The secret ingredient your quesadillas have been missing.
I’m sure you’ve been there: standing before the open refrigerator late on a weeknight, trying to massage the day’s stress out of your neck while your stomach growls. You need dinner and you need it now. Nothing complicated, just something simple and comforting that you can get on the table quickly without too much fuss. What do you grab?
On nights like these, I reach for Broccoli Pimento Cheese Quesadillas.
Tender roasted broccoli smothered in melted cheddar and monterey jack cheese, tucked inside crispy, golden-brown tortillas. Charred red pepper and cayenne add smokiness and spice, while fresh scallions pop against the buttery tortilla and ooey-gooey cheese. A bite is warm and crispy, spicy and gooey . . . and utterly delicious.
Besides being the ultimate comfort food, these quesadillas are also fantastic because they’re fast and easy to make. The two fillings—the roasted broccoli and shredded cheese mix—can be prepped ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for days, ready for whenever you need a super delicious meal at a moment’s notice. They’re perfect for days when you only have a 15-minute lunch break between zoom meetings, and equally good late at night when you’re craving some ooey-gooey carbs and it’s too late to call for delivery.
It’s January, and comfort food season is here to stay! The next time you’re craving something warm and comforting for dinner or a late night snack, I hope you’ll try these Broccoli Pimento Cheese Quesadillas. They’re the real deal. Take one bite of their ooey-gooey goodness, and I think you’ll agree!
Enjoy!
Broccoli Pimento Cheese Quesadillas
(Makes 4-5 quesadillas)
For the filling:
1 red pepper, cored and quartered
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/8 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1 small head broccoli, cut into 1-inch florets
¾ tsp ground cayenne pepper
4 ounces yellow cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
2 scallions, thinly sliced, plus additional, for garnish
For assembly:
2-3 tbsp unsalted butter
8-10 8-inch flour tortillas
Sour cream (optional)
Special equipment: baking sheet
Method
For the filling:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Toss the red pepper quarters with ½ tablespoon oil; season with 1/8 tsp kosher salt. Put on a baking sheet, skin side up, and roast until softened and charred on top, about 20 minutes. Remove from the baking sheet, place in a bowl, and cover tightly.
Decrease the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Toss broccoli florets with remaining oil, remaining kosher salt, and ½ tsp cayenne pepper and spread onto the baking sheet. Roast until lightly charred and crisp-tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool, and then chop into ½-inch pieces.
Meanwhile, as soon as the peppers are cool, peel off their skins and dice into small pieces. Reserve.
Stir together shredded cheeses, sliced scallions, reserved peppers, and remaining cayenne pepper until combined.
For assembly:
Preheat a saute pan over medium heat. Butter one side of each tortilla; layer unbuttered side with about ¼ cup cheese mixture, ¼ cup broccoli, and then another ¼ cup cheese mixture. Top with a second tortilla, butter side up. Place in pre-heated pan and cook until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Flip quesadilla and cook until the other side is golden brown and cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
Serve hot with additional scallions as garnish, and sour cream, if desired.
Originally posted January 24, 2021.
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