This tasted like… Italian heaven. I can’t explain it to you, but it tasted like it was garnished with a very elegant …almost pizza sauce, just because of the garlic and tomato.
Up your quesadilla game!!
The Story
Okay, this recipe has become my favorite and I think you’re going to be surprised with this pairing.
For me, I like to eat something with a little bit of water and *fresh* acids (like fresh Roma tomatoes or apples… or Bell peppers like in a fajita) to help break down and wash proteins, oils, and carbs through my stomach. It just helps my stomach to actually process whatever it is in cheese that makes it sit heavy with me. (Tomato sauce does not do this.)
SO, tomatoes in my quesadillas was a game changer for me. I’ve even tried apples in quesadillas, but it wasn’t something I really loved. So, leaning more savory, I tried tomatoes one day, and… idk, it’s the only way I like to eat quesadillas now. And I can actually stomach one now, too.
It’s so delicious, I have to simply stop myself from eating too fast. That’s my new issue. 😂
To add some *jazziness* I eventually added garlic powder to the recipe. This was partially for immunity and health, as garlic is a great anti-viral food and has many health benefits. (…I know garlic powder is not the same as fresh garlic, but I didn’t have any, so don’t be mad at me.)
The Spread
On today’s menu, we have a dinner and dessert pairing that is just… *Chef’s kiss*
For dinner:
Garlic Romadillas…………………………………………………………………….. ~82¢-$1.60 ea.
For dessert:
Raspberries…………………………………………………………………..~$1.60/big handful (~20-25 berries)
Raspberries and garlic simply taste fantastic after each other. And that’s personal experience. Eating a garlic Romadilla and then eating raspberries makes them 5x sweeter. Even if you can’t get a perfect berry, the garlic will make it taste perfect. Trust me, it’s like dessert. And then, heck, repeat! Or eat them beside each other!
But if you like ending on a sweet note, save the berries for last.
Full price: $2.42-$3.20/spread
*The prices above, accessed on January 6th, 2024, are based on Walmart.com, SW NC USA area, and are averaged between least expensive options and most expensive options (e.g. regular to organic).
Full price breakdown is available at the end of this recipe.
**Dinner price is calculated based on if you have literally zero of the ingredients, but it is not the shopping list price, it is split into per-meal cost
The Ingredients
For one serving/1 person:
half quesadilla – 1 Roma tomato, 1 tortilla, just over a quarter cup of cheese (or to your liking, I honestly never measure, nor do I use cheese fast enough to know how many quesadillas a bag makes, so this is a guess. I also add more cheese than the average joe), and a dusting of garlic powder.
Full quesadilla – 2 Roma tomatoes, 2 tortillas, about a half cup of cheese (or to your liking), a dusting of garlic powder.
For two servings/2 people:
(for half quesadillas use same amounts as single-serve full quesadillas)
full quesadillas – 4 Roma tomatoes, 4 tortillas, about a cup and a half of cheese (or to your liking), a dusting of garlic powder.
The Recipe
Rating: 5 out of 5.
I usually pull out my cast iron and coat it with some coconut oil to help prevent middle-burn of the quesadilla, and to help it evenly cook and either stay soft, or so I can cook it a little longer to gently crisp.
Take out your tortillas and warm them on the pan while it preheats. I usually turn the stove up to high (about a level 6 heat) for just a few seconds and then turn it down to maybe a two or three heat level.
Flip your tortillas over. If you feel the pan is warming too quickly at this point, turn the heat down to low (like a 1) while you cut your tomatoes.
Cut your Roma tomatoes into slices. They can be circles or quarters, whatever you want. I like to have them distributed all over the quesadilla, so I get a tomato in every bite. If you don’t like as much tomato as I do, cut your tomato usage in half.
Flip your tortillas over again.
Before you add your first layer of cheese, keep in mind that you are going to want to add a light dusting of cheese over your tomatoes to help them stick. …Trust me, it works. It just connects to the cheese grid and glues the tortillas together.
