How to Make Breakfast Quesadillas

Cooking the Bacon and Vegetables

Fry the bacon. For the quesadillas, you’ll need 1 pound (454 g) of thin bacon. Cook it over medium-high heat in a large skillet until the bacon is as crisp as you like. For a healthier breakfast, you can use turkey or veggie bacon in place of traditional pork bacon. You can also substitute another breakfast meat for the bacon, such as sausage or ham.

Drain the bacon and dispose of the grease from the pan. When the bacon is crisp, remove it from the skillet. Place it on a plate lined with paper towel to absorb the grease, and drain off the excess grease from the skillet. You don’t have to wipe the skillet completely clean of grease. Some bacon fat residue will help grease the pan and flavor the veggies.

Melt the butter in pan. After you’ve removed the bacon from the skillet, add 2 tablespoons (28 g) of butter to it. Heat it on high until the butter melts completely and the skillet is hot, which should take 3 to 5 minutes.

Saute the onion, pepper, and jalapeno until they're soft. Once the skillet is hot and greased, add a whole, diced onion, a whole, diced bell pepper, and 1 whole, seeded, diced jalapeno. Cook the mixture until the vegetables begin to soften and turn golden brown, which should take 2 to 3 minutes. Be sure to stir the vegetables as they sautee to ensure that they cook evenly.

Transfer the veggies to a plate. When the vegetables are finished cooking, use a slotted spoon to remove them from the skillet to a plate. Set them aside for the moment, and place the skillet back on the stove on medium-low heat. While the veggies will be reheated when you cook the fully assembled quesadillas, it’s a good idea to cover the plate with foil to keep them warm.

Scrambling the Eggs

Combine the eggs, half-and-half, and salt and pepper. To make the scrambled eggs, crack 8 whole eggs into a large bowl. Add ¼ cup (59 ml) of half-and-half and salt and pepper to taste, and stir well to thoroughly blend the mixture. You can use your favorite egg substitute to make the scrambled eggs if you prefer. If you want your breakfast quesadillas to have a stronger Mexican or Tex Mex flavor, you can also mix some taco seasoning or chili powder into the eggs. Fresh chives and/or cilantro can also be a tasty addition to the scrambled eggs.

Melt more butter in the pan and add the eggs. After you’ve finished blending the egg mixture, add another tablespoon of butter (14 g) to the skillet. Allow the butter to heat over medium-low for 1 to 2 minutes, or until it is mostly melted. Next, carefully pour the egg mixture into the pan with the butter. Make sure that the skillet isn’t too hot or the eggs may cook too quickly. Keep the pan on medium-low.

Stir the eggs around and cook them until they are done. Once the eggs are in the skillet, use a wooden spoon or spatula to drag the mixture around to form curds at it cooks. Allow the mixture to cook until it thickens and there is no visible liquid remaining. Remove the skillet from the heat, and set aside for the moment. If the eggs seem to be cooking too quickly, drop the heat down to low to keep them from burning.

Assembling the Quesadillas

Grease a skillet. To cook the assembled quesadillas, place another large skillet on the stove. Heat it over medium-low, and add a pat of butter to lightly grease the surface. You can cook the breakfast quesadillas on a griddle if you prefer.

Place a tortilla in the pan and layer the cheese, veggies, eggs, and another tortilla on it. You’ll need 8 tortillas to make 4 breakfast quesadillas. Place a tortilla in the heated, greased skillet, and sprinkle a layer of freshly grated cheddar and monterey jack cheese over it. Add a layer each of veggies, bacon, eggs, and another sprinkle of cheese before topping it with a second tortilla. You can use any type of tortilla that you like for the quesadillas, including flour, corn, or whole wheat. 1 ½ cups (150 g) of freshly grated cheddar and monterey jack cheese should be enough for all 4 quesadillas. If you like, you can add a layer of avocado slices to the quesadillas after the eggs.

Cook the quesadilla for several minutes on the first side. When the quesadilla is fully assembled, allow it to cook 30 seconds to a minute on the first side. Use a wide spatula to lift an edge and check to see if the tortilla is crisp and lightly browned to determine when it’s finished cooking.

Flip the quesadilla and cook until it’s golden brown on the second side. Once the first side of the quesadilla is finished cooking, use the wide spatula to carefully turn it over to the other side. Let it cook for another 30 to 45 seconds, or until it’s crisp and golden brown as well. If the quesadilla isn’t cooking very quickly, you can turn the heat up to medium. When the quesadilla is finished cooking, the cheese should be fully melted and the filling should be hot.

Repeat the process with the remaining tortillas. When the quesadilla is finished cooking, remove it from the skillet to a plate. Repeat the same assembling and cooking process with the remaining tortillas and fillings until you’ve made four quesadillas.

Top the quesadillas with sour cream and pico de gallo and serve. Once all of the quesadillas are finished cooking, add a dollop of sour cream and pico de gallo to the top of each. Serve them on their own or with a side of breakfast potatoes. You can also use salsa or guacamole to top the quesadillas. You can freeze the quesadillas if you like. Assemble and cook them as you normally would, but allow them to cool completely before transferring them to plastic freezer bags. Freeze for up to a month, reheating them in the microwave or a skillet when you plan to eat them.