In short: Flour tortillas folded in half around a filling of raclette cheese, kidney beans, corn and bell pepper, then browned until the cheese stretches. A simple, quick dish, served with tomato salsa and sour cream.
Chef’s tip
The quesadilla is the grilled cheese sandwich of the tortilla world: two layers of dough, cheese in the middle, and that guilty but very pleasant feeling of eating something that goes “crunch” and then “melt”.
The right move: a skillet or griddle over medium heat, no higher. Too hot, and the tortilla burns before the cheese has melted. Cut the raclette cheese into small cubes rather than slices: it melts faster and spreads everywhere.
| Prep time | 20 min |
|---|---|
| Cook time | 20 min |
| Total | 40 min |
| Servings | 4 people (adjustable) |
| Difficulty | Very easy |
Ingredients (for 4 people)
- 8 flour tortillas (20 to 25 cm / 8 to 10 in)
- 600 g raclette cheese
- 250 g cooked kidney beans, drained
- 150 g drained sweet corn
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 red onion
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 3 tomatoes
- 1 lime
- ½ bunch of cilantro
- 20 cl thick crème fraîche (or sour cream)
- 1 tablespoon of oil
- Salt and pepper
Preparation
- Prepare the filling. Cut the bell pepper and half of the red onion into small dice, then sauté them for 5 minutes in the oil with the cumin. Add the kidney beans and the corn, then season with salt and pepper.
- Cut the cheese. Cut the raclette cheese into small cubes, or grate it coarsely.
- Make the salsa. Dice the tomatoes and the rest of the onion, add the chopped cilantro, the lime juice and a pinch of salt.
- Fill the tortillas. Spread the cheese and the filling over one half of each tortilla, then fold the other half over it, pressing down lightly.
- Brown the quesadillas. Cook the quesadillas for 2 to 3 minutes on each side in a dry skillet or on the grill plate, over medium heat, until the cheese has melted.
- Serve. Cut each quesadilla into three wedges and serve right away with the salsa and the crème fraîche.
The chef’s tips
- Don’t add oil to the skillet: the tortilla gets crispier when cooked dry.
- Drain the beans and corn well: too much moisture softens the tortilla.
- Keep the first quesadillas warm in the oven at 80 °C (175 °F) while you cook the rest.
- On the raclette crêpe maker, the crêpe plate lets you cook several quesadillas at once, in the middle of the table.
Variations
- Add shredded chicken or diced chorizo for a meat version.
- Replace the beans with pan-fried mushrooms and spinach.
- Party-snack version: use small tortillas and cut them into quarters.
Which wine to serve?
A light lager with a lime wedge, or a dry, fruity rosé, well chilled.
Frequently asked questions
Can you use another cheese?
Yes, but raclette cheese melts evenly and stretches well, which makes it a very good choice for quesadillas.
How do you keep the filling from escaping?
Leave a 1 cm (½ in) border free and don’t overload the tortilla. As the cheese melts, it glues the two halves together.
Can you make them ahead of time?
You can fill and fold them an hour ahead and keep them in the fridge. Brown them just before serving.
🧀 The right grill: the 3-in-1 raclette crêpe maker (pans, grill and crêpes), our comparison.
Read also: Fajitas on the raclette grill and Raclette wrap
