How to Reheat Quesadillas - The 2 Best Ways

Mexico is a country known for its unique cuisine, which is a result of the cultural diversity of the Mexican people. One of the symbols of its cuisine is the well-known tortilla.

You’ve eaten tortillas in one form or another. They resemble Arabic pita bread and can be filled with a wide variety of ingredients. From the moment a tortilla is prepared with melted cheese and chicken, it becomes a quesadilla.

We honestly consider Mexican food to be a slice of heaven here on Earth. For lovers of food diversity and new flavors, quesadillas present countless opportunities to mix different ingredients and achieve that eating euphoria we all crave on a daily basis.

Often times, quesadillas are as big as they are addictive: they make you want to eat your weight in quesadillas, but your body won’t allow it. This leaves us with leftover quesadillas that we just can’t throw away.

How can you reheat quesadillas without sacrificing flavor or texture? Of all the common methods available in the kitchen, we highly recommend the stovetop or oven method. Any other alternate method, like microwaving, could lead to unpleasant soggyness and a loss of quality and flavor that is the complete opposite of the quesadilla you remember from the day before. 

Fortunately, there are more than easy ways to revive leftovers for a second meal that’s just as good as the first.

The Complete Guide to Reheating Quesadillas

If you’ve ever eaten quesadillas, you know what we mean when we say they’re highly addictive. Especially when they’re done right, how can you avoid overeating them? It’s a meal suitable for any occasion and a meal that often leaves us with plenty of leftovers.

If you come across leftover quesadillas, know that there are more than enough ways to enjoy them a second time with the same quality and flavor. 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 the microwave. In the following paragraphs you will discover why.

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 calls for it, you can also use a toaster oven as long as you follow the guidelines below

1. Reheat quesadillas on the stove

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

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

The pan allows you to control the temperature and put it on the perfect heat so as not to burn your quesadillas. It will help to preserve the crunch but evenly heat the ingredients inside.

Keep in mind that while the pan will keep your quesadilla crisp, it will take longer to heat up the interior depending on the thickness of the quesadilla.

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

• Select a skillet and set the heat to medium.
• Add a thin layer of oil, preferably avocado or vegetable.
• Allow a few minutes for the pan to heat up well.
• Add the quesadilla and heat each side for no more than a minute. You can flip it a few times if you don’t think it’s hot enough, but never leave it for more than a minute per side. If you see that it darkens too quickly and could burn, turn it over and reduce the heat.
• If you’re reheating a thicker quesadilla with more ingredients, cover the pan with a lid to create an oven-like environment that will reheat faster. Remember to flip it once every 60 seconds.

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

2. Reheat the quesadillas in the oven

Many people prefer to use the oven above all else and it really is the easiest and most convenient method of reheating most foods. For quesadillas, in particular, it’s about as suitable as the stovetop, as long as you follow the guidelines below.

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. Generally, you want to put it on medium to medium-high heat, but 350°F seems to be the most optimal temperature.
• Place the quesadilla directly on the oven rack as long as it is clean or in an ovenproof dish. Many people use a baking sheet, which is also an option, but depending on what ingredients you are using, it could make it soggy.
  • This is because the baking sheet will absorb much of the moisture that is released from the cheese, meat, and other ingredients, which will then be transferred to the tortilla.
• Quesadillas in the oven take longer to reheat well . Depending on how cold they are, they can take anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes, but we recommend turning the quesadilla every few minutes , rather than leaving it on one side for the entire process.

Please Don’t Microwave Quesadillas - Here’s Why

The microwave is the only method that you should use only in an emergency if you want to eat a well scrambled quesadilla and not something unexpected.

What happens to a quesadilla when you try to microwave it?  We can answer the question with a simpler one: 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 say goodbye to the crunchiness of the tortilla.

Another problem is that the microwave heats the inside and the outside with the same power. This means that in most cases the cheese inside will be hotter than the rest of the ingredients and at the same time the meat will dry out. 

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

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

Related questions

Can quesadillas be frozen?

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

Read our article, How to Freeze Quesadillas , for step-by-step instructions.

How do quesadillas stay crisp while cooking?

Although quesadillas are extremely easy to cook and take no more than a few minutes to fully cook, you can run into some problems if you go overboard with the ingredients.

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

Based on our own experience, we recommend using no more than half a tablespoon of oil or butter (if you prefer it instead of oil), which is just enough to prevent the tortillas from burning and also to give us those golden spots that we imagine.

If you’ve used more than that, you know why your quesadillas get soggy. 

Why is my quesadilla falling apart?

One of the biggest mistakes people make with Mexican food, whether it’s tacos, quesadillas, or anything of this caliber, is going overboard with the ingredients.

After all, it is a type of bread that has a specific size and capacity. If you go overboard, it’s absolutely normal for the quesadilla to fall apart when you try to flip it over or remove it from the pan.

Our advice is to make it as simple as possible.  Putting a dozen ingredients in can add to the overall flavor, but you won’t be able to feel the true flavor of each one.

Plus, you’ll barely be able to close the quesadilla or keep it from falling apart.