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    Home » Recipes » Air Fryer Recipes

    Easy Air Fryer Quesadillas Recipe

    Published: Sep 30, 2022 by Sherri Hall · This post may contain affiliate links.

    This Air Fryer Quesadilla Recipe is a quick lunch or appetizer that the whole family will enjoy! It's made with simple ingredients and can be on the table in under 30 minutes!
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 20 minutes
    Total Time 25 minutes
    JUMP TO RECIPE

    I love finding new ways to prepare my favorite foods. I've made a lot of things in my air fryer, from pizza rolls and dumplings to hash browns, but it struck me just how easy it is to make air fryer quesadillas the first time I made this recipe.

    Think corn tortillas filled with refried beans, and melty cheese, and cooked until crispy perfection. You can switch it up every time, adding your favorite fillings and spices.

    This simple recipe is ready in just 15 minutes, so it's perfect for when you're busy and you don't have time to cook a whole meal. Serve with your favorite dips and enjoy!

    Air fryer quesadillas served on a plate layered with parchment paper, and topped with parsley. A small bowl filled with guacamole placed on the right side of the quesadillas, and a small bowl filled with salsa placed on the left side.
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients You'll Need
    • How to Make Air Fryer Quesadillas
    • Top Tips
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Serving
    • Storage
    • More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
    • Air Fryer Quesadillas

    Ingredients You'll Need

    Get all the details on these simple ingredients in the recipe card at the post's bottom.

    • Tortillas: I like to use corn tortillas, but flour tortillas or gluten-free tortillas will work as well.
    • Cheese: Make sure to use freshly-grated cheese for best results. Sometimes store-bought grated cheese has cellulose, which is added to prevent the shreds from clumping together. This prevents the cheese from melting properly and that's why I try to buy a block of cheese and grate it myself.
    • Refried beans: You can use store-bought refried beans, or make your own. For the homemade version, you'll need pinto beans (or black beans), onion, garlic, spices, and oil.
    • Olive oil: You'll need it for cooking the beans and brushing the quesadillas.
    Gathered ingredients for making our air fryer quesadillas recipe.

    How to Make Air Fryer Quesadillas

    1. Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil and let it heat until sizzling. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes. Then, add the garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika, and cook for 30 seconds.
    2. Add the pinto beans, alongside salt and black pepper, and stir. Cover with a lid and let it simmer for 10 minutes, occasionally stirring until the beans are soft.
    Frying onion and garlic with spices in a white Dutch oven.
    Cooking pinto beans with spices in a white Dutch oven.

    3. Blend the bean mixture using an immersion blender, and stir the lime juice.

    4. Place tortillas on a flat surface and spread a few tablespoons of the refried beans. Sprinkle half the tortilla with shredded cheese and fold the tortilla in half. Press with the palm of your hand to flatten.

    Refried beans in a white Dutch oven with a wooden spoon placed in it.
    A corn tortilla placed on a white plate. A hand spreading refried beans on the tortilla using a silver spoon.

    5. Pre-heat the air fryer to 350ºF (180ºC). Spray the basket with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Add the quesadillas and brush one side of the tortilla with olive oil.

    6. Cook for 3 minutes, then flip and cook for another 3 minutes, or until the tortilla is golden brown and the cheese melts. Serve the crispy tortillas right away!

    Two quesadillas in the air fryer basket. A hand brushing one of the quesadillas with oil using a pastry brush.
    Two quesadillas in the air fryer basket.

    Top Tips

    • Cook in a single layer. Make sure to not overcrowd the air fryer basket for best results.
    • Brush the quesadillas with oil. I've noticed that air fryer quesadillas can turn out dry without a brush of oil. This also helps them brown nicely.
    • Flip halfway through. This ensures that the quesadillas will crisp up on both sides.
    • Add your favorite fillings. The best part of this recipe is that it's super versatile. You can add anything you like to bump up the nutrition like chopped red bell peppers, crumbled tofu, etc. If you want to take this recipe to the next level, I suggest adding my tofu ground beef.
    • Serve when fresh. Most air fryer recipes, and this one included, are best served right away, while they're still warm and crispy. The quesadillas soften after they cool down.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How do you heat up a quesadilla in an air fryer?

    Leftover quesadillas can be reheated in the air fryer quickly. Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees f and add the quesadillas. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until warmed through.

    Can you cook frozen quesadillas in the air fryer?

    Yes! When cooking from frozen, the cooking time will increase, depending on how powerful your air fryer is. But I would say you'll need to cook them for 10-13 minutes.

