Spinach, Egg, and Bacon Quesadillas

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

Quesadillas are one of the simpler foods to prepare and cook but a good quesadilla requires a little more finesse.

The complete ingredient list and measurements are listed in the printable recipe below.

• Tortillas: If you can find uncooked flour tortillas buy them. These are our favorite and are as close to homemade as you can get. The preferred size is the standard 8-inch tortilla. The larger tortillas will be more difficult to flip.
• Cheese: We use sharp cheddar cheese in our breakfast quesadilla recipe but you can substitute any shredded cheese you like -Colby jack, Monterey jack, and pepper jack are all great choices.
• Eggs: Egg whites can be substituted for whole eggs.
• Bacon: The breakfast quesadillas that inspired our version were made with bacon but breakfast sausage, ham, or Canadian bacon can be used instead.
• Spinach: This was another filling inside Village Smitty’s breakfast quesadilla that we had to have in ours. And since we love spinach in our omelets why put it not in a breakfast quesadilla, too?
• Toppings: We served our breakfast quesadillas with a little guacamole or avocado but you can also top them with sour cream, hot sauce, or a little pico de gallo.

How to Make Spinach, Egg, and Bacon Quesadillas

Here are the quick step-by-step instructions with visuals; you can find the full instructions with the exact ingredients in the recipe card below.
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Pro-tip: Quesadillas are best served warm and fresh, but you can make the ingredients ahead of time, perfect for a quick on-the-go easy breakfast.

1. Cook the Bacon: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon to desired crispness. Place the cooked bacon on paper towels to drain excess grease. Remove all but approximately 1 tablespoon of bacon grease from the frying pan and lower the heat to medium-low.

2. Whisk the Eggs: In a medium-sized mixing bowl whisk together eggs, salt, black pepper, and green chiles.

3. Cook the Eggs: Add egg mixture to the skillet. Scramble the eggs until they are no longer runny, stirring often.

4. Add Bacon and Spinach: Add in bacon and spinach and cook for approximately 1-2 minutes until the spinach has wilted. Remove the egg, bacon, and spinach mixture and wipe the skillet clean.

5. Cook the Quesadilla: Place one tortilla in the frying pan (or cast iron griddle) and cook one side for approximately 15 seconds and set aside. Repeat with a second tortilla and flip over to crisp the second side while adding the filling. Cover the tortilla with ¼ cup of cheese and ¼ of the egg mixture leaving an approximately ½ inch border around the tortilla. Top egg mixture with another ¼ cup of cheese and cover with the second tortilla, cooked side down.

6. Flip the Quesadilla: Cook for approximately 60-90 seconds letting the bottom layer of cheese melt and the tortilla get crispy. With a spatula lightly press down on the quesadilla before carefully flipping it over. Cook for an additional 60-90 seconds.

7. Let’s Eat: Remove from the frying pan and place on a cutting board. Allow the quesadilla to cool for 1-2 minutes before cutting with a pizza cutter or sharp knife. Serve quesadillas warm with fresh salsa or avocado slices.

Recipe Tips and Notes

• Don’t overstuff. A quesadilla is better when you keep it on the lighter side. Leave about a 1/2-inch border around your tortilla. Preparing your filling ahead of time is a good idea and make sure there are equal parts cheese to protein (or vegetables). You want to use enough cheese to hold the whole thing together. Too little, and your filling will fall out.
• Do use a good melting cheese. Not all cheese is created equal. The key to keeping your filling inside the quesadilla is using a good melting cheese. American or cheddar are great choices but you can substitute with Monterey Jack, Gruyere, Fontina, and the list goes on. Looking for a more traditional cheese? Try queso asadero or queso Oaxaca which are classic cheeses used in quesadillas in parts of Mexico.
• Don’t use corn tortillas. Traditionally in most parts of Mexico quesadillas are made with corn tortillas, but the flexibility of flour tortillas will help hold in the filling and cheese.
• Do use a little butter. To get quesadillas crisp use a small pad of butter or neutral oil such as canola. A little goes a long way so don’t overdo the butter or oil. Also, avoid olive oil since it can have an overpowering flavor.
• Don’t cook them ahead of time. No one likes a soggy quesadilla. The best quesadillas are crispy, hot, and gooey which means cooking them fresh. Warming them in an oven can help but they will never taste as good as when they first come off the pan.
• Do cook your quesadillas on medium-low heat. Tortillas can burn easily so avoid high heat. It only takes a minute or two for your tortillas to get golden brown and crispy and your cheese melty.

Frequently Asked Questions