Baked Ham and Cheese Quesadilla

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 09/17/21
Ham and cheese quesadilla
Ham and cheese quesadilla sliced on a white plate with kale and lime garnish Envision/Getty Images
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 17 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 2 quesadillas
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
644 Calories
21g Fat
83g Carbs
29g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 644
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g 27%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Cholesterol 49mg 16%
Sodium 1376mg 60%
Total Carbohydrate 83g 30%
Dietary Fiber 5g 19%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 29g
Vitamin C 4mg 19%
Calcium 175mg 13%
Iron 6mg 31%
Potassium 457mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Kick your "sandwich" game up a notch with a baked ham and cheese quesadilla. It's quick and easy to make a perfect mash-up of the cheesy American favorite grilled ham and cheese sandwich and the quesadilla, which is a Mexican staple. You'll love this for a hot lunch or a soup and sandwich dinner kind of night.

These quesadillas are baked rather than fried. It uses far less oil than the traditional quesadilla but spraying the pan and brushing the top tortilla with vegetable oil retains some of that crispiness. There's also no need to get the perfect fold because these quesadillas use a full tortilla for both the top and bottom. It's as easy as laying out a tortilla, adding the fillings, then placing a second tortilla on top and popping it in the oven for about 10 minutes. Of course, if you're feeling crafty, try this recipe with homemade flour tortillas.

The key to the ham and cheese quesadilla is thinly sliced ham. Pick up deli-style ham or cut some leftover ham into as thin slices as you can to ensure the quesadillas stay flat. While Monterey Jack is recommended, it will work well with many other styles of shredded cheese.

Adding tomatoes and chopped green onion gives the quesadillas a nice veggie kick. You can also add diced sweet peppers, herbs such as basil, oregano, or cilantro, or try it with other finds from your fridge. It's infinitely adaptable, which is why quesadillas are always a hit and a good economical choice for a quick, light meal.

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Ingredients

  • Cooking spray, for greasing pan

  • 4 large flour tortillas

  • 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided

  • 8 ounces ham, thinly sliced

  • 1/2 cup diced tomatoes

  • 2 tablespoons chopped green onion, optional

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • Vegetable oil, for brushing tops

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 425 F.

  2. Lightly spray a cookie sheet with vegetable cooking spray.

  3. Arrange two tortillas on the cookie sheet and then evenly top with 1/4 cup of the cheese.

  4. Top the cheese with the sliced ham, the diced tomatoes, green onion and then the other 1/4 cup of cheese.

  5. Sprinkle each with a little freshly ground black pepper and then cover each with another tortilla.

  6. Brush the tops with vegetable oil and bake in the oven for about 10 to 12 minutes, until browned.

  7. Cut quesadillas into wedges and serve with mustard or mayonnaise.

Recipe Variation

  • If you don't have ham, try this quesadilla with thinly sliced smoked turkey instead.

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