Breakfast Quesadilla
Make an easy breakfast quesadilla filled with eggs and cheese in under 10 minutes on a busy school morning. This protein-filled breakfast recipe is perfect for the days the kids have tests!
We've all been there . . . the fridge is running low and we're feeling uninspired.
Before I did a major grocery stock-up, I needed a quick breakfast so I didn't shop hungry.
I folded a scrambled egg into the last tortilla in the fridge and even ended up using a random slice of cheese vs. the normal shredded cheddar I turn to when making quesadillas.
The resulting breakfast was so surprisingly delicious and easy, I've made it exactly this way several times since even when my fridge had other options available!
As we head into test-taking season for the kiddos, this would be a perfect easy before school breakfast loaded with protein to help them do well on their exams.
BONUS: They can even eat it in the car or on the bus on the way to school!
Why This is the Best Recipe
When you need a quick and easy breakfast that is filled with protein, this is the best breakfast quesadilla recipe because:
- Just 4 Ingredients: You can whip this together even when your fridge is running on bare fumes.
- Easy to Mix & Match: Lucky enough to have some random leftovers like cooked chicken, sausage, or roasted vegetables? You could add them to the quesadilla filling to bulk it up.
- Easy to Eat on the Go: You could eat this in the car on the way to school or work.
Ingredients
My simple breakfast quesadilla only needs a handful of ingredients:
- Fresh Eggs
- Flour Tortillas: I used the medium-sized tortillas.
- Cheese: You could use shredded cheese if you want to, but I used sliced provolone because it is all I had in the fridge at the time and it worked out so well it's what we always use now!
- Butter
- Cooking Spray
- Salsa: For serving, optional
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Best Spices for Scrambled Eggs
The easiest way to add lots of flavor to this simple recipe is to use a variety of spices.
This is just an optional step and is not required, but I've tried it a few different ways and here are my favorite spices for scrambled eggs:
- Vulcan's Fire Salt: This hot and spicy salt blend adds just enough heat to the eggs to punch up the flavor. Start with a dash or load it up if you love it nice and spicy.
- Cacio e Pepe: This cheese and pepper spice blend is sooooo delicious with scrambled eggs whether you plan to put them in a quesadilla or not.
- Five Chile Fever: More mild than crushed red pepper flakes, I love the warmth this pepper blend gives to breakfast.
- Devilish Dill: If you prefer a more herby egg breakfast, this dill and mustard based blend is amazing on eggs of all kinds.
- Mediterranean Herb Blend: This is one of my favorite all-purpose herb blends for the kitchen. I use it on roasted vegetables, chicken, and it is amazing in scrambled eggs.
If you don't want to use a pre-mixed blend, check your pantry for cayenne pepper for a little kick or dill, dried basil, dried thyme, or dried oregano for a more herby flavor. Add a little sprinkle.
Scramble the Eggs
Crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk them together with a fork.
I seasoned mine with about 1 teaspoon of the cacio e pepe blend I just mentioned and a sprinkle of the Five chile fever. Add whatever spices you want (even if it is just a pinch of salt and pepper) and whisk them again.
Meanwhile, heat the butter in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat until it has melted and starts to foam.
Pour the seasoned egg into the skillet and stir slowly with a wooden spoon until the egg scrambles.
Normally, I like big fluffy scrambled eggs but for this quesadilla, it actually improves the texture if you break up the scrambled egg pieces into much smaller bites than you normally would like the photo above.
Assemble the Quesadilla
Set the skillet with the egg aside (or transfer the egg to a plate if you just want to use one skillet.)
Spray a medium-sized non-stick skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat.
Add the tortilla flat on the pan.
Then rip up the cheese and scatter it evenly over the tortilla like Step 1 in the photo below.
Once the cheese starts to soften, scatter the scrambled egg evenly over the top:
Use a spatula to lift one side of the tortilla and fold it over the fillings forming a half moon shape.
Continue to cook the quesadilla until golden brown, flipping it over as needed so both sides get crispy.
Transfer to a plate and slice into 3 triangles with a pizza cuter or knife.
Make Ahead Tips
This easy egg breakfast idea takes less than 10 minutes to make fresh and tastes best fresh from the skillet.
However, I've had excellent luck freezing egg dishes like my make ahead breakfast burritos and frozen breakfast sandwiches.
I think you could easily make a batch of breakfast quesadillas in advance and freeze them.
Simply allow them to cool completely and then wrap in aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 6 months.
The best way to reheat them would be in an air fryer or oven so you can restore the crispy texture, but you could heat them in a microwave to warm them through, too.
Variations
I developed this recipe to make best use of a very small amount of ingredients in the fridge, but if you have some leftovers hanging around, you could absolutely consider chopping up and adding these to the filling:
- Roasted Onions and Peppers
- Roasted Potatoes
- Chopped Cherry Tomatoes
- Fresh Cilantro
- Hashbrowns
- Tater Tots
Serving Suggestions
You can serve these eggy quesadillas alongside your favorite toppings. I love fresh tomato salsa for dunking but taco sauce, sour cream, chopped green onions, or fresh pico de gallo would all be delicious, too.
I think this would be an excellent recipe to teach your kid to make so they can use it for a Yo-Yo Night dinner, protein-filled snack, or easy breakfast before school.
More Easy Breakfast Recipes
Looking for more protein-heavy breakfast ideas? Don't miss these delicious recipes:
📖 Recipe
Breakfast Quesadilla
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- Pinch of salt and black pepper
- Dash of cayenne pepper optional
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 tortilla
- 1 slice provolone cheese
- Sour cream, salsa, hot sauce for serving optional
- Cooking spray
Instructions
Scramble the Egg
- Crack the egg into a small bowl and whisk it with a fork. Add the salt, pepper, and cayenne and whisk again.
- In a small non-stick pan, heat the butter over medium high heat until it has melted and is bubbling.
- Add the egg to the pan and stir it gently with a wooden spoon until it has scrambled and cooked through. It helps the texture of the quesadilla to scramble it in small pieces rather than large fluffy ones. Remove the pan from the heat.
Assemble the Quesadilla
- Place a medium sized non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray the pan with cooking spray.
- Place the tortilla flat on the bottom of the pan. Tear the provolone cheese into small pieces and scatter them evenly over the tortilla.
- Once the cheese has softened and begun to melt, add the reserved scrambled egg and spread it evenly over the tortilla.
- Fold the tortilla in half to form the quesadilla by lifting on edge with a spatula and lifting it over itself to tuck the eggs inside. Press the half-moon down in place with the back of the spatula to help the melted cheese "glue" everything together.
- Flip the quesadilla over to brown both sides evenly. Transfer to a plate and slice it into 3 triangles with a pizza wheel.
- Serve the breakfast quesadilla immediately with your desired toppings.
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