    Can you freeze air fryer quesadillas?

    Yes, but make sure to freeze them before cooking for the best results. Transfer quesadillas to an airtight container, layering parchment paper between each layer of quesadillas to prevent them from sticking. Freeze for up to 3 months.

    What is the best cheese to use?

    I like to use cheddar cheese, but you can use any cheese that melts well such as a Mexican cheese blend, Cheddar Jack, or Monterey Jack cheese. Other types of cheese such as brie, Colby jack, and provolone can also be used in this recipe.

    Serving

    Serve air fryer quesadillas with your favorite toppings and dips like guacamole, salsa, or sour cream! Top tortilla with fresh cilantro or pickled jalapenos for more flavor.

    Storage

    Let cool to room temperature then transfer to an airtight container and save in the fridge for 3-4 days.

    Air fryer quesadillas cut into triangles, and served on a plate layered with parchment paper.

    More Easy Air Fryer Recipes

    Air Fryer Tater Tots

    Air Fryer Bagel Bites

    Air Fryer Frozen Egg Rolls

    Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets Recipe

    Air Fryer Frozen Mozzarella Sticks

    And for even more ideas, check out my 55 Best Vegan Air Fryer Recipes.

    Print Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    5 from 3 votes

    Air Fryer Quesadillas

    This Air Fryer Quesadilla Recipe is a quick lunch or appetizer that the whole family will enjoy! It's made with simple ingredients and can be on the table in under 30 minutes!
    Course Appetizer, Main Course
    Cuisine American, Mexican
    Keyword air fryer, refried beans, spring, summer, vegetarian quesadillas
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 20 minutes
    Total Time 25 minutes
    Servings 2
    Calories 310kcal
    Author Sherri Hall

    Ingredients

    Refried beans

    • 1 tablespoon oil, for cooking
    • ½ yellow onion, diced
    • 2 cloves of garlic
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
    • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
    • ¼ cup water or vegetable broth
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
    • 1 teaspoon lime juice

    Quesadillas

    • 4 corn tortillas
    • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or other type of cheese; use vegan cheese if needed)
    • ½ teaspoon olive oil, for brushing

    Instructions

    Refried beans

    • Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon oil and let it heat until sizzling. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes. Then, add the garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika, and cook for 30 seconds.
    • Add the pinto beans, alongside salt and black pepper, and stir. Cover with a lid and let it simmer for 10 minutes, occasionally stirring until the beans are soft. Blend the bean mixture using an immersion blender, and stir the lime juice.

    Quesadillas

    • Place tortillas on a flat surface and spread a few tablespoons of the refried beans on each one. Sprinkle half of the tortilla with shredded cheese and fold the tortilla in half. Press with the palm of your hand to flatten.
    • Pre-heat the air fryer to 350ºF (180ºC). Spray the basket with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Add the quesadillas and brush one side of the tortilla with olive oil.
    • Cook for 3 minutes, then flip and cook for another 3 minutes, or until the tortilla is golden brown and the cheese melts. Serve the crispy tortillas right away!

    (Please refer to the post above for instructional photographs and other helpful information for this recipe)

    Suggested Equipment/Tools

    Air Fryer

    Notes

    • Cook in a single layer. Make sure to not overcrowd the air fryer basket for best results.
    • Brush the quesadillas with oil. I've noticed that air fryer quesadillas can turn out dry without a brush of oil. This also helps them brown nicely.
    • Flip halfway through. This ensures that the quesadillas will crisp up on both sides.
    • Add your favorite fillings. The best part of this recipe is that it's super versatile. You can add anything you like to bump up the nutrition like chopped red bell peppers, crumbled tofu, etc. If you want to take this recipe to the next level, I suggest adding my tofu ground beef.
    • Serve when fresh. Most air fryer recipes, and this one included, are best served right away, while they're still warm and crispy. The quesadillas soften after they cool down.
     
     
    *Keep in mind that the recipe makes slightly more refried beans than you may use.
     
    The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. Accuracy is not guaranteed. Information shown should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 310kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Fiber: 5g

    Post photography by: Petranka Atanasova.

    ©Watch Learn Eat. All content and images are copyright protected. Recipes and photos are not to be used or republished without prior permission. If you adapt this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, and link back to this post for the original recipe.

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    Founder, Author, Recipe Developer, & Photographer

    With a lifelong passion for cooking, I specialize in creating easy meatless meals that are omnivore-approved!

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