Quesadilla Variations

One of the best things about quesadillas is how easy it is to change up the filling ingredients and come up with a new flavor each time. We encourage you to be creative and let us know your favorite filling combos in the comments!

• Proteins: For more protein, add slices or cubes of meats like roast beef, grilled chicken thighs, bacon, or shrimp. For vegetarian options, add refried beans or black beans.
• Veggies: To up your veggie intake, add beans, corn, chopped bell peppers, spinach, tomatoes, and/or onions. The possibilities are nearly endless!
• Cheese: Add or swap out the mexican cheese blend with cheddar, monterey jack, or any other melty shredded cheese. Oaxaca, brie, blue cheese, feta, or swiss are cheeses that will add an extra tang.
• Herbs and spices: Increase the flavor in your quesadillas by adding herbs or spices. Our favorites are cilantro, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Tips from the Kitchen

Air fryer quesadillas are incredibly easy to make, but here are tips for you to ensure you don’t come across any surprises.

• Hold the tortilla in place with a toothpick: Depending on the air fryer, the top tortilla may fly up in the first few minutes of frying. To avoid this, push a toothpick into the center of the quesadilla to pin it down.
• Spray tortilla with oil: For a crispier outer layer, spray the tortilla with cooking spray. Here is a helpful oil guide where we share our favorite oils to use and when to use them.
• Adjust the frying time: Depending on the airfryer and the size of the tortillas, cooking times may vary.
• Flip the quesadilla: Make sure to flip the quesadilla about halfway through frying to ensure both sides are evenly cooked and crisped.
• Fold the quesadilla instead: If you have a small air fryer and a whole flour tortilla won’t fit, make a smaller quesadilla. To do so, put the cheese over half of the tortilla, then fold the other side over.
• Use freshly grated cheese: The best cheese for quesadillas is freshly grated cheese. Packaged cheese often has a starch coating keeping it from sticking together, thus it doesn’t melt as well as a freshly grated block of cheese

Ways to Serve

Enjoy these quesadillas at any time of day as part of a meal or alone as a snack. If enjoying it as a meal, pair the quesadillas with the classic pairings of pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream. To add your own personal spin, have a bowl of black bean and corn salsa ready with homemade air fryer tortilla chips. Your family and friends are guaranteed to love these quesadillas!

Storage Tips & Reheating

Quesadillas are the perfect option to make-ahead and store for when the hunger hits. Make a large batch — you won’t regret it!

• Refrigerator: To store for up to three days, store the quesadillas in an airtight container in the fridge.
• Freezer: To store for up to three months, double wrap each quesadilla in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze. Defrost on the counter for 15 minutes before reheating.
• Reheating: To reheat from the fridge, place the quesadillas in the air fryer for about two or three minutes before serving. To reheat from frozen, fry for 8-10 minutes at 400° F. They will be as good as when freshly made!

FAQ

Craving More Quesadillas?

• Ground Beef Quesadilla – Made with ground beef, onion, and taco seasoning
• Breakfast Quesadilla – Quick and easy egg and cheese breakfast
• Chicken Quesadilla – Fajita-style quesadilla with chicken chunks
• Steak Quesadilla – Fajita-style quesadilla with ribeye steak pieces

Recipe

Air Fryer Quesadillas

Print Pin

Servings

4 servings

Prep Time 2 mins

Cook Time 8 mins

Total Time 10 mins

Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin

These two-ingredient cheese Air Fryer quesadillas have an irresistibly crispy tortilla shell with a perfectly melty cheese center. It's the perfect snack or to-go meal!

Ingredients

• 4 flour tortillas
• 1 cup Mexican cheese

US Units – Metric

Instructions

• Place one tortilla on the bottom of the air fryer basket. Add a layer of cheese and follow by second tortilla.
  
• Air fryer at 350°F for 8 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking time. Enjoy!
  

Nutrition Facts

Air Fryer Quesadillas

Amount Per Serving

Calories 192 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 6g30%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Cholesterol 27mg9%

Sodium 391mg16%

Potassium 61mg2%

Carbohydrates 15g5%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 185IU4%

Calcium 228mg23%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.