The photo shows crispy, golden-brown flour tortillas filled with sautéed mushrooms, wilted spinach, and stretchy melted cheese. This version is designed to reproduce that look and texture, but uses the oven for a more hands-off method. Similar spinach-mushroom quesadillas commonly use mozzarella/Monterey Jack-style melting cheeses and cook the vegetables until their excess moisture is gone, which is important for keeping the tortillas crisp.
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Food Network
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Yield: 4 large quesadillas (8 halves)
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20–25 minutes
Total: ~40 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Cuisine: Mexican-inspired vegetarian
Ingredients
For the mushroom-spinach filling
2 cups (about 200 g) mushrooms, thinly sliced — cremini/baby bella, button, or a mixture
4 cups (about 120 g) fresh baby spinach
1 small onion or 2 shallots, finely sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1½ tbsp olive oil
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp chili flakes, optional
½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp soy sauce, optional, for deeper mushroom flavor
For the quesadillas
4 large 10-inch flour tortillas
2 cups (200–225 g) shredded Monterey Jack, mozzarella, Oaxaca, or a Mexican cheese blend
½ cup (50–60 g) shredded cheddar, optional
1–2 tbsp melted butter or olive oil, for brushing
Optional toppings
Sour cream or Greek yogurt
Salsa
Guacamole
Fresh cilantro
Sliced jalapeño
Green onions
Lime wedges
Detailed Method
1. Prepare the mushrooms
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the olive oil and mushrooms. Spread them out rather than piling them up.
Cook for 6–9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they release their water and become deeply browned.
This step matters: watery mushrooms will make the quesadillas soggy. Recipes from Food Network and the American Diabetes Association likewise cook the mushrooms until their excess moisture has cooked off before assembling the quesadillas.
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Food Network
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Add the onion and cook another 2–3 minutes.
2. Add the flavor
Add:
garlic
smoked paprika
cumin
chili flakes
black pepper
soy sauce, if using
Cook for 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant.
3. Wilt the spinach
Add the spinach in handfuls.
Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until completely wilted.
Continue cooking briefly if there is liquid in the pan. The finished mixture should be fairly dry, not wet.
Turn off the heat and stir in the lime juice.
Taste and adjust the salt.
Tip: For especially crisp quesadillas, transfer the filling to a bowl and let it cool for 5–10 minutes before assembling.
4. Assemble
Heat your oven to 425°F / 220°C.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place one tortilla on the sheet.
Spread approximately:
½ cup cheese
¼ of the mushroom-spinach mixture
a little more cheese
over one half of the tortilla.
Fold the empty half over the filling.
Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Don’t overstuff them—the filling can escape and prevent the tortilla from becoming crisp.
5. Bake
Lightly brush the tops of the folded tortillas with melted butter or olive oil.
Bake for approximately 7–9 minutes.
Carefully flip each quesadilla.
Brush the second side very lightly with oil/butter and bake another 5–8 minutes, until:
the tortillas are golden brown,
the edges are crisp,
and the cheese is completely melted.
For an appearance especially close to the photograph, switch to broil/grill for 30–90 seconds at the end, watching constantly. You want those dark toasted patches without burning the tortilla.
6. Rest and cut
Remove from the oven and let them sit for 2 minutes.
Cut each quesadilla into 3–4 wedges.
Serve immediately with salsa, sour cream, guacamole and lime.
How to get the photo-like crispy surface
The biggest secrets are:
Brown the mushrooms well.
Cook excess moisture out of the spinach.
Don’t overload the tortillas.
Use a good melting cheese.
Brush the tortilla very lightly with butter/oil.
Bake at high heat.
Finish briefly under the broiler for those attractive browned patches.
A skillet version typically takes only a few minutes per side to become golden and melt the cheese; baking gives you the convenience of cooking several simultaneously.
F
Food Network
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Best cheese choices
Cheese Result
Monterey Jack Excellent melt, mild
Oaxaca Very stretchy, authentic Mexican-style option
Mozzarella Extremely stretchy, mild
Cheddar Stronger flavor, excellent browning
Gouda Rich, creamy and flavorful
Mexican blend Easy all-purpose choice
Goat cheese Tangy and creamy, but less stretchy
For the photo, I’d use 70% Monterey Jack/mozzarella + 30% cheddar.
Goat cheese with mushrooms and spinach is also a proven combination, particularly if you want a tangier, lighter-tasting quesadilla.
T
The Washington Post
Nut Information / Allergens
Naturally nut-free
This recipe contains no tree nuts or peanuts in its basic form.
Potential allergens
Milk: cheese, butter, sour cream
Wheat/gluten: regular flour tortillas
Soy: optional soy sauce
To make it gluten-free
Use certified gluten-free tortillas and gluten-free soy sauce/tamari.
To make it dairy-free
Use dairy-free shredded cheese and