I always get a little sad when it’s time to say goodbye to all those delicious summer vegetables and fruits like fresh berries, tomatoes, melons, etc. However, that means we get to say hello to delicious fall produce like apples, pears, and hard squashes, so these three quesadilla recipes were perfect to welcome in fall and a new set of fruits and vegetables and they did not disappoint.
Quesadillas are such a wonderful, easy dish to make that can be completely customizable based on your family’s dies and restrictions, or indulgences. For me, the more cheese, the better, and just like in these quesadilla recipes, the more cheeses out of the norm, the better!
Of course, I spruced up these recipes with some fun ingredients, but you can absolutely make them as simple as possible. With all the great new vegetables and fruits in season, the fall recipe possibilities are endless. We’re making a Butternut Squash & Chicken Quesadilla, an Apple, Pear & Prosciutto Quesadilla, and a Chorizo & Potato Quesadilla!
Making quesadillas just got a lot simpler thanks to a quesadilla maker! I am all about prep before beginning to cook anything, in the culinary world we call it “mise en place.” This is a French term meaning “everything in its place.” There is nothing worse than trying to cut and chop vegetables while trying to cook at the same time. Once you have all of your ingredients pre-cooked and spread out, you then add your toppings right onto a flour tortilla and then load it up with cheese. Follow it up by topping it off with a flour tortilla and close the quesadilla maker and cook it for 3 to 4 minutes or until the tortilla is crispy and browned. Cut it up and serve it up.
A great idea for entertaining would be making a quesadilla bar loaded with prepared fruits, vegetables, meats, and cheeses and letting people make it themselves. We’ve actually done this quite a few times and it’s always a hit!
Happy quesadilla making!
Three Fall Quesadilla Recipes
INGREDIENTS
For the Butternut Squash & Chicken Quesadillas:
- 1 peeled and medium diced butternut squash
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 pulled rotisserie chicken
- 2 cups of baby spinach
- 2 cups of shredded gruyere cheese
- Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
- flour tortillas
For the Apple, Pear & Prosciutto Quesadillas:
- 1 ounce of unsalted butter
- 2 each peeled and medium diced pears and apples
- 2 cups of sliced kale
- 2 ounces of cut up prosciutto ham
- 1 cup of shredded mozzarella
- ½ cup of crumbled bleu cheese
- flour tortillas
For the Chorizo & Potato Quesadillas:
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 4 cups of shredded Yukon potatoes
- 1 pound of loose chorizo sausage
- 2 cups of quesadilla melting cheese
- flour tortillas
INSTRUCTIONS
For the Butternut Squash & Chicken:
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
- Place the butternut squash on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for 25 minutes. Set aside.
- Place a flour tortilla into the quesadilla maker and evenly add on cooked butternut squash, pulled chicken, baby spinach and gruyere.
- Top off with a flour tortilla and close the machine and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until crispy and brown. Repeat until ingredients are gone. Slice and serve.
For the Apple, Pear & Prosciutto:
- Add the butter to a large sauté pan on medium-high heat and cook the apples and pears for 8-10 minutes or until soft and lightly browned.
- Place a flour tortilla into the quesadilla maker and evenly add on cooked apples and pears, kale, prosciutto, mozzarella, and bleu cheese. Top off with a flour tortilla and close the machine and cook for 3-4 minutes or until crispy and brown.
- Repeat until ingredients are gone. Slice and serve.
For the Chorizo & Potato:
- Add olive oil to a large sauté pan over high medium-heat and cook the potatoes until done and crispy, about 20 minutes. Set aside.
- Next, add chorizo to a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and cook the chorizo until it is completely cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
- Place a flour tortilla into the quesadilla maker and evenly add on cooked potatoes, chorizo and quesadilla cheese. Top off with a flour tortilla and close the machine and cook for 3-4 minutes until crispy and brown.
- Repeat until ingredients are gone. Slice and serve.
