Mushroom Quesadilla

Crispy tortillas and gooey cheese are paired with rich, savory mushrooms in this simple Mushroom Quesadilla. Add some spicy garlic and fresh parsley, and this is on its way to becoming a favorite quick lunch for me.

One of the things I love the most about quesadillas (and you know I LOVE quesadillas), is that they let even beginners transform simple ingredients into an absolutely mouth-watering snack or meal. After making Hungarian mushroom soup, I’d been looking for new ways to use up some of the leftover mushrooms. So, this mushroom quesadilla recipe was a no-brainer. A seriously delicious no-brainer.

My kids aren’t always fans of mushrooms, but every once in a while I find a recipe that leaves everyone coming back for seconds. And, these mushroom quesadillas do exactly that.

From start to finish, I can whip up a batch of them for my family in 20 minutes or so. Sometimes, one of the boys will help prep ingredients and it goes even faster. But, pretty much any dinner that I can have on the table in that amount of time (especially one that only dirties a single pan!) is a win in my book.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Mushrooms – I use fresh button or cremini mushrooms, because I like their flavor and it’s a breeze to slice them up and cook them.

Tortillas – I prefer flour tortillas for flavor and texture. You can use corn tortillas if you prefer.

Cheese – Monterey jack cheese is my go-to for quesadillas with more savory, complex flavors.

Butter – I prefer salted butter in all of my cooking unless specifically noted otherwise.

Garlic – I will always prefer fresh garlic. However, frozen garlic is often in my kitchen and it is my second choice here.

Parsley – Parsley provides a bright freshness that counters that earthiness of the mushrooms.

Salt & Pepper – I use kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper in almost all of my recipes.

Notes on Equipment

Chef’s knife. Food prep is so much easier when you have a quality knife, and this recipe is mostly prep. It was over 10 years ago when I first tried Victorinox knives, while visiting a professional test kitchen. You could say it was love at first slice. These are stellar knives, and the price point simply can’t be beat for quality. The 8″ has been in my kitchen ever since.
Cutting board
Measuring spoons
Spatula
Large nonstick skillet. I have been through about a million skillets over the years. Well, maybe not quite that many. But, I’ve tried pretty much everything, including some crazy expensive trendy brand names. And, for the past several years this All-Clad 12″ has been my everyday champ. It is also the pan I want for this one, since the tortilla has to release cleanly when it is time to flip.

How to Make a Mushroom Quesadilla

Cooking the Mushrooms

Prepping the Ingredients: I start by cleaning the mushrooms and then slicing them and chopping the parsley. You’ll also mince the garlic at this point.

Warming the Skillet: You’ll need to set a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat on the stove for 2-3 minutes to heat it up fully.

Cooking the Mushrooms: Add the oil to the pan and then add the mushrooms. Toss to coat them in oil and then spread them out in an even layer. You’ll want to let them cook for about 3 minutes per side, flipping and stirring the mushrooms with a spatula. They should release and reabsorb their liquid, and develop a lovely brown crust.

Adding Butter and Garlic: Add 2 teaspoons of butter and the minced garlic to the pan and cook for another minute or so with the mushrooms, until fragrant.

Seasoning: I remove the pan from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the finished mushrooms to a plate.

Making the Quesadilla

Cleaning the Skillet: I use a paper towel or cloth to wipe out the skillet before returning it to the pan at medium heat.

Buttering the Tortilla: I lightly butter one side of the tortilla. Then, I place it in the hot pan, butter-side down.

cheese and mushrooms on one side of tortilla in skillet

Filling the Quesadilla: You’ll want to sprinkle half of the cheese on one side of the tortilla. Then spread mushrooms out over the cheese and sprinkle with parsley. Top with the remaining cheese.

Folding the Tortilla: Once all the filling ingredients have been added to the quesadilla, you’ll want to fold the tortilla over on itself and let cook for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese has begun to melt and the bottom tortilla is golden brown.

folded quesadilla with melting cheese in skillet

Flipping the Quesadilla: Flip the folded quesadilla over to cook the other side for another 2-3 minutes.

