Corn Quesadilla

Crisp tortillas and melting cheese collide with spicy elote corn dip in this hearty, flavorful Corn Quesadilla. And the best part? From start to finish, these come together in just 10 minutes.

horizontal photo of elote quesadillas on wooden board with black and white striped towel

This corn quesadilla recipe was heavily inspired by our beloved elote dip, a dish made with roasted corn in a creamy sauce of spicy mayonnaise, lime, and cotija cheese. Whether we eat it with a spoon or dip into it with tortilla chips, it’s been a long-time favorite snack in our house. Given our love of elote and quesadillas, it was only a matter of time until I tried combining the two.

My boys and I are long-time fans of all things quesadilla. In fact, quesadillas were one of the first meals I taught my boys how to cook. They’re simple, easy to make, and provide a great way to use up leftovers.

Unsurprisingly, my boys loved this recipe from the first bite. At this point, I know that I need to multiply this recipe every time I make it. Who knew that adding crispy, golden tortillas and gooey melted cheese to our beloved elote dip would make it even better? I suppose it was a safe bet. These corn quesadillas are a great way to use up any leftover dip (when and if we’re lucky enough to have leftovers).

stacked quesadillas on board, filled with corn

Ingredients and Substitutions

Tortillas – I prefer flour tortillas for the flavor, personally. And, you’ll find that they hold together better than corn tortillas when you crisp them.

Cheese – For the quesadilla, Monterey jack or pepper jack are my go-to cheeses, because they melt well. For the corn filling, I like to use cotija. It’s the crumbly, traditional choice for elote.

Corn – Fresh, frozen, or canned corn works. I prefer to use fresh corn, when it’s in season.

Mayo – Just a teaspoon of mayonnaise gives the elote filling a creamy base that is rich and slightly tangy.

Onion – I prefer red onion, for its milder flavor when served raw. You can swap in white or yellow onion though without issue.

Lime Juice – Don’t skip the lime juice. It helps cut through the richness with fresh acidity, which makes the elote filling feel less heavy.

Chili Powder – For a hint of spice, I include some chili powder. But, if you are spice sensitive, you can omit this ingredient.

Cilantro – Cilantro is a classic ingredient in elote and my boys and I love the refreshing flavor here. Feel free to skip it, or sub parsley, if cilantro doesn’t thrill you.

Kosher Salt – Just a pinch, and you’re going to adjust it to taste. Literally, taste the filling, and adjust it here.

Butter – Unless otherwise specified, I always use salted butter.

Notes on Equipment

Rotary grater. I typically don’t recommend things I haven’t owned for a good long while, but this rotary grater has been a dream to work with over the past year. It chews through all of our cheeses with ease.
Chef’s knife
Cutting board
Spatula or turner
Large nonstick skillet. I have been through about a million skillets (well, maybe not quite that many). For the past several years this is the exact pan I have used for getting a quesadilla crisp without anything sticking.

ingredients for elote dip in stainless mixing bowl

How to Make a Corn Quesadilla

Mixing the Elote: To start, you’ll combine the corn, onion, mayonnaise, chili powder, cotija, cilantro, salt, and fresh lime juice in a small bowl. Give it a stir to mix it up and then taste the mixture. You’re only adding a pinch of salt and it might need more, so adjust it as needed and then let it rest for a minute.

Buttering the Tortilla: At this stage, I’ll lightly butter one side of a tortilla and set aside until needed. Then, we’re going to grate the cheese, if you aren’t using a pre-shredded variety.

Toasting the Tortilla: I place the buttered tortilla in the hot pan, butter-side down.

Building the Quesadilla: Layer half of the cheese over one half of the tortilla. Then, top the cheese with the elote filling, and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

Folding the Tortilla: Once all the filling ingredients have been added, you’ll want to fold the tortilla over on itself and let cook for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese has begun to melt and the bottom tortilla has browned.

cooked quesadilla with corn on the stove

Flipping and Finishing: I carefully flip the quesadilla over in the pan, and let the second side cook, until crispy. The cheese should be fully melted by the time both sides finish cooking.

Serving: Once all the cheese has melted and the tortilla is crisp around the edges, I transfer the quesadilla to a cutting board and slice it into wedges.

Expert Tip

You’ll find that “medium heat” means something different on every single stove. Gas ranges tend to run hotter and respond quickly to changes, while electric stovetops take longer to heat and cool. This is why I stress the importance of temperature control. You want it hot, so that you get a crispy brown exterior. But, too much heat will char the outside of the tortilla before the cheese has a chance to melt.

Warming the Pan – When you’re preheating a skillet, give it longer than you think. It can take a full minute or two to warm the metal fully. If the food doesn’t sizzle when you add it to the pan, then you didn’t wait long enough.

Go Easy on the Filling – To make sure that your quesadilla cooks evenly, don’t overfill the tortilla. I know, I know. It’s tempting to really pile it up in there. But, you’ll have better results with multiple, smaller quesadillas.

Let It Rest – Wait just a minute or so for the quesadillas to cool before digging in. You’ll still get your cheese pull. But, giving it a little time helps the ingredients stay in the quesadilla when slicing and eating it.

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve my quesadillas with some Pico de Gallo or warm Queso Dip and a big ol’ pile of tortilla chips. And if it’s dinner time, we’ll make it a full meal with a skillet of Chipotle Lime Rice and maybe a salad alongside the quesadillas.

Corn quesadillas stacked vertically on board

Make Ahead & Storage

Make Ahead: I don’t recommend making this quesadilla in advance. The crunchiness of the tortilla will be lost, and many of the ingredients will start to run when reheated.

How to Store: Leftover quesadillas can be stored in an airtight container or Ziploc in the refrigerator for 1-3 days.

How to Reheat: I usually reheat quesadillas in a nonstick skillet on medium heat, to add some of the lost crispiness back to the tortillas.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do quesadillas really need to be buttered?

Listen, you can make a boring quesadilla without any butter. The tortilla will toast a little and the cheese will still melt. But, you will not get those glorious golden, crispy edges without butter. And it won’t taste as good, either. So, please don’t skip the butter.

Why is my quesadilla falling apart

Usually this is a result of overfilling the quesadilla, or trying to flip it before the cheese has melted. Mastering heat management will fix the latter, and limiting the total thickness to about 3/4 of an inch will help with the former.

What if the tortilla is starting to brown, but the cheese isn’t melting yet?

If the tortilla is beginning to brown but the cheese hasn’t melted yet, that’s a matter of heat management. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the skillet with a lid for about a minute. You’ll want to keep a close eye on the quesadilla, to keep it from steaming rather than crisping as the cheese melts.

Combine the corn, onion, mayonnaise, chili powder, cotija, cilantro, salt, and lime juice in a small bowl and stir to combine. Taste the mixture and adjust the salt, as desired. Set aside. Lightly butter one side of the tortilla and set aside.
Set a non-stick pan on the stove over medium-low heat. Place the buttered tortilla in the empty skillet, butter side down. Layer half of the cheese over one half of the tortilla, top the cheese with the corn mixture, and then sprinkle the remaining cheese over the corn. Fold the tortilla over on itself.
Allow the quesadilla to cook for 2-3 minutes. When the cheese has begun to melt and the bottom tortilla is browning slightly, flip the folded quesadilla over along the folded edge to cook the other side.
Continue to cook until all the cheese is melted and the tortilla is crisp around the edges. Using a spatula, transfer the quesadilla back to a cutting board and cut into wedges while it is hot, and serve warm.