Breakfast Quesadillas Recipe
Mar 08, 2023, Updated Jan 05, 2024
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Crispy and cheesy, these breakfast quesadillas with bacon, eggs, refried beans, and potatoes are high-protein, make-ahead-friendly, and easy to customize! Sliced and dipped into guacamole or salsa, they’re a favorite easy breakfast.
Who else loves breakfast with a Tex-Mex twist? Try these flavorful breakfast enchiladas, and my breakfast burrito recipe next!
Cheesy Breakfast Quesadillas
This breakfast quesadilla recipe is fresh, flavorful, and easy to make with breakfast favorites. I stuff a toasty tortilla full of fluffy eggs scrambled with bacon, onions, crispy potatoes, hearty beans, and melty cheese. These breakfast quesadillas are a delicious, protein-filled meal, ready in 30 minutes, and you can prep these ahead of time for quick reheating.
Don’t forget to try my steak quesadillas for dinner! For another fun breakfast idea, try my Western omelette or a breakfast pizza.
Why a Breakfast Quesadilla Is Always a Good Idea
- Crispy, cheesy. Pan-frying gets these quesadillas golden and crispy. I love the strings of melted cheese!
- Quick and convenient. Make these in 30 minutes or less. You can refrigerate or freeze them, too, making these breakfast quesadillas ideal for meal prep.
- Make it your own. Quesadillas are simple to customize with what you have on hand. I’ll often use this breakfast quesadilla recipe to use up leftover picadillo or taco meat.
Breakfast Quesadilla Recipe Ingredients
You’ll find the full ingredients list for this breakfast quesadilla in the recipe card, but let’s cover the key ones along with possible substitutions.
- Bacon – You can use regular bacon, turkey bacon, or pancetta.
- White Onion – Yellow onion or shallot also works.
- Potato – Russet potatoes are my favorite for this recipe, but feel free to use baby potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, or any you have on hand.
- Bell Pepper – Any color. For a spicy kick, substitute a portion of the peppers with seeded jalapeños.
- Vegetable Oil – You can also use corn or canola oil.
- Eggs – Lightly beaten so they’re ready to scramble.
- Flour Tortillas – Quesadillas are traditionally made with corn tortillas, but I’ve found flour tortillas work just as well here.
- Refried Beans – I used refried beans with chilorio, a type of deep-fried pork. You can substitute with black bean paste or regular refried beans.
- Mexican Cheese Blend – Manchego, Gouda, Oaxaca, Chihuahua, Muenster, and mozzarella are suitable substitutes.
Recipe Tips
- Make it vegan. For a vegan version, substitute the eggs with a tofu scramble, and use veggie bacon and vegan cheese.
- Coat the pan with cooking spray. Cooking spray helps to prevent sticking and achieve a crispy tortilla. A brush of oil or butter also works.
- Use up leftovers. These quesadillas are a great way to use up leftover air fryer bacon, sofritas, and migas. Anything goes!
What to Serve With a Breakfast Quesadilla
Serve these breakfast quesadillas with salsa, pico de gallo, sour cream, or zhoug sauce for dipping. They’re delicious for a quick breakfast or breakfast for dinner! Make them into a Tex-Mex feast with any of the following sides:
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Breakfast Quesadillas
Ingredients
- 4 strips bacon
- ½ small white onion, finely chopped
- 1 small russet potato, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
- ⅓ cup chopped red bell pepper, optional
- salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 to 4 eggs, whisked
- 4 large flour tortillas
- ⅓ cup refried beans with chilorio, or plain refried beans
- ½ cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Cook the bacon. Heat a cast-iron skillet or a frying pan over medium heat. Add the bacon to the pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and set it aside.
- Sauté. Add the diced onion to the pan and stir to combine with the bacon fat. Cook the onions for 4 to 5 minutes, occasionally stirring, until soft and translucent.
- Cook the veggies. Stir in the potatoes and peppers; season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the vegetable oil and cook for 7 to 10 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Scramble the eggs. Crumble the bacon and add it to the pan; stir well. Add the eggs and scramble all the ingredients. Let everything cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the eggs are cooked to your liking. Taste for salt and pepper, and adjust. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Assemble. Place the flour tortillas on a flat surface. Spread two tortillas with 3 to 4 tablespoons each of refried beans. Top the same two tortillas with 3 tablespoons each of cheese. Add the scrambled egg mixture to taste. Top each with an extra tablespoon or two of cheese. Place the remaining tortillas on top.
- Fry the quesadillas. Wipe the cast-iron skillet clean (or pan) and set it over medium heat. Spray it with a little cooking spray. Place one quesadilla in the pan. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the bottom is golden and crispy. Flip it over and cook it for 2 to 3 more minutes.
- Slice and serve. Remove the quesadilla from the heat. Transfer to a plate, slice each tortilla into 4 wedges, and serve with salsa and/or guacamole.
Equipment
Notes
- Corn Tortillas or Flour Tortillas: In Mexico, quesadillas are made with corn tortillas. However, here in the States, we most often use flour tortillas.
- Refried Beans with Chilorio are refried beans mixed with pork. If you can find them, great; if not, plain refried beans are okay.
- Adding leftover scrambled eggs, bacon, or crispy potatoes to these quesadillas is a great way to use up those scraps.
- Shredded Cheese: Mexican blend cheese and shredded Manchego cheese are great in quesadillas, but you can also use Gouda, Oaxaca, Chihuahua, Muenster, and mozzarella.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make These Breakfast Quesadillas
Here’s how to prepare these make-ahead breakfast quesadillas in 30 minutes or less.
- First, cook the bacon. Crisp up the bacon in a skillet, then drain it on paper towels.
- Sauté the veggies. Next, sauté the white onion in the leftover bacon fat. Add potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 7-10 minutes, until the veggies are tender.
- Scramble the eggs. Crumble the bacon back into the pan, and add the beaten eggs. Scramble everything together until cooked, about 3-5 minutes.
- Assemble the quesadillas. When you’re ready to assemble, spread refried beans over two tortillas, and sprinkle cheese on top. Add the scrambled egg mixture, more cheese, and cover with the remaining tortillas.
- Fry the quesadillas. Now, cook each quesadilla for 2-3 minutes per side in a lightly greased skillet, until golden and crispy. Afterward, slice the cooked breakfast quesadillas into quarters and serve!
How to Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Once fully cooled, refrigerate these easy breakfast quesadillas in an airtight container or airtight bags for up to 3 days.
- To reheat. Microwave them for up to a minute or until warm. You can also reheat the quesadillas in a pan over medium-low heat for a few minutes on each side.
- Freeze. Arrange the quesadillas on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer and flash-freeze for 2 hours. Then, move them into a freezer bag and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the quesadillas in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight, or you can reheat them from frozen.
Can this be air fried?
Hi!
Yes, you can. Preheat the air fryer to 350°F to 375°F. Fill and fold the tortilla, lightly spray both sides of it with oil, and secure with toothpicks. Air fry for 5 to 8 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crispy. Take it out, cut it in half, and serve.
These are perfect day starter!! A new favorite breakfast at my house!
I would like to wake up with these quesadillas! They look fabulous!
These were so tasty – totally full of flavor!
No doubt, this is really amazing! Definitely a must make!
I love everything that goes into this quesadilla. I cannot wait to try this!
These look absolutely delicious! I can’t think of a better way to start the morning!
Thank YOU! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