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This air fryer quesadilla is a quick meal in just 10 minutes! With just 3 ingredients, this cheese quesadilla will be a go-to recipe that you can customize with extra vegetables.
With just a few ingredients – refried beans, shredded cheese, and tortillas – you’ve got a warm, melty, crispy quesadilla in minutes. Using an air fryer creates a perfectly golden, crispy tortilla with a cheesy center, all with very minimal clean up. It is the ultimate quick comfort food!
These air fryer quesadillas are perfectly paired with mozzarella queso, Spanish brown rice, or chicken fajita bowls. And don’t miss these other air fryer recipes!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This air fryer quesadilla was actually my go to for days I don’t feel well. It got me through 2 pregnancies, and now I make it for my kids who love them.
Why the air fryer instead of a pan? I find it much easier to clean and it is always perfectly crispy every time. This is one of those meals I don’t have to watch very carefully. You’ll come back to this recipe because it’s:
- Customizable – Leave this as simple cheese quesadillas with beans, or add vegetables if you want to sneak in some extra flavor. I give you a few variations below!
- Quick – Ready in just 10 minutes!
- Simple – Anyone can cook this recipe. It’s hard to mess up!
- Delicious – The refried beans make this quesadilla extra soft and flavorful inside with a crispy outer tortilla!
Ingredients
Below are detailed notes on ingredients. Please reference the recipe card below for the amounts.
- Tortillas – Flour or corn tortillas are best. I personally get mine freshly made at HEB because they are amazing, but TortillaLand and Margaritas are also good brands. Look in the refrigerated section for ones with fewer preservatives.
- Refried beans – Trader Joe’s and Thrive Market great, plain refried beans. Good and Gather at Target has refried black beans. For ones with spices, try Siete (contains onion powder).
- Cheese – Mozzarella, oaxaca, and even good quality American cheese is great for melting. Monterey jack will also work. I use whatever I have on hand.
Variations & Substitions
- Optional additions include – Roasted vegetables, shallot, green onion, corn, peppers, chopped spinach or kale, and jalapeños. You’ll need roughly 1/3-1/2 cup of chopped vegetables. Great toppings are salsa, sour cream.
- Heal Your Headache Diet– Use compliant tortillas like TortillaLand (minimal ingredients) and refried beans without onion seasoning (Trader Joe’s). Black beans and pinto beans, which are the most common types of refried beans, are allowed on the diet. My favorite sour cream substitute is blended cottage cheese.
- Gluten free – Corn tortillas are naturally gluten free, but Siete will also work here.
- Dairy free – If I ever want to make this without cheese, I just use the refried beans and it’s great.
How to Make a Cheese Quesadilla in the Air Fryer
Step 1: Preheat air fryer to 360F. Spread about 2 tablespoons of refried beans on one side of a tortilla.
Step 2: Top with about 1/2 cup of cheese. Place another tortilla on top.
Step 3: Lightly brush both sides with oil or spray. Air fry at 360F for about 4 min on the first side – place the tortilla in the air fryer with the bean side on top otherwise the top tortilla may blow off (this helps it weigh down)!
Step 4: Flip and air fry another 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy. Remove the quesadilla and allow it to cool for about 5 minutes. Cut into triangles and serve with optional toppings.
Recipe Tip
If adding vegetables – add about 1/3 cup of mixed vegetables between the beans and cheese. This is great with a mix of finely chopped bell pepper, green onion, and chopped spinach.
Equipment
- Cosori Air Fryer (20% off with THEDIZZYCOOK20) – I like the Dual Blaze model to get it extra crispy on both sides, but any air fryer will work. This also works great for seared items like air fryer flank steak or air fryer filet.
- Non-toxic air fryer – An option for those who would prefer a glass container to non-stick.
Storage & Reheating
Air fryer quesadillas are best when fresh, but if you’d like to prep these ahead they will store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, pop them back in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes till they’re warmed through and crispy!
Serving Suggestions
For dipping, I would recommend sour cream or my sour cream alternative (for HYH), salsa verde or regular salsa, or even the cilantro dipping sauce from these chicken zucchini poppers.
For a vegetable, try a simple apple coleslaw or salad with homemade ranch dressing. And don’t miss these air fryer taquitos!
Recipe FAQ
Yes! Quesadillas are easy to pan-fry. Just place in an oiled pan over medium heat and cook about 3-4 minutes per side or till golden brown. Or you can try my oven baked sheet pan quesadillas for a larger batch!
Quick Meals
Pasta
Quick Creamy Broccoli Pasta
Vegetarian
Goat Cheese Sandwich with Veggies
Chicken
Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos
Beef
Baked Sheet Pan Beef Quesadillas
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 review in the recipe card! Don’t forget to tag me @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram, and follow along on Pinterest for more great recipes!
Easy Air Fryer Quesadilla
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 8 8-inch tortillas (or smaller depending on the size of your air fryer)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella, oaxaca, or monterey jack cheese
- 1/2 cup refried beans
- Olive oil or oil spray
Optional additions & Toppings
- Add ins – Chopped cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, chopped spinach, green onions
- Toppings – green onions, radish, jalapenos, cilantro, salsa, sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread about 2 tablespoons of refried beans on one side of a tortilla. Top with about 1/2 cup of cheese. Place another tortilla on top. Lightly brush both sides with oil or spray.
- Air fry at 360F for about 4 min on the first side – place the tortilla in the air fryer with the bean side on top otherwise the top tortilla may blow off (this helps it weigh down)! Flip and air fry another 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy.
- Remove the quesadilla and allow it to cool for about 5 minutes. Cut into triangles and serve with salsa and sour cream.
- If adding vegetables – add about 1/3 cup of mixed vegetables between the beans and cheese. This is great with a mix of finely chopped bell pepper, green onion, and chopped spinach.
Notes
- I used Siete refried beans which have added spices, but Trader Joe’s sells them completely plain with no spices.
- Added vegetables don’t need to be cooked ahead if chopped very small. Then can be pan-cooked for 2-3 minutes if you want them softened a bit.
- HYH – Please see the post for details and my “sour cream” recipe. Use mozzarella and TortillaLand or other fresh tortillas.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So delicious and easy! Added peppers and spinach
Almost every ingredient in this recipe contains Tyramine, in fact a lot of your HD recipes do. You’re not helping anyone.
Where exactly are you getting this info from? Because all my HYH recipes follow the Heal Your Headache diet, which is the most widely recommended by physicians. Fresh mozzarella and all the ingredients here are considered low tyramine, so I’m not sure what you’re talking about. I guess you just came here to be rude to me because I am, in fact, helping many people.
Very easy! Just made it plain with beans and cheese and everyone loved it