TikTok Folded Quesadillas

Have you heard? About the TikTok folded quesadilla sensation?! Buckle up, baby! 

I’m always a bit late to the game, but it all started on TikTok (admission, I don’t use it) when, on December 29th, 2020, user “crystalscookingfun” took a flour tortilla, cut a slit along center to edge, placed a single ingredient into each of the circle's quadrants, folded accordingly, and cooked the darling to crisp perfection in a panini press. Her folded wrap included a sliced chicken cutlet, spring mix, tomatoes, and grated cheese. 

 

It wasn’t until the next day, however, when user “ellcarter1” put her spin on it with breakfast foods (bacon, scrambled eggs and cheese) that the technique took off. Millions of views, people!

 

Think about it, this hits all of my marks, the points that get me most pumped about cooking. It’s not complicated, it has five ingredients, the combinations are endless, you can use up random ingredients in the fridge, it can be sweet OR savory, and you can hold it in your hand. Get OUT.

 

To me the key is the start and the finish. You must have a fresh tortilla, the bigger the better to fit the four ingredients. Let it come to room temp or microwave for a few seconds so it doesn’t tear when you fold it. Use a good olive oil for savory and a pat of butter for sweet. If you do use cheese, make sure you leave it in the pan long enough for it to melt. So set the temp to medium or medium high at most. While it’s still hot, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon or parmesan. Voila! 

 

Folded Quesadilla combinations to try:

 

SAVORY

Roasted turkey, hummus, cucumbers, grated gouda

Roast beef, sliced cheddar, romaine lettuce, horseradish sauce

Honey ham, sliced swiss, pickles, Dijon mustard

Shrimp, black beans, pepper jack cheese, salsa

Rotisserie chicken, buffalo sauce, blue cheese, and iceberg lettuce

Scrambled eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, ketchup

 

SWEET

Sliced strawberries, bananas, Nutella, cream cheese

Apple, cheddar, almond butter, honey

Mascerated berries, cream cheese, mascarpone, cocoa powder

Apples, pecans, maple syrup, cinnamon cream cheese

 

I would like to dedicate this column to Jo Mueller, who passed last weekend after a long battle with cancer. Jo saved the hard copies of the Lifestyles section for me every week. She was my mentor, my friend, my predecessor, and a much better maker than me. Jo made the world a better place, and we are less without her.