Easy pizza quesadillas are the perfect snack or simple meal and are an awesome introduction to cooking for kids. This 5 minute recipe can be made by even the tiniest chefs. Easier to make than a regular pizza, this fun recipe is customizable and quick.
Pizza quesadillas are kid-friendly and fun!
Getting kids involved in the kitchen is one of the best ways to get them excited about eating more (and hopefully healthier) foods. Pizza quesadillas are one of my kids favorite meals and I love that they can almost make them on their own.
Not only are they easy to make, but they are a great alternative to homemade pizza, no need to turn on the oven for this easy meal. My kiddos like these even better than a regular quesadilla! These are great for an after school snack or a quick meal anytime.
I like to set up a DIY bar of their favorite pizza toppings and make pizza night just a little bit easier. Let the kiddos assemble the quesadillas and you can simply do the cooking at the stove to finish them off. You could also try using an electric griddle and letting the older kids be in charge of cooking for a change 😉.
Ingredients
- Flour Tortilla: I prefer to use flour tortilla's and I like to use the burrito size, but any size tortilla you have will work.
- Pizza Sauce: Pick your favorite. We like the Contadina Pizza Squeeze but any pizza sauce you like will work.
- Shredded Cheese: Use the pre-shredded bag of cheese. This is a simple recipe that calls for simple ingredients. Either mozzarella or a pizza cheese blend work best.
How to make a pizza quesadilla
Start by assembling your ingredients. I like to work on cutting board with little prep bowls holding all the toppings.
Onto one tortilla, spoon a couple of tablespoons of pizza sauce. Using the back of a spoon or offset spatula spread the sauce to close to the edge.
Then cover the sauce completely in shredded cheese.
Add any of your favorite toppings you'd like and then cover with the second tortilla, pressing down gently to make sure they connected while cooking.
Place in a dry pan over medium heat and cook until the tortilla starts to brown. Then gently flip over the whole pizza quesadilla and cook on the second side until it's golden brown as well.
Once cooked, remove from the heat and put on a plate. Let the whole thing cool for a minute or two before slicing into triangles.
FAQ's
If you want to make a few of these at a time, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and build your pizza quesadillas on there. Then pop into the oven at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes, then flip over and bake another couple of minutes.
Yes, all you need to do is swap the tortilla for any sandwich bread. Like my grilled cheese and hummus toastie, simply put your ingredients between the two slices of bread and pop into the sandwich maker (or even you panini press). When the indicator light turns green, you are ready to go. Just be careful, the middle of the sandwich gets HOT!
Yes, absolutely. Simply swap flour tortillas for corn tortillas and you are good to go. You can also make dairy free pizza quesadillas by using any dairy free mozzarella shreds. Both Daiya and Follow Your Heart brands are good options.
How to make a pizza quesadilla in an air fryer
I'm not typically one to use extra kitchen gadgets unless absolutely necessary, however, I do know that so many of you LOVE your air fryer. Simple crispy pizza quesadillas are super easy to cook in your air fryer.
Set the temperature to 400 degrees and cook for 5 minutes. Be sure your really press the quesadilla together so that the ingredients help the two outer tortillas stick together. This will prevent the top tortilla from flying around in the air fryer while cooking. The bottom tortilla will be fine with everything else resting on it.
Perfect pizza toppings
Here are a few of my families favorite pizza toppings that work well in a pizza quesadilla. Because they will be sandwiched between the flour tortillas, be sure to slice any toppings you use super thin:
- Spinach: fresh baby spinach works best, use a pair of kitchen shears to cut into smaller pieces.
- Mushrooms: fresh or canned work equally as well
- Black olives: make sure to slice them into rounds
- Green bell pepper: dice them small
Delicious toppings combos to try
- Vegetarian pizza quesadilla: Pile on all your favorite veggies.
- White pizza quesadilla: Swap out the thin layer of pizza sauce for a layer of alfredo sauce and a drizzle of olive oil, then top with roasted garlic and your favorite blend of white cheeses.
- 4 cheese pizza quesadilla: Mozzarella, Provolone, Smoked Gouda and Parmesan cheese is our family's favorite blend.
What to serve with your pizza quesadilla
Pop some extra marinara sauce or ranch dressing (iykyk & only in the Midwest) in a small bowl for dipping and serve it along side your sliced quesadilla. To make these into a more complete meal, try serving with a big salad and garlic bread.
How to store leftovers
Wrap any leftovers in aluminum foil and pop into the fridge. To reheat them, either pop them into a pan over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes or place them in a toaster oven on the foil for a few minutes until the cheese is melty again.
Did you try this recipe and and love it? 😍 Let me know by leaving a comment below or 5 ⭐ rating!
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📖 Recipe
Quick and Easy Pizza Quesadilla
Ingredients
- 4 flour tortillas
- 1 cup shredded pizza cheese
- ½ cup pizza sauce
- ½ cup toppings of your choice
Instructions
- Onto one tortilla spoon a couple of tablespoons of pizza sauce. Using the back of a spoon or offset spatula spread the sauce to close to the edge. Then cover the sauce completely in shredded cheese.
- Add the toppings and then cover with the second tortilla, pressing down gently to make sure they connect.
- Place in a dry pan over medium heat and cook until the tortilla starts to brown. Gently flip over and cook on the second side until it's golden brown as well.
- When cooked, remove from the heat and put on a plate. Let the whole thing cool for a minute or two before slicing into wedges.
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