Quesadillas Mexico City Style by Mexico’s Own Chef

Okay so you’re probably looking for how to make quesadillas in the same way they do here in Mexico City. I’m not a local but I’ve had my fair share of Mexican food while living in Mexico City now and I can say that a typical quesadilla will not taste the same as the drive through Taco Bell quesadilla.

So if you’re looking to see how to make the real deal, I’ve got inside knowledge with a chef in Mexico City. This article is inspired by her own true quesadilla recipe that’s truly Chilango or Capitalino (true to Mexico City).

Plus if you’re looking for a few good quesadilla eats, I’ve also covered that in this article as well.

Here’s what is covered in the article:

• Mexico is split in how the quesadilla is made. One side thinks it should have cheese whereas the majority of Mexico City doesn’t.
• Squash blossoms with requeson cheese and picadillo are delicious quesadillas.
• An authentic local recipe for the best deep-fried quesadillas
• Recommendations for restaurants with real quesadillas.

The Religion of the Quesadilla

Mexico is divided between two kinds of people: those who believe quesadillas have cheese and those who don’t. No one has ever been able to come to an agreement. The answer will also depend on who you ask and where you ask. For the most part, the whole country feels like quesadillas have cheese, EXCEPT in Mexico City. Chilangos, or Mexico City locals, believe that quesadillas shouldn’t have any cheese. 

I’ve heard both sides of the argument and I’m dumbfounded by quesadillas with anything but cheese. They’re 100% supposed to have melty, stringy cheese— so yes, I’m taking sides. However, it appears the argument against that is just as strong even if it only comes from one city. Chilangos (Mexico City Locals) feel like quesadillas are a folded corn tortilla with any kind of filling. Thus, you can have barbacoa quesadillas, chicken quesadillas, poblano pepper quesadillas, etc. With no need for cheese, how are these anything but tacos? 

Fortunately, in the spirit of not letting my judgment get in the way, the chef I met while I’ve been here (who’s helped me find hidden gems regarding restaurants) set out to show me why they don’t need cheese. Inviting me over to lunch, she prepared some of her world-class quesadillas. When I arrived, it was a quesadilla buffet. I’d no idea they could be prepared in so many ways! Some were “machetes”, others were simple, but my favorites were definitely deep-fried.

The squash blossoms with requeson cheese and picadillo ones were my favorite. This is where things get a bit tricky because chilangos WILL add cheese to their quesadillas sometimes, but the lines are pretty blurry in my opinion. You always need to specifically ask for some cheese on whatever you ordered, which sounds an awful lot like tacos. Anyway, I tried some with and without cheese. The verdict is that it doesn’t matter. They’re spectacular with or without! 

Here’s her recipe for the best deep-fried quesadillas I’ve had in Mexico City (and anywhere, for that matter):

Best Deep-Fried Quesadillas

For the filling: 

• ¼ cup diced white onion
• 3 cups rinsed squash blossoms, well drained
• 1-½ cups requeson cheese (you can substitute it for ricotta)
• Salt, to taste
• Vegetable oil, to taste

1. Add about ½ tbsp oil to a large pan over medium heat. 
2. Add the white onion and cook for 3-4 minutes or until soft and translucent. 
3. Reduce the heat and add the squash blossoms. Stir. Let them cook for 3-5 minutes or until they’ve wilted. 
4. Gently fold in the requeson cheese. Cook the mixture for 3-4 minutes or until warmed. 
5. Season with salt to taste and remove from the heat. 
6. Set it aside. 

For the dough: 

• 1 ⅛ cup “Maseca” blue corn tortilla flour
•  ½ tsp salt
• 1-1⅛ cups warm water
• ½ tsp melted lard
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp rice flour

1. Whisk the salt into the flour until it’s well combined.
2. Add 1 cup of water and knead. Add more water as needed, until the dough becomes nice and smooth. The dough won’t feel like bread, though. Tortilla dough feels more like Play-Doh. 
3. Place the dough into a container and cover it with plastic wrap. 
4. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes and up to an hour. 
5. Add the melted lard, baking powder, and rice flour. Knead until they’re incorporated into the dough. 
6. Divide it into 6-8 equal portions, depending on how large you want your quesadillas to be. Roll each portion into a ball. Cover them with a clean kitchen towel to avoid them drying out. 

For the quesadillas: 

• Vegetable oil, for frying
• ⅛ cup Mexican crema
• ⅛ cup crumbled cotija cheese
• Red or green salsa, to taste
• Shredded lettuce, to taste

1. Place one ball of dough in between two pieces of kitchen plastic (lightly oiled parchment paper also works). Press it with a tortilla press until it’s nice and thin. It should be slightly thicker than fettuccine or lasagna sheets. 
2. Add ¼-½ cup of squash blossom filling to one half of the tortilla, make sure to leave a ½” of dough without filling around the edges. Fold the dough like a taco or quesadilla and pinch the edges shut tightly. Any holes or open edges will have hot oil splattering all over your kitchen. 
3. Repeat steps 1-2 for all your quesadillas. If the dough is sticking to your hands, rub about ¼ tsp of vegetable oil into your hands. 
4. Set them on a tray lined with lightly oiled parchment paper. Cover them with a clean kitchen towel so they don’t dry out. 
5. Add oil into a pot and bring it up to 360 F. Once ready, carefully lower one quesadilla into the oil and let it fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. If you don’t have a kitchen thermometer, dip a small corner of a quesadilla into the oil. It’s ready if it begins to sizzle immediately. 
6. Remove from the heat and set it on a napkin-lined plate or wire rack. Repeat step 5 for all the quesadillas. 
7. Assemble them by drizzling them with Mexican crema and salsa to taste. Sprinkle cotija cheese and shredded lettuce on top. 
8. Enjoy!

What to Expect from the Above Recipe

Once you bite into them, you’ll be surprised at how beautiful the delicate filling inside is. The flavor isn’t too in-your-face, but it’s perfectly rich, creamy, earthy, and floral. Topped with chunky, spicy salsa, tangy queso cotija, and crunchy lettuce… They’re what dreams are made of.

Quesadilla Restaurant Recommendations

If there’s one thing Mexico City has in endless amounts are there places of culinary delights. I’ve been to so many restaurants here now, it’s difficult to say what are the best. So I broke them down into categories: Top Indian Restaurants in Mexico City, Top Vegan Restaurants in CDMX, Top Grills in Mexico City, and Best Churros. And now finally, I present the recommendations for quesadillas.

If you’re not up for the cooking project, though, don’t worry. She also made sure to take me on a quesadilla tour and these were hands-down my two favorite spots:

Machetes Amparo

These aren’t fried but they’re huge! Trust me, 60 centimeters of quesadilla in one sitting are enough for a lifetime.  They’ve got 16 different kinds of fillings, so pick your favorite because they’re all amazing. My favorite, though, was the “machete cubano.” It packs all 16 fillings! Thus, I had chicken, picadillo, mushrooms, chicharron, potato, and so much more in every bite. My only recommendation would be to go as early in the day as possible because the neighborhood it’s in, Guerrero, isn’t one you want to be walking around in at night. 

La Casa de Toño

This is a very popular local eatery with over 20 locations in Mexico City! The quesadillas are all great, but I recommend the “cochinita pibil” ones most. Cochinita pibil is a kind of Mexican spiced pulled pork that’s very tangy and savory. The “chicharron en salsa verde” is another good one, with bits of pork rind simmered in a spicy green salsa until it’s softened. Served in freshly made tortillas, either one of these will blow your mind.