Crispy Ham and Cheese Corn Tortilla Quesadillas

These simple fried ham and cheese quesadillas made with corn tortillas are a quick and easy meal. Filled with chopped ham, jalapeno peppers, and topped with a fried egg, you’ll want to eat these every night.

Can you make quesadillas with corn tortillas? Yes! I’m going to show you how.

I’m not sure why it never occurred to me to make quesadillas with anything other than flour tortillas. But thanks to the New York Times recipe feed for this wonderful idea.

Corn tortillas fry easier, brown crispier, are more manageable than flour tortillas. And the end texture and flavor result is pure bliss.

A cheese quesadilla on it’s own is a delightful affair, but for my corn tortillas quesadillas, I used a combination of cheese, chopped ham and jalapenos, but the sky is the limit for filling options.

These Ham and Cheese Quesadillas are so quick and easy, you’ll be adding them to your meal planning rotation on a weekly basis.

Let’s take a look at this “no recipe” recipe.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Yellow Corn Tortillas: I like La Banderita Brand, but use your favorite brand.
• Shredded Cheese: Medium cheddar works well here.
• Unsalted Butter
• Ham: Use a cooked ham steak.
• Jalapeno Peppers
• Eggs

Pro Tip: Purchase good quality cheese and grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese in bags includes additives to keep it from clumping, which will also compromise the melting factor. Grating cheese from a block of cheese will result in a creamier and more consistent melting experience. Plus, it’s less expensive.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Cheese: Use a good melting cheese to make a cheese quesadilla. A good substitution for cheddar would be Monterey Jack Cheese, or Pepper Jack are good choices here.
• Chile Peppers: Are jalapeno peppers simply too spicy for you? Choose poblano peppers as a substitute.

How to Make Corn Tortilla Quesadillas, It’s So Easy

• Step 1: Make one quesadilla at a time. Melt butter in a fry pan over medium heat. Once the butter melted and bubbles start to subside, add one corn tortilla and place ham, chopped jalapeno and cheese on top of the tortilla leaving room at the edges.
• Step 2: Let the quesadilla cook for about 30 seconds until the bottom of the quesadilla is golden brown.

• Step 3: Place the 2nd corn tortilla on top and using a sturdy spatula, carefully flip the the quesadilla. Let the bottom corn tortilla toast to golden brown. Move the quesadilla to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm while you fry an egg.
• Step 4: To serve: Use a sharp serrated knife to slice into quarters. Top with a fried egg and a healthy splash of your favorite hot sauce.

Ingredient Combinations

The sky is the limit when making these fried corn tortilla quesadillas. Here are some easy ideas:

• Canned black beans, drained and rinsed and sprinkled with chile powder. Some Pepper Jack Cheese would work well here.
• Smashed avocado, black beans and Muenster cheese.
• Shredded rotisserie chicken, chopped red bell pepper and Monterey Jack Cheese.
• Canned pinto beans, drained, roasted bell pepper and pickled jalapeno and cheddar.
• Cooked Mexican chorizo or leftover taco meat with chopped onions and cheese of your choice.

Add toppings like Sour cream or guacamole.

Tips For Success

• Make sure you’re purchasing a cooked ham steak. A ham steak labeled “smoked” is cooked.
• Practice those knife skills. Chop the ham and jalapeno peppers in uniform and very smallcubes. This will help the ingredients cook evenly and will give you pride in skill set. And cutting them small will keep them from falling out when flipping the quesadilla.
• If you want to use oil instead of butter, use a neutral oil with a high smoke point like canola or vegetable. A high smoke point will result in a crispier and easier browned quesadilla. I don’t suggest olive oil.
• A quality cheese quesadilla needs a good melting cheese. Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Muenster and Oaxaca are good choices.
• For this recipe I used very small chunks of ham and jalapeno, so they warmed well and became hot as the quesadilla cooked. As with omelettes, if using bell peppers, onions, or mushrooms, it’s best to sautee the vegetables before adding to the cheese quesadilla.

More Easy Mexican Recipes

• Chile Cheese Burrito. Using leftover chile makes this an easy fix.
• Simple Air Fryer Nachos. Skip the mountains of messy nachos for this neat and tidy option.
• Guacamole Made In A Molcajete Experience the deliciousness of traditional molcajete guacamole that will transport your tastebuds to the heart of Mexico.
• Simple Scrambled Egg and Potato Breakfast Tacos: A wonderful way to enjoy Mexican food for breakfast. With scrambled eggs, fried potatoes and warming spices, your breakfast crowd will applaud you.
• Cheesy Mexican Omelette with Chorizo: Keeping the filling simple, this Mexican Omelette with chorizo and cheese is a quick breakfast, lunch or light dinner.

And don’t miss this corn tortilla quesadilla recipe for Queso Fresco Quesadillas with Peach Chile Salsa. Another one of our favorites. And check out my Mexican Southwest Recipes category. You’ll find lots of recipe ideas to spice up your meal plans.

This recipe is adapted from a recipe from the New York Times Cooking, for Fried Egg Quesadilla.

Corn Tortilla Ham and Cheese Quesadillas … They’re What’s For Dinner or Breakfast.