Mexican food is one of the most beloved cuisines in the world and for good reason. The wide variety of distinctive flavors used in Mexican cuisine create bold, flavorful dishes. This hybrid Mexican-Korean quesadilla is a tasty way to use some of your homemade kimchi. The fiery flavor of the kimchi combined with melted cheese in a warmed flour tortilla is delicious.
I try to keep a jar of homemade kimchi in the refrigerator at all times. There are so many dishes I love to use it in. Noodles, soup, kimchi & Spam fried rice make tasty meals.
Pan frying the kimchi in a dab of butter will help to decrease the liquid a bit.
Layer the ingredients then fold the tortilla over. It’s so easy to prepare and with minimal ingredients, this quesadilla is the perfect party appetizer. Prepare the quesadillas a few hours in advance and store in the refrigerator. Just before your guests arrive heat up your skillet and pan fry the quesadillas.
Allow some of the cheese to spill out into the pan. This creates the most delicious crispy-edged quesadilla.
Serve with crispy cabbage slaw or your favorite side dishes such as Mexican rice and refried beans. If you have leftovers, serve them for breakfast or brunch the following day along with fried or scrambled eggs.
Ingredients
4 medium flour tortillas (7-inch, I use cooked Tortilla Land flour tortillas)
1 cup kimchi, drained and coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or regular butter
4 ounces sharp cheddar, coarsely grated (about 1 1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons diced onion
1 medium avocado, sliced thinly into 16 pieces
2 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil
1/4 cup Green Valley lactose free sour cream or regular sour cream
2 teaspoons sriracha
1 teaspoon finely chopped cilantro
Directions
- Heat butter in a medium pan (large enough to accommodate two folded tortillas) over medium heat. Add chopped kimchi and sauté just until there is no kimchi liquid left, about 2 minutes. Transfer kimchi to a small plate. Wipe pan clean.
- Combine sour cream, sriracha and cilantro in a small bowl, set aside.
- Evenly divide cheese onto one side of each tortilla. Top with onions, kimchi, and avocado. Fold the tortilla over and press very gently.
- Heat a teaspoon of canola or vegetable oil in the pan over medium heat. Once hot, transfer two of the folded tortillas to the pan. Cook until nicely browned, allowing some of the cheese to spill out into the pan. You can also scatter a bit of cheese around the open edges of the tortillas to form a crispy edge. Flip and cook the other side. Transfer the tortillas to a plate and cover with foil while you cook the remaining two tortillas (heat another teaspoon of oil before adding tortillas to pan).
- Slice each tortilla into three pieces. Serve with a dollop of sour cream sriracha sauce on each slice.