Make this easy Kids Quesadilla recipe in barely 10 minutes! A tomato and cheese quesadilla makes a quick and easy lunch and dinner and is great for when you have limited time, energy, and ingredients. Kids quesadillas have only 3 ingredients: tortilla shells, cheese, and tomatoes. You can also add leftover shredded or diced chicken as a non-vegetarian option, and as a way to clean your fridge out of leftover chicken.
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A kids quesadilla is an easy, go-to recipe when there is limited time, you're low on groceries, or have picky eaters.
Mexican recipes are delightful comfort foods, packed with the ingredients we can't get enough of— cheese, tomatoes, tortillas, and more cheese!
For families that love Mexican recipes, a kids quesadilla is perfect when you're too tired to cook or have a busy night. While this recipe is written for kids, it can be made for adults too.
Kids quesadillas take a short time to make and have almost no preparation or clean up.
10 minutes.
3 ingredients.
2 steps.
1 pan.
How's that for a win?
Plus, a kids quesadilla is fun and easy enough for young kids to make with you or for older kids to make themselves.
Because they taste great at room temperature or warmed up, they are great for picnics and lunch boxes. Quesadillas are life savers on really busy nights or school days.
If you're working from home and juggling work responsibilities and virtual learning, this recipe is a quick lunch that can be made the night before— just grab and eat when it's lunch time.
Your work or learning won't miss a beat.
To make an easy kids quesadilla as simple and quick as possible, I only use chopped tomatoes and shredded cheese.
But if you have shredded or diced chicken in the fridge already, or don't mind the extra step of sauteing some on the stove, you can add chicken too.
One of my other favorite, easy Mexican lunch and dinners are these crispy pan-fried taquitos using a shredded rotisserie chicken. They are also ready to eat in only 10 minutes.
Ingredients and Substitutions
You need 3 easy ingredients to make this tomato and cheese quesadilla: soft taco shells, tomatoes, and cheese.
Because this recipe is intended for kids, use small or medium soft tortilla shells. To simplify it further, use a bag of shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese to save time on shredding.
If you'd like to add protein to the meal, make a chicken and cheese quesadilla using shredded rotisserie chicken or sauteed diced chicken with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Step-By-Step Directions
A kids quesadilla is made in 2 steps.
- Warm the tortilla shells for 10 seconds in the microwave. Lay the tortilla shells flat on the counter and add cheese and tomatoes to 1 side of the tortilla.
2. Fold the tortilla in half. In an oiled pan, cook on medium heat for 2 minutes on each side. While cooking on each side, press the tortilla together with a spatula, like in the picture below.
Remove the quesadillas from the pan and let them cool for a few minutes.
Slice them into 3 or 4 pieces. The easiest way to slice quesadillas is with a pizza cutter.
Serve with your kids' favorite toppings. Extra shredded cheese, mild pico de gallo or salsa, guacamole, black beans, and sour cream are much loved toppings for cheese quesadillas.
Recipe
Kids Quesadilla with Cheese and Tomato
Ingredients
- 4 small or medium tortilla shells
- 2 cups shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese
- 1 tomato, diced
Instructions
- Warm the taco shells for 10 seconds in the microwave.
- On one side of each tortilla, place ½ cup cheese and diced tomatoes.
- Fold tortilla in half and fry on each side for 2 minutes over medium heat. Use a spatula to press down tortilla so that it sticks together.
- Remove from pan and let cool for a few minutes before slicing. Serve with your favorite toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Variations
A kids quesadilla can be turned into an "adult" quesadilla by using large tortilla shells and toppings that adults love— hot salsa, guacamole, jalapenos. Plus mild quesadilla toppings like diced tomatoes, pico de gallo, sour cream, beans, extra cheese, and so on.
As mentioned earlier, add diced chicken to the quesadillas for a hearty, protein-filled meal. For a mild chicken, saute cut chicken in salt and pepper before adding to the cheese and tomato filling.
Or sprinkle chicken with a taco seasoning packet for additional flavor.
Vegetables, like spinach and mushrooms can also be added to the cheese and tomato filling for a more wholesome, nutritious quesadilla.
Serving and Storing
Serve tomato and cheese quesadillas with a side of sour cream, extra cheese, salsa, guacamole, or extra tomatoes— or no toppings at all for picky kids.
Store quesadillas in the fridge for up to 1 week for optimal freshness. You can also freeze quesadillas for around 6 months.
Wrap them in plastic wrap or put in a freezer bag. When ready to eat, pop them in the toaster for 5 minutes, or defrost in the fridge overnight and warm them in the microwave.
And that's all there is to making an easy kids quesadilla!
I hope that you and your children enjoy this easy cheese quesadilla recipe. I've love to hear how it turned out in the comments below.
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Chef Dennis
Yum! kids will definitely love this recipe!
Raquel
So simple and delicious!