Air Fryer Quesadillas
Crispy, cheesy air fryer quesadillas in 6 minutes with 3 ingredients. Add shredded chicken and you're at 35g of protein per quesadilla. No skillet, no oil splatter, and the tortilla crisps more evenly than it ever does on the stove.
Ingredients
- 2 soft flour tortillas, 8-inch (make sure they are warmed or at room temperature)
- ⅔ cups shredded sharp cheddar or Mexican blend, I like shredding my own cheese
- Avocado or olive oil spray
- Optional mix-ins: ½ cup cooked chicken, steak, ground turkey, black beans, corn, or fajita veggies (cooked and chopped small)
- Optional toppings: salsa, guacamole, Greek yogurt, sour cream, or hot sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer: Set it to 375°F and spray the basket with olive or avocado oil.
- Add cheese and fold: Sprinkle ¼ cup cheese over one half of a tortilla, then fold the empty half over the top. If you're adding a filling, layer half the cheese, then the filling, then the rest of the cheese before folding.
- Make the second quesadilla: Repeat with the other tortilla.
- Spray the tops: Place both in the basket in a single layer and lightly spray the tops with oil.
- Air fry 1 minute, then press: Open the basket and press each quesadilla flat with a spatula so the fold seals shut. This is what keeps the top tortilla from lifting.
- Air fry 4 to 5 more minutes: Flip halfway through. They're done when the tortilla is golden and crisp and the cheese has melted to the edges.
- Press, cut, and serve: Press down once more with the spatula, cut into triangles, and serve hot.
Notes
Stiff tortillas: Wrap the stack in a damp paper towel and microwave 15 to 20 seconds before folding. Cold tortillas crack at the fold.
Cook your fillings first: Six minutes is enough to melt cheese and crisp a tortilla. It will not cook raw chicken, steak, or shrimp through. Chop everything small so it heats evenly.
Corn or gluten-free tortillas: These crack more easily and cook faster. Warm them first, check at the 4-minute mark, and run a toothpick through the center to hold the fold closed.
Make it vegan: Any dairy-free shredded cheese works. Everything else in the recipe is already vegan.
Add protein: Half a cup of cooked chicken, steak, or ground turkey adds roughly 18 to 20g. Half a cup per quesadilla is the most you can fit and still get a clean seal.
Storing and reheating: Keeps in the fridge up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 2 to 3 minutes. Skip the microwave.
About the nutrition: These numbers are for a plain cheese quesadilla. Adding half a cup of cooked chicken, steak, or ground turkey brings it to roughly 30 to 35g of protein per quesadilla.
Nutrition
Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 592mg | Potassium: 88mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 377IU | Calcium: 335mg | Iron: 2mg
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