Loaded Rajas Quesadillas with Salsa Fresca, Southwest Crema and Guacamole

These loaded rajas quesadillas are a far cry from the microwaved versions of our youth. Packed with a cilantro-laden jumble of poblano peppers, onion and tomato, plus two kinds of melty cheese, they’re a real-deal dinner that’s anything but ordinary. Topped with guacamole, fresh salsa and a drizzle of spiced crema, every bite is a fiesta of flavors.

This recipe is perfect for a quick weeknight meal or a casual get-together. The rajas-sautéed peppers and onions in a creamy, spiced sauce-are the star and the combination of pepper jack and Mexican cheese blend gives the quesadillas a gooey, irresistible texture. Serve with lime wedges for a bright finish.

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Ingredients

2 unit Flour TortillasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Red OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Pepper Jack CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Long Green PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon GuacamoleView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Mexican Cheese BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon (tsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry produce. Halve, peel and thinly slice onion; mince a few slices until you have 2 TBSP (4 TBSP for 4 servings). Dice tomatoes. Roughly chop cilantro. Quarter lime. Core, deseed and dice green pepper.
2. In a small bowl, combine minced onion, half the tomatoes, half the cilantro and juice from half the lime. Season with salt and pepper. In a separate small bowl, combine half the sour cream with ¼ tsp Southwest Spice Blend (½ tsp for 4 servings). (You’ll use the rest of the sour cream and Southwest Spice Blend in the next step.) Season with salt and pepper. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.
3. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced onion, green pepper and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, 7-8 minutes. Stir in remaining tomatoes, remaining Southwest Spice Blend and 2 TBSP water (4 TBSP for 4 servings). Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are softened and mixture is thickened and saucy. TIP: If veggie mixture seems dry, add up to 2 TBSP more water. Remove pan from heat; stir in remaining cilantro and remaining sour cream. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Place tortillas on a clean work surface; sprinkle one half of each tortilla with Mexican cheese blend. Top with veggie filling, then sprinkle with pepper jack. Fold tortillas in half to create quesadillas.
5. Wash out pan used for veggie filling; return to medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Add quesadillas and cook until tortillas are golden brown and cheese melts, 2-4 minutes per side. TIP: Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to work in batches.
6. Cut quesadillas into wedges; divide between plates and top with guacamole and salsa. Drizzle with crema. Serve with remaining lime wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of pepper?

Yes, you can substitute the long green pepper with poblano or Anaheim peppers for a similar flavor.

How do I make the crema thinner?

Add water one teaspoon at a time to the sour cream mixture until it reaches a drizzling consistency.

Can I make this recipe gluten-free?

Yes, simply use gluten-free tortillas in place of flour tortillas.