Quesadilla Oaxaqueña Recipe

Toast and soak chiles

Lightly toast the dried morita chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned. Remove stems and seeds, then place chiles in a small bowl and cover with 120 ml hot water. Let soak 10 minutes until softened.

Blend salsa

Drain chiles (reserve soaking liquid). In a blender, combine softened chiles, garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, 0.5 teaspoon salt, and 2–3 tablespoons of the reserved soaking liquid (or up to 120 ml total) to reach a smooth, pourable consistency. Blend until smooth, then taste and adjust salt or vinegar. Set aside.

If salsa is too thick, thin with a little water. Warm gently in a small saucepan over low heat for 2–3 minutes before serving if desired.

Toast and grind peanuts

In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the raw peanuts, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 4–6 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Place peanuts in a food processor or mortar and roughly grind to coarse crumbs—small bits should remain for texture (do not make a smooth paste).

Prepare sesame

If your sesame seeds are not toasted, toast 2 tablespoons in the same dry skillet for 1–2 minutes until golden and fragrant. Combine toasted sesame seeds with 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil and mix into the ground peanuts.

Combine garnish mixture

In a small bowl, fold together the crushed peanut-sesame mixture, chopped cilantro, chopped white onion, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Taste and adjust lime or salt. This mixture should be moist but slightly crumbly so it layers well inside the quesadilla and adds crunch.

Warm tortillas

Warm the corn tortillas on a hot comal or skillet for about 20–30 seconds per side to make them pliable. Keep them covered with a clean kitchen towel to remain soft while you assemble.

Assemble quesadillas

Heat a large skillet over medium-low and add 1 teaspoon butter to coat. Place one warm tortilla in the skillet, sprinkle a generous portion (about 50 g) of shredded quesillo over half the tortilla, then spoon 1–2 tablespoons of the peanut-sesame mixture across the cheese (centered). Fold the tortilla over to make a half-moon. Press gently with a spatula. Repeat to make 3 quesadillas (two tortillas per quesadilla if preferred for crispiness), adding butter to the skillet between batches.

Cook until golden

Cook each folded quesadilla 2–3 minutes per side over medium-low heat until the tortilla is golden and slightly crisp and the quesillo is fully melted inside. Lower heat if the tortilla browns too quickly before the cheese melts.

Finish and serve

Transfer cooked quesadillas to a cutting board. Slice each into 2–3 pieces. Spoon or brush a little chile morita salsa over each portion (about 1 tablespoon per quesadilla) or serve salsa on the side for dipping. Garnish with crumbled queso fresco (optional) and lime wedges. Serve immediately while cheese is hot and filling is slightly crunchy.