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Barbacoa and Oaxaca Cheese Quesadilla

Name: Barbacoa and Oaxaca Cheese Quesadilla
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 210 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 Limes; 600 g Beef for barbacoa (cheek or shoulder); 6 Tomatillos; 4 Large flour tortillas; 1 bunch Fresh coriander; 4 cloves Garlic; 1 tsp Cumin; 0.5 tsp Mexican oregano; 1 tsp Salt; 300 g Oaxaca cheese; 2 Ancho chillies; 2 Serrano chillies

210 min (30 prep + 180 cook) Medium 4 servings Tex-Mex

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 25 Mar 2026 · Updated: 16 Apr 2026

Barbacoa beef quesadilla with melted Oaxaca cheese and green salsa.

About this recipe

Flour tortilla quesadilla filled with shredded beef barbacoa, melted Oaxaca cheese, charred onion and roasted tomatillo salsa. The perfect fusion of northern Mexican barbacoa and the finest Mexican melting cheese.

History & Origin

The Barbacoa Quesadilla is one of the great emblems of sophisticated Tex-Mex cookery, bringing together three culinary traditions in one outstanding dish. Barbacoa - meat cooked slowly in an earth oven or pressure cooker until it falls apart - is an ancestral tradition from the northern Mexican states, especially Hidalgo (where it is made with beef head wrapped in maguey leaves) and Coahuila and Nuevo Leon (where cheek and tongue are preferred). Crossing the border into Texas, barbacoa was adapted: in San Antonio and the Rio Grande Valley, beef cheek barbacoa became the favourite Sunday morning filling, sold in taquerias and butchers that opened only at weekends. Oaxaca cheese, that creamy, elastic pulled-curd cheese that melts incomparably, entered the picture as the natural complement thanks to trade routes between Oaxaca and northern Mexico. The combination of barbacoa and Oaxaca cheese in a quesadilla is relatively modern (1990s-2000s) but has earned a permanent place on quality Tex-Mex menus. The flour tortilla - larger and more flexible than maize - allows more filling and achieves that characteristic golden crust that makes all the difference.

Estimated cost

£15.50

Total cost

£3.88

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

480

Calories

30g

Protein

36g

Carbohydrates

24g

Fat

Fibre

720mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Prepare the barbacoa: season the beef (cheek, shoulder or shin) with salt, pepper, garlic, cumin, hydrated ancho chilli and oregano. Marinate for 1 hour. If using a pressure cooker, cook for 90 minutes with water and the spices. If using a regular pot, cook for 3 hours on low heat.
2
Once cooked, shred the meat with two forks. Reserve the stock. Fry the barbacoa in a hot pan with a little of the fat from the stock to give it a slightly crispy crust.
3
Make the green salsa: char the tomatillos, serrano chillies and garlic on a dry comal until blistered all over. Blend with coriander, salt and a little water. Season to taste.
4
Heat a griddle or comal to medium-high. Place a flour tortilla down, distribute shredded Oaxaca cheese across the entire surface, then add barbacoa on one half.
5
Fold the tortilla over and press gently. Cook for 3 minutes per side until golden and crispy with the cheese completely melted. Do not move the quesadilla for the first 2 minutes so a good crust forms.
6
Cut into triangles and serve immediately with the roasted green salsa, chopped coriander, sliced red onion and lime wedges. Accompany with soured cream if desired.