Add just about as much cheese as you like in your quesadillas. (For a half quesadilla remember to add cheese to only half of the tortilla, so you can fold it over later.)
For best quesadilla results, make sure to get your cheese all the way to the edge of your tortilla, even if there’s little crispy cheeses sticking out. (These are actually delicious. And there is a full recipe if you just want the crispy cheeses, or to add them as a side-dish or appetizer, or save as a snack for later)
Distribute your tomatoes onto each cheesed tortilla.
Dust your tomatoes with cheese.
Add a dusting of garlic.
Close your quesadilla and let it cook until the cheese is just soft enough to hold together, but not fully melty, then carefully flip it. Prepare plates or tin foil lined with paper towel, to be ready to transfer your quesadillas as they are done.
Continue to check on your quesadillas and flip as needed until each is as cooked as you want it. I like mine golden-brown on each side.
Transfer to your finished quesadillas to your eating apparatus and, if desired, sprinkle more garlic powder on top.
While your dinner is cooling, wash some Raspberries for after the meal, and enjoy.
If you want to try something new…
…dip your quesadilla in olive oil (it’s good for your heart). I haven’t tried this yet, because I always finish mine before I think of it. But I want to try it. So let me know how it is, if you do! I think it will pair great with the garlic aspect, but Idk about the cheese aspect.
I also honestly think salting the tomatoes a little would add some extra flair and flavor.
So adventure as you may!
Pricing Chart & Shopping List
I do most of my shopping at Walmart, so that is where I’ve based my prices on. Referenced online and based off of south-western North Carolina region.
Tortillas: (All of these tortilla options are based on the Great Value brand prices, because they have the best ingredients among other brands and are also the cheapest. The only thing better is organic ones!)
Reg. 8ct. (large) = $1.98 = 25¢ ea.
Reg. 10 ct. (medium) = $1.98 = 20¢ ea.
Whole Wheat 10ct. = $2.67 = 27¢ ea. (or on sale at $1.98)
Roma Tomatoes:
2x at about 27¢ ea. (Final price is based on weight. This is an average guestimate)
= 54¢
Cheese: (Great Value brand)
8oz./2 cups = ~4 servings = $2.22 = ~56¢/full quesadilla (Kraft is $2.67/98)
1lb/4 cups = ~8 servings = $3.98 = ~50¢/full quesadilla (Kraft is $5.64)
2lb/8 cups = ~16 servings = $7.48 = ~47¢/full quesadilla
I feel like I could make ~4 full quesadillas with this 8oz bag of fiesta blend cheese for $2.22.
Garlic:
A jar of garlic powder, if you don’t have any in your kitchen, ranges from $1.12-$7.20 based on size and what you value. My favorite one is $4.36 for 2.5oz. It’s Organic. I also bought it two years ago when it wasn’t $4 yet, soooo
If you want to use fresh-pressed Garlic….
If so, I would probably use only one to two cloves for this recipe, but use however much you prefer!
1 reg bulb = 70¢ (single, whole) = ~12¢ ea. clove
Organic bulbs (3-pack only) = $2.64 = ~15¢ ea. clove
reg bulbs (3-pack only) = $1.72 = ~10¢ ea. clove
Dinner Total:
50¢ + 54¢ + 56¢= $1.60/ full Romadilla (excluding garlic options. But it’s about $1.39/dinner to add a clove or two of fresh garlic)
25¢ + 27¢ + 30¢= 82¢ ea. half Romadilla (excluding garlic options. But it’s ~96¢/dinner to add a clove of fresh garlic.)
Raspberries:
Reg 12oz = $6.74 = ~4-6 servings = $1.13-$1.70/serving
~$1.35/serving
Reg 6oz = $3.47 = 2-3 servings = $1.16-$1.74/serving
~$1.40/serving
Organic 6oz = $4.86 = 2-3 servings = $1.62-$2.43/serving
~$2.00/serving
Dessert Total:
~$1.60/serving
This recipe is courtesy of PoppinTalk.com
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