Street FoodMediumFree

Hibiscus Flower Quesadillas

Name: Hibiscus Flower Quesadillas
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 0.5 white onion; 200 g Oaxaca cheese; 1 cup green salsa; 1 to taste salt; 500 g nixtamalised corn masa; 80 g dried hibiscus flowers; 3 sprigs epazote; 4 tbsp soured cream; 2 serrano chilli; 2 tbsp vegetable oil

40 min (20 prep + 20 cook) Medium 4 servings Ciudad de México

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 27 Mar 2026 · Updated: 30 Mar 2026

Corn masa quesadillas filled with stewed hibiscus flower and melted Oaxaca cheese.

About this recipe

Corn masa quesadillas filled with rehydrated hibiscus flowers cooked with epazote, serrano chilli and melted Oaxaca cheese. Hibiscus, famous worldwide as a refreshing drink, is also an exceptional culinary ingredient: its tartness and spectacular deep-red colour transform these quesadillas into something truly extraordinary.

History & Origin

Hibiscus - Hibiscus sabdariffa - arrived in Mexico from West Africa via the slave trade during the colonial era, and was enthusiastically adopted in the kitchens of states with the greatest Afro-Mexican presence: Oaxaca, Guerrero, Veracruz and Mexico City. Although its most popular use is as a cold drink, market cooks began exploring its culinary potential as a filling for quesadillas, tamales and empanadas. The natural tartness of rehydrated hibiscus flowers mimics the behaviour of certain dried chillies when reconstituted, making it a surprisingly meaty and satisfying filling. In Mexico City's markets, especially La Merced and Medellín, stalls offer these quesadillas as a creative vegetarian option - where popular gastronomy reinvents itself daily.

Estimated cost

£14.00

Total cost

£3.50

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

450

Calories

18g

Protein

45g

Carbohydrates

22g

Fat

Fibre

600mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Rehydrate the dried hibiscus flowers in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain very well, squeeze out excess water by hand and roughly chop.
💡 Save the soaking water to make hibiscus iced tea - do not discard it.
2
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Sweat the onion and chopped serrano chilli for 3 minutes. Add the drained hibiscus and epazote. Cook for 5 minutes and season with salt.
3
Divide the corn masa into 8 portions. Press out tortillas 15 cm in diameter using a tortilla press or your hands.
4
Cook the tortillas on a comal over medium-high heat. When the first side is dry (2 minutes), flip and place the hibiscus filling and Oaxaca cheese on one half. Fold into a half-moon.
5
Cook for a further 1–2 minutes on each side until the cheese is fully melted. Serve with green salsa and soured cream.