Fried quesadillas: what they are, fillings and recipe

What is it?

Fried quesadillas are one of the most representative snacks of Mexico City street cooking: large oval tortillas of nixtamalised maize masa, made by hand to order, generously filled with traditional stews such as huitlacoche, squash blossom, wild mushrooms, requesón with epazote, tinga or brains, closed into a half-moon and fried in a pot with lard or hot oil until golden and crisp outside, with the filling melted and hot inside. They are accompanied by chopped onion, coriander, green or red salsa, and a touch of lime. They are protagonists of the street stalls of markets such as La Lagunilla, San Juan, Coyoacán, Tepito and Jamaica, as well as of countless travelling tianguis stalls that go through the neighbourhoods of Mexico City every day of the week. The eternal debate over whether the quesadilla contains cheese or not, characteristic of Mexico City speech, reflects the wealth of variants and the strong identity of this snack.

Origin and history

Fried quesadillas are direct heirs of the pre-Hispanic snacks of nixtamalised maize masa, a technique documented from pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. The name quesadilla comes from Spanish as a diminutive of queso (cheese), and was initially used for folded tortillas filled with cheese. However, in central Mexico, particularly in Mexico City, the term became generalised to name any folded tortilla filled with stew, whether or not it contained cheese, which gave rise to one of the most famous linguistic and gastronomic disputes in the country: the question of whether the quesadilla contains cheese or not. Colonial and 19th-century recipe books such as El Cocinero Mexicano (1831) already mention quesadillas with various fillings. The lard-fried version, called fried quesadilla or sincronizada, became established in the markets and tianguis of Mexico City during the 20th century, especially in the decades of 1950-1980, when the street format of snacks enjoyed a boom. Blue masa, made with nixtamalised black or blue maize, is typical of the most traditional quesadillas and provides a deeper, more mineral flavour. Fried quesadillas with traditional stews such as huitlacoche, squash blossom and mushrooms are an emblem of Mexico City cooking and of the rainy season, when these wild ingredients are at their best.

Characteristic ingredients

The masa can be white or blue: the blue, made with nixtamalised maize of pigmented varieties, is the most traditional and provides a more mineral flavour. It is shaped by hand into large oval tortillas, about fifteen to twenty centimetres, left slightly thicker than a normal tortilla to withstand frying. The classic fillings are: huitlacoche, a black fungus that grows on infected ears of maize, considered Mexican caviar for its deep, earthy flavour; squash blossom, fresh, stewed with onion and epazote; wild mushrooms such as those of Milpa Alta or cultivated oyster mushrooms, sautéed with onion and serrano; requesón with epazote; stewed beef brains; chicken or pork tinga in chipotle; pressed chicharrón; potato with chorizo. Some versions carry Oaxaca cheese inside along with the stew. They are closed into a half-moon, pressing the edges to seal, and fried in a deep pot with abundant hot lard or oil, submerged, until evenly golden. They are accompanied by raw chopped onion, fresh coriander, green tomatillo salsa or red tomato salsa, and lime. Pasilla chilli salsa with roasted tomatillo is typical of some stalls.

Cultural significance

Fried quesadillas are part of the intangible gastronomic heritage of Mexico City and an emblem of Mexico City street culture. They form part of the urban landscape of the tianguis, the markets and the neighbourhood corners, where they are one of the best-selling snacks along with tacos al pastor and tamales. The eternal Mexico City debate over whether the quesadilla contains cheese, popularised on social media and on television programmes, is one of the most identifiable cultural topics in the country. Traditional Mexican Cuisine, declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010, encompasses preparations of nixtamalised maize and traditional stews as pillars of gastronomic identity. Economically, fried quesadillas sustain an enormous network of traditional cooks, masa makers, huitlacoche sellers in markets such as La Merced or Xochimilco, squash-blossom farmers and wild-mushroom gatherers in areas such as Milpa Alta, Mil Cumbres or the State of Mexico. Chefs such as Enrique Olvera (at Pujol) and Gabriela Cámara (at Contramar) have brought traditional quesadillas onto the fine-dining scene, keeping alive a recipe and a ritual that defines the culinary identity of the Valley of Mexico.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between fried quesadillas and comal quesadillas?

Comal quesadillas are cooked dry on a hot comal or griddle, with little or no fat, and are typically filled with Oaxaca cheese that melts. Fried quesadillas are submerged in hot lard or oil and come out crisp outside, with thicker masa and varied fillings such as huitlacoche, squash blossom, mushrooms or tinga, with or without cheese.

What do fried quesadillas taste like?

The fried masa is crisp and golden outside, with the deep flavour of nixtamalised maize, more intense if it is blue masa. The filling varies: huitlacoche provides an earthy flavour, almost of wild mushroom and truffle; squash blossom is vegetal and delicate; mushrooms are meaty and umami; requesón with epazote is creamy with aniseed notes. The salsas and raw onion balance the fat.

How are fried quesadillas served?

They are served freshly fried and hot, two or three per portion, on a plate or paper napkin. Chopped white onion, fresh coriander, green or red salsa to taste and a squeeze of lime are put on top. They are eaten with the hands, taking care that they do not burn. They are generally accompanied by an agua fresca such as horchata, hibiscus or tamarind, or by an atole in a morning version.

Where do fried quesadillas come from?

They are native to central Mexico, particularly Mexico City, where they became established as a street snack during the 20th century in the markets and tianguis. The nixtamalised maize technique is pre-Hispanic, but the lard-fried version is a product of colonial fusion. They are an undisputed emblem of Mexico City cooking and at the centre of the street culture of the Valley of Mexico.