Grilled Vegetable Quesadillas
Smoky grilled vegetable quesadillas packed with charred zucchini, peppers, corn, and melted cheese inside crispy, golden tortillas. An easy and flavorful vegetarian grilling recipe perfect for summer dinners.
Equipment
- grill
- tongs
- spatulas (2) for flipping quesadillas
- mixing bowls
- knife and cutting board
- blender for salsa
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise
- 1 large red bell pepper, halved and seeded
- 1 large yellow bell pepper, halved and seeded
- 1 large red onion, cut into rings
- 1 ear of corn, husked
- 1-2 jalapeños
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp chipotle powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 lime zest
- 0.5 tsp kosher salt
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 4 large flour tortillas
- 2.5 cups Oaxacan or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 0.5 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
- 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced
- 1 tsp adobo sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice (for crema)
- 4 Roma tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic
- 0.5 white onion
- 1 jalapeño (for salsa)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (for salsa)
Instructions
- Whisk together sour cream, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, lime juice, and salt until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Grill tomatoes, garlic, onion, and jalapeño until charred. Blend with lime juice, cilantro, and salt into a chunky salsa.
- Mix الزيت الزيتون with chipotle powder, garlic powder, paprika, lime zest, salt, and pepper. Toss all vegetables to coat evenly.
- Preheat grill to high heat and oil grates well.
- Grill corn, peppers, onion, zucchini, and jalapeños until tender and charred. Let cool slightly.
- Chop grilled vegetables and combine with corn, cilantro, and lime juice. Season to taste.
- Reduce grill heat to medium.
- Layer cheese and vegetable filling onto tortillas, fold in half, and press gently.
- Grill quesadillas with lid closed for 2–3 minutes until golden and cheese begins to melt.
- Flip carefully and cook another 2 minutes until crispy and fully melted.
- Rest briefly, slice into wedges, squeeze lime juice on top, and serve with crema and salsa.
Notes
Do not overfill the quesadillas to prevent breaking during flipping. Always grill vegetables first for the best smoky flavor. Finish with fresh lime juice for brightness. Use Monterey Jack or Oaxacan cheese for optimal melt.