How To Reheat Quesadillas – The 2 Best Ways

Mexico is a country known for its unique cuisine, which is the result of the cultural diversity of Mexicans. One of the symbols of their cuisine is the widely known tortilla.  

You have eaten tortillas in one way or another. They resemble the Arabian pita bread and can be filled with a variety of fillings. From the moment a tortilla is prepared with melted cheese and chicken, it transforms into a quesadilla.

In all honesty, we consider Mexican food to be a piece of heaven here on Earth. For those that love food diversity and new tastes, quesadillas present countless opportunities to mix different ingredients and reach that food elation we all crave on a daily basis. 

Quite often, quesadillas are just as large as they are addictive – they make you want to eat your weight worth in quesadillas but your body does not allow it. This leaves us with quesadilla leftovers that we simply cannot throw in the bin. 

How can you reheat quesadillas without sacrificing any flavor or texture? Out of all the common methods available in the kitchen, we highly recommend the stovetop method or the oven. Any other alternative method such as a microwave could lead to unpleasant sogginess and loss of quality and taste which is quite the opposite of the quesadilla you remember from the previous day. 

Fortunately, there are more than enough simple ways to revive your leftovers for a second meal that is just as good as the first one.

The Complete Guide to Reheating Quesadillas

If you’ve ever eaten quesadillas, you know what we mean when we say that they are highly addictive. Especially when made properly, how can you stop yourself from overeating? It is a meal suitable for any occasion and a meal that often leaves us with a bunch of leftovers.

If you find yourself with any leftover quesadillas, know that there are more than enough ways to enjoy them a second time with the same quality and taste. Assuming you landed on this page looking for the best way to reheat your quesadillas, here are our recommendations. 

How to Reheat Quesadillas – The 2 Best Ways

Unlike most foods, quesadillas should not be reheated in a microwave. You will find out why in the following paragraphs. 

As for the correct ways to reheat quesadillas, we recommend using the oven or a skillet on the stovetop for the best results. If the situation demands it, you can also use a toaster oven as long as you follow the following guidelines below. 

1. Reheating Quesadillas On The Stovetop 

Using the stovetop is by far the most suitable method of reheating quesadillas. The process is straightforward and simple and it takes no more than several minutes. 

For this method, we recommend using a cast-iron skillet (and, of course, a good spatula for cast-iron).

The stovetop allows you to control the temperature and set it on the perfect heat not to burn your quesadillas. It will help retain the crispiness but evenly heat the ingredients inside. 

Keep in mind that while a skillet will keep your quesadilla crispy, it would take additional time to heat the inside depending on the thickness of the quesadilla.

Here’s how to reheat a quesadilla on the stovetop:

• Pick a skillet and set the heat to medium. 
• Add a thin layer of oil, preferably avocado or vegetable oil.
• Allow a few minutes for the skillet to heat thoroughly. 
• Add the quesadilla and heat each side for no more than a minute. You can flip it several times if you feel like it is not hot enough but never leave it for more than a minute per side. If you see that it darkens too fast and could potentially burn, flip it, and reduce the heat. 
• If you are reheating a thicker quesadilla with more ingredients, cover the skillet with a lid to create an oven-like setting that would reheat it faster. Remember to flip it once every 60 seconds. 

As you can see, your quesadillas will be ready in a matter of minutes.

2. Reheating Quesadillas In The Oven

Many people prefer using the oven over everything and it is truly the easiest and most convenient method to reheat most foods. For quesadillas, in particular, it is nearly as suitable as the stovetop as long as you keep to the following guidelines. 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. In general, you should set it up to anything from medium to medium-high heat but 350°F appears to be the most optimal temperature. 
• Place the quesadilla directly on the oven rack as long as it is clean or in an oven-safe dish. Many people use a baking sheet, which is also an option but depending on the ingredients inside, it could lead to it becoming soggy. 
  • This is because the baking sheet will absorb a lot of the moisture released from the cheese, meat, and other ingredients which would then transfer to the tortilla.
• Quesadillas in the oven take more time to reheat thoroughly. Depending on how cold it is, it could take from 10 to 15 minutes, but we recommend flipping the quesadilla once every several minutes contrary to leaving it on just one side for the whole process.

Please Don’t Microwave Quesadillas – Here’s Why

The microwave is the one method that you should only use in emergencies if you want to eat a properly revived quesadilla and not something unexpected. 

What happens to a quesadilla when you try to microwave it? We can answer the question with a simpler question – Do you want a soggy quesadilla or do you prefer the delicious variety of texture and crunch that fresh quesadillas offer?

If you reheat a quesadilla in the microwave, you can bid farewell to the crispiness of the tortilla. 

Another problem is that microwaves heat the inside and outside with equal power. This means that in most cases, the cheese inside will be hotter than all other ingredients while at the same time, the meat will dry out. 

There is a small trick we can share that you should utilize if you plan to reheat in a microwave. We use it to protect the flavor and texture of the cheese and meat.

Pro Tip: If you can, separate the tortillas just enough to add a few drops of water inside. This additional moisture can prevent your ingredients from drying out in the microwave.

Related Questions

Can you freeze quesadillas?

Yes, you can freeze cooked quesadillas safely for up to 4 months although it is recommended that you consume them within two. There are several small steps to follow but the process is straightforward. 

Please read our article, How To Freeze Quesadillas, for the step-by-step instructions!

How do you keep quesadillas crispy while cooking?

While quesadillas are extremely easy to cook and require no more than a few minutes to be completely done, you may experience some problems if you overdo it with the ingredients. 

Whenever you cook quesadillas, you should add some oil to the pan to prevent the tortilla from burning instantly. The problem is that most people add too much oil that works the other way around – it makes the tortillas soggy.

Based on our own experience, we recommend using not more than half a tablespoon of oil or butter (if you prefer it over oil) that is just about enough to keep the tortillas from burning and also give us those golden-brown spots that we imagined.

If you used more than that, you now know the reason behind the sogginess of your quesadillas. 

Why does my quesadilla fall apart?

One of the biggest mistakes people make with Mexican food, whether it is tacos, quesadillas, or anything in this caliber, is to overdo it with the ingredients.

After all, you are dealing with a type of bread that has a specific size and capacity. If you go beyond the border, it is absolutely normal for the quesadilla to fall apart when you try to flip it or take it out of the pan. 

Our word of advice is to keep it as simple as you can. Throwing a dozen ingredients may add to the overall flavor but you won’t be able to feel the true taste of each one.

Plus, you will hardly be able to close the quesadilla or keep it from falling apart. 

Up Next: Can You Microwave Sour Cream?