Serving: Once the quesadilla has browned on both sides, you can use a spatula to transfer the quesadilla to a cutting board. Slice into wedges and serve warm.

Expert Tip

If the tortilla is beginning to char before the cheese has fully melted, that’s a job for one of my favorite superheroes: Heat Management! Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the skillet with a lid for about a minute. That will trap heat above the quesadilla to help melt the cheese while preventing it from burning.

Buttering the Tortilla – Taking a moment to spread butter directly on the tortilla gives you much more even browning than greasing the skillet, guaranteeing that perfect golden crispy texture all the way around. (Thanks to my sister Jenny for teaching me this trick!)

Slicing the Mushrooms – Make sure to take the time to finely slice the mushrooms when preparing the ingredients. I typically halve the mushrooms, then slice any large sections left over into uniform, quarter-inch pieces. This helps the mushrooms cook quickly and evenly in the skillet.

Fully Cooking Mushrooms – When you’re cooking the mushrooms by themselves, they will first release liquid into the pan, and then reabsorb it. You want to leave them on one side until they brown, then stir and let them brown again. You shouldn’t have to tend them more than a time or two. Once they have absorbed the liquid, you’ll be ready to add the butter and garlic.

Serving Suggestions

When I’m feeding more than one person, I like to turn these mushroom quesadillas into a whole spread. That means adding some protein options, like a fajita quesadilla and a steak quesadilla. The same pan can do it all.

And, you KNOW that if it’s my house, I’m going to be serving these with a mountain of tortilla chips. So, definitely going to include a bowl of queso fundido and pico de gallo for dipping.

sliced and stacked quesadillas on cutting board

Storage & Reheating

How to Store: Leftover quesadilla wedges can be stored in an airtight container or Ziploc in the refrigerator for 1-3 days.

How to Reheat: I typically reheat quesadillas in a skillet over medium heat, to restore any lost crispiness. You can also use the air fryer to rapidly bring them back up to temperature and help crisp them back up.

More Recipes for Mushroom Lovers

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I flip the quesadilla without spilling?

Getting better at temperature control and not overstuffing the tortilla made this less of an issue for me. If the cheese has melted, it’ll bind the mushrooms in place. It also helps to avoid over-stuffing the quesadilla. While I am a firm believer that you can never have too many mushrooms, I do have to admit that you CAN have too many in a single quesadilla. Don’t overload it and you’ll be fine.

How do I make sure the tortilla browns evenly?

Spreading butter directly on the tortilla gives you way better browning than greasing the skillet. It guarantees that perfect golden crispy texture all the way around.

What should I look for when choosing mushrooms?

When I’m shopping, I look for firm, unblemished mushrooms. They should never be shriveled, or discolored. Fresh mushrooms should be dry to the touch, with no soft or slimy spots, and smell earthy, never sour or musty.

Warm a large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the olive oil to the pan and then add the mushrooms to the pan. Toss to coat the mushrooms in the oil and then spread them across the pan in a layer. Cook for about 3 minutes on one side. Stir and continue cooking while stirring occasionally for an additional 3-4 more minutes.
Cook until all liquid has been absorbed and the mushroom edges have browned. Add about 2 teaspoons of butter to the pan along with the garlic. Toss the mushrooms in the butter and garlic and continue cooking for an additional minute, until the butter and garlic have been absorbed and the pan is fragrant. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate.
Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel or cloth and return to the stove over medium heat. Lightly butter one side of the tortilla with the remaining teaspoon of butter and place it in the hot pan. Top half of the tortilla with about half of the cheese. Spread the mushrooms across the cheese. Sprinkle with parsley.
Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the mushrooms, and fold the tortilla over on itself. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes. When the cheese has begun to melt and the bottom tortilla is browning slightly, flip the folded quesadilla over to cook the other side.
Continue to cook until all the cheese is melted and the tortilla is crisp around the edges. Using a spatula, transfer the quesadilla back to a cutting board and cut into wedges while it is hot, and serve warm. Repeat as desired.