Blooming Quesadilla Ring (Printable Version)

Mini cheese quesadillas arranged in a golden ring with black beans and spices, ideal for sharing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Quesadillas

01 - 16 small flour tortillas, 5 to 6 inches diameter
02 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
03 - 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
04 - 1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
05 - 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
06 - 1 small green onion, thinly sliced
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - Salt and black pepper to taste
11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

→ Garnish and Dipping

12 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
13 - 1 cup prepared salsa
14 - 1/2 cup sour cream
15 - 1 avocado, sliced
16 - Lime wedges

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, combine cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, black beans, bell pepper, green onion, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix until evenly distributed.
03 - Cut each tortilla in half to create 32 semicircles.
04 - Place 1 tablespoon of cheese mixture on each semicircle. Fold the straight edge over the filling to form a triangle and press gently to seal.
05 - Arrange quesadilla triangles with points facing inward and slightly overlapping in a tight ring on the baking sheet to form a flower shape.
06 - Brush the tops of all quesadilla triangles with melted butter.
07 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until tortillas are golden brown and cheese is melted.
08 - Slide the blooming quesadilla ring onto a serving platter and sprinkle with fresh cilantro.
09 - Place salsa, sour cream, and avocado slices in small bowls in the center of the ring for dipping. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours in the kitchen, but honestly you'll be done in forty minutes flat.
  • One shared platter means less cleanup and more time hanging out with people instead of running back and forth from the kitchen.
  • The crispy-outside, melty-inside texture hits different when you can dip it in salsa and sour cream.
02 -
  • If your filling is too wet, the tortillas get soggy and won't crisp up properly, so drain your beans really well and don't overload each triangle.
  • Cutting the tortillas in half before filling is the game changer that makes this appetizer instead of just a regular quesadilla, because those triangles are meant to be eaten with your hands while standing up and talking.
03 -
  • Make your cheese mixture ahead and keep it in the fridge, then all you have to do on the day of your gathering is fill, arrange, brush, and bake.
  • If you want to add protein, cooked shredded chicken or crumbled chorizo mixed into the filling works beautifully without changing the technique or baking time.
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