Corn Tortilla Quesadillas

4.96 from 81 votes

These gluten-free Corn Tortilla Quesadillas are cheesy and delicious. Filled with spinach, black beans, and dreamy caramelized onions for big flavor!

Prep Time5

Cook Time45

Total Time50

Servings:

Calories: 642kcal

Author: Chef Molly Pisula

Ingredients

2 large onions peeled and sliced
2 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil divided
2 ½ tablespoons butter divided
½ can black beans rinsed and drained
12 ounces frozen spinach thawed
24 4-inch corn tortillas
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese 8 ounces
Salsa, sour cream, and/or cilantro to serve (optional)

Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet.
Add sliced onions to the pan. Cook gently over medium-low heat, stirring every few minutes, until onions are soft and golden brown (about 25-30 minutes). Set aside.
Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat.
Add ½ tablespoon of butter and when it fully melts, use a spatula to spread it out over the surface of the pan.
Add as many corn tortillas as will fit in your pan. Cover each tortilla with a small amount of black beans, caramelized onions, spinach, and cheese, then cover with second tortilla.
Cook until bottom tortilla is crispy and browned in spots and the cheese is almost melted.
Brush vegetable oil lightly over the top tortillas with a pastry brush.
Flip over and cook until second side is lightly browned.
Add quesadillas to a serving plate, and repeat the steps for the next batch of quesadillas.
When the quesadillas are done, serve as is, or serve with toppings like your favorite salsa, sour cream, and/or chopped cilantro.

Notes

Expert Tips: The trickiest part of using corn tortillas for quesadillas is that they don’t flip as easily as flour tortillas. If you are using large corn tortillas, you might want to cut them in half and make half-circle quesadillas. Or, add your bottom corn tortilla to the skillet, and put the filling on one side only. Then, when the tortilla has warmed a little, fold the empty side over the top to make half circles.

If you are cooking for a crowd, making baked corn tortilla quesadillas is a good alternative. Put tortillas on an oiled sheet pan, then assemble and top with corn tortilla. Brush the top tortilla with vegetable oil. Then bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes, until cheese starts to melt. Flip and bake for a few more minutes.

Reheating Leftovers: The best way to reheat these quesadillas is to heat your large skillet or griddle again and add a bit of oil or butter. When that melts, add the quesadillas. Cook for several minutes over medium heat, then flip over and cook for another couple of minutes, until the cheese is melty again and the tortillas are crisp. An air fryer is also fantastic for reheating these easy corn tortilla quesadillas. Using a microwave isn’t advised, since there’s no way to achieve a crispy corn tortilla quesadilla with a microwave!

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