Quesadilla Bar

Thanks to the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) for making this post possible. All comments, opinions and my love for exploring the dairy aisle are my own!

We love quesadillas. We could eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And to be fair, we have done just that. Beyond that, quesadillas bring back great memories from my university days, as they were very popular with students and I expect they still are. I always joke with my husband that my ramen noodles during my university years were quesadillas.

Since June is National Dairy Month and since quesadillas are one of my husband's favorite Mexican antojitos, I thought a Quesadilla Bar would be a fun way to celebrate Father's Day this summer.

We've already established that quesadillas are budget friendly, but they are also easy, convenient, satisfying and almost everyone likes them.

For our Quesadilla Bar, we just start with a basic quesadilla, which is lovely in and of itself and can be enjoyed just like that. But then it's also perfectly wonderful to offer lots of other options for family and guests.

Having said that, I do want to give a special shout out to the humble, but refreshing, iceberg lettuce, which tastes so great inside a quesadilla. It's one of those magical combinations that's greater than the sum of its parts, like chocolate and raspberry or oil and vinegar.

Of all the possibilities available to include in a quesadilla, my husband's favorite is probably the Quesadilla Margarita, which includes creamy Galbani Mozzarella Fresca, tomatoes, basil, and a touch of pesto sauce.

Here's how to put it all together:

Makes approx 36 quesadillas

Basic Ingredients

1 (32 oz) package Galbani Low Moisture Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1 (16 oz) Galbani Mozzarella Fresca log, thinly sliced
36 flour tortillas, or corn tortillas, or a combination of both (I used 12 corn tortillas and 24 flour tortillas here)
1 iceberg lettuce, washed and sliced
Pico de gallo salsa
Guacamole

Extra Filling Options

For the Quesadilla Bar you will need a variety of fillings of your choice. Here are some suggestions:

1 (2.5 oz) package Spanish Manzanilla Olives, pitted and sliced
1 (2.5 oz) package Black Olives, pitted and sliced
1 (3 oz) package Bacon Bits
1 (9 oz) package pork chorizo, cooked
1 cup frozen bell peppers, roasted
1 cup frozen corn niblets (I used lime-seasoned corn, roasted)
1 sweet onion, sliced and roasted
Pesto. (Click on the link for the basic pesto recipe)
12-18 basil leaves
12 cherry tomatoes, sliced
Grapes

Most of the work is in the preparation, so if you have everything ready right before your party, making the quesadillas will take just minutes.

I roasted the vegetables in a pan with a little bit of butter, but you can also roast them in the oven. The decision is yours.

Once you have everything ready, guests and family members can choose their own combos, or you can create your own combos for them to try.

Warm the tortillas, add filling and return to comal or pan until cheese is melted and the tortilla is nice and crispy. The only exception is the Quesadilla Margarita. In this case, just warm the tortilla really well, fill it up and eat immediately, don't return to the heat.

Ideas for your Quesadilla Bar

The Basic Quesadilla

Just a tortilla (flour or corn) and cheese. If you choose, you can fill it with lettuce and top with pico de gallo or guacamole.

The Corn on the Cobb Quesadilla

The roasted corn with lime seasoning and the creamy cheese reminds me of the corn on the cob we eat in Mexico.

The Quesadilla Margarita

Flour tortilla, three slices of creamy Galbani Mozzarella Fresca, sliced cherry tomatoes, 2-3 fresh basil leaves and a little bit of pesto. This is my husband's favorite.

Choriqueso

Corn tortilla, low moisture mozzarella cheese and chorizo.

The Veggie Quesadilla

Flour tortilla, low moisture mozzarella cheese, roasted bell peppers, roasted corn and roasted onion.

The California Quesadilla

Flour tortilla, low moisture mozzarella cheese and sliced grapes. You'll be surprised how delicious grapes and cheese taste together. You can also use mozzarella fresca cheese, but if you do, don't return to heat. My husband added pico de gallo on top and loved it!

The Death Star Quesadilla

This is one of my kids' inventions. Flour tortilla, low moisture mozzarella cheese, bacon bits, olives and if you like, jalapeño peppers.

Do you have combinations of your own? Share your ideas in the comments.

For more meal inspiration for your favorite surprising finds in the dairy aisle, check out the NFRA at www.EasyHomeMeals.com, and our “Cool Food Panel” board on Pinterest.

¡Buen Provecho!

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Silvia Martinez

Silvia started bilingual website Mama Latina Tips in 2009 to connect and share her stories, recipes and culture with readers. Silvia loves dancing, cooking, watching movies, reading, throwing Mexican parties and spending time with family and friends. Silvia is the winner of The Great American Recipe.

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