A breakfast quesadilla is a quick and delicious way to spice up your breakfast. Hearty, tasty and full of nutrients this breakfast quesadilla is the perfect way to change up your egg routine.
Eggs are a versatile breakfast ingredient and one way to change them up is to turn them into a quesadilla. There are many different ways to do this but we will keep it simple here since that is always our goal.
The beauty of a quesadilla is that you can put whatever you like inside it. The breakfast version uses eggs in place of meat. We added some fresh spinach and tomato to our version but it’s perfectly delicious without these stuffing ingredients.
Preparing a Breakfast Quesadilla
Ingredients
Eggs: Eggs are essentially the meat of this meal and provide the main protein source.
Butter: Butter adds fat to the dish, helps make the eggs fluffy and prevents them from sticking to the pan.
Onion: Onions are not essential to this dish but they do add sweetness to the eggs.
Cumin: Cumin is a common spice in Mexican cooking and therefore adds an authentic flavour differentiating this from any ol’ egg wrap.
Paprika: I use sweet paprika for this recipe. It is not sweet in a sugary sense, but compared to its spicy and smoked siblings it is definitely the sweetest of them all.
Cheddar: A nice old cheddar adds even more flavour to this dish. If you have a tex mex mix that would be perfect as well.
Black beans: Canned black beans are perfect for this quesadilla because they are pre-cooked and ready to eat. Just rinse and add to the dish. Black beans are a pulse full of protein and fibre. In just 2 tablespoons you get 2 grams of fibre.
Spinach: An optional ingredient, spinach adds colour and freshness to the quesadilla. It’s also another nutrient powerhouse.
Tomato: Another optional ingredient, tomatoes add acidity to balance out the fatty cheese.
Salsa: A great dip or topping to add even more flavour to this breakfast quesadilla. It’s also a great way to add some spice to the dish.
Tortillas: All you need is one tortilla for a quesadilla. A tortilla is the glue that keeps the dish together. A delicious flavour and crispy exterior, tortillas are essential to any quesadilla.
How to Make a Breakfast Quesadilla
You’ll be impressed that you make the whole quesadilla in one pan, ready to serve right off the cooktop.
The cooking steps happen quickly so make sure you have all of your ingredients ready to go before you heat up the pan.
Grate the cheese and set it aside. Wash and slice the tomato. Depending on the size of the tomato you may want to cut the tomato slices in half. They will be folded into the quesadilla so just make sure they are not too big.
Next, peel and chop the onion. The onion will be sauteed with the eggs so I like to dice it small. This really is based on personal preference
. If you are a fan of raw onions you can also add a couple of slices at the end with the tomato and spinach.
You should also open the can of beans and rinse them under cold water so that they are ready to go when you need them.
Finally, the last thing to prep before you start cooking is the eggs. In a small bowl, crack the eggs and add the spices: salt, pepper, cumin and paprika. Whisk everything together until the eggs are well beaten and the spices are well distributed.
You are now ready to bring the quesadilla to life. Warm up the pan on medium heat. Once heated, add the butter and let it melt. You want the butter to start bubbling a little before you add the onion.
Sautee the onion for about 30 seconds then pour in the eggs. Do not disturb the eggs just let them set a bit for about 30 seconds or so. Then place the tortilla on top of the eggs, and just press down very gently to make sure it’s laying evenly on the eggs. Let it all cook for another 30 seconds.
Run the edge of a spatula around the edges under the eggs to loosen them. I like to use a silicone spatula because it forms nicely to the pan and it is gentle on the eggs and won’t tear them. Once you can easily get the spatula under the eggs, in one swift motion flip everything over onto the tortilla.
This is the last stretch. You will now add the remaining ingredients. Put the black beans in the middle of the eggs, roughly where you will create a fold. You will be folding the tortilla in half so just visualize where that crease will be. Top the beans with grated cheese, spinach and tomato.
Using the spatula, flip-up one half of the tortilla and fold it over enclosing the fresh ingredients you just added. Cook for about 30 seconds or so until the cheese melts.
Now you just want to crisp the tortilla. To do this, turn the heat to high and leave the quesadilla as is for about 20 seconds. Then flip it over. You may need another spatula to help out here. Once again cook for 20 seconds on the other side.
Remove from the pan right away to prevent burning and serve with a side of salsa.
Substitutions
Other than the tortilla and the eggs everything else is optional. You can really make this your own by adding only the veggies that you like or just skipping the ingredients that don’t suit your family. Here are some additional ingredients to put in your breakfast quesadilla:
- Bell peppers
- Avocado
- Corn
- Pico de gallo
- Breakfast sausage or leftover rotisserie chicken if you are a meat-eater
There are really no limits to what can go in. Be creative!
Serving a Breakfast Quesadilla
There are many different ways to serve a quesadilla. This breakfast quesadilla is no different. I like to serve it with just salsa for two reasons. 1) the salsa adds a delicious flavour and some heat to the dish, and 2) it’s quick and easy to keep this meal an simple one-handed on the go option.
If you have some time, you can get creative and top with avocado, sour cream and jalapenos. Don’t forget that you can also add any of these ingredients right into the quesadilla when it’s still on the pan.
Check out our Breakfast category for more breakfast ideas:
Storing the Breakfast Quesadilla
If you make the quesadilla ahead of time or have leftovers I recommend not adding the spinach and tomato. You can keep the quesadilla in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on a pan on the stovetop to bring back the crispness of the tortilla.
You can also freeze the quesadilla. Make sure to cool fully before freezing. If you have more than one quesadilla, freeze individually on a cookie sheet for an hour or so. Once frozen, move to a freezer-friendly sealed container. Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, warm in the microwave for 30 seconds then fry for a couple of minutes on a pan to bring back the crispness.
Breakfast Quesadilla Recipe
Equipment
- Medium pan
- Medium bowl
- Knife and cutting board
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp onion
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ paprika
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- ¼ cup cheddar cheese
- 2 tbsp black beans
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 large tortilla
- 1 slice tomato
- ¼ cup spinach
- 2 tbsp salsa
Instructions
- Start by prepping all of the ingredients because once you start cooking it moves fast. Grate the cheese and set aside, wash and slice the tomato, and chop the onion. Open the can of beans and rinse them under cold water.1 tbsp onion, ¼ cup cheddar cheese, 2 tbsp black beans, 1 slice tomato
- In a small bowl, crack the eggs and add the spices. Whisk until the eggs are well beaten.2 eggs, ½ tsp cumin, ½ paprika, Pinch of salt and pepper
- Warm the pan on medium heat. Once warmed, add the butter and let it melt.1 tsp butter
- When the butter starts to bubble a little add the onions to the pan. Sautee for about 30 seconds then pour in the eggs. Leave them undisturbed for another 30 seconds or so and gently place the tortilla on top. Leave for another 30 seconds.2 eggs, 1 tbsp onion, 1 large tortilla
- Run the edge of a spatula around the edges under the eggs to loosen them, then flip onto the tortilla.
- Put the black beans in the middle, roughly where you will create a fold. Top with grated cheese, spinach and tomato. Using the spatula, fold the tortilla in half enclosing the fresh ingredients. Cook for 30 seconds or so until the cheese melts.¼ cup cheddar cheese, 2 tbsp black beans, 1 slice tomato, ¼ cup spinach
- Turn the heat to high, and cook for another 20 seconds. This is to get the tortilla crisp. After 20 seconds flip once again and cook for 20 seconds on the other side. Remove from the pan right away to prevent burning.
- Serve with a side of salsa.2 tbsp salsa
Video
Nutrition
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Do you have any questions? Leave us a comment below and we’ll be happy to answer them. I also love hearing about your own variations of this recipe. Let’s chat in the comments!
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