By Elizabeth Stark
While it may be traditional in Mexico to make quesadillas with Oaxaca cheese, in the states we usually use cheddar because that’s the cheese we’re most likely to have on hand. As a staple of the American diet, cheddar cheese has a variety of ingredients it’s frequently paired with, one of the best being caramelized onions. While the sharp cheddar-onion combo may scream “Milwaukee” more than “Mexico City,” it’s a surprisingly good quesadilla filling. The sweet, savory onions help to mellow the sharp cheese and the crisp tortilla offsets its soft and gooey interior perfectly. If it feels too inauthentic, just tell yourself it’s fusion cuisine.
Caramelized Onion and Cheddar Quesadillas
serves 2
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ red onion, sliced thin
- pinch sea salt
- 2 whole wheat tortillas
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, grated
Directions
- Place a 10 or 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once warm, add the red onion and a pinch of sea salt. Toss to coat, and then turn heat to low. Stir occasionally, cooking for 20 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Turn heat to medium, add half the remaining oil and a tortilla. Heat a minute and add the cheese on one side. Add the caramelized onions and fold. Cook each side two minutes and set aside; repeat for the second tortilla, cut into triangles and serve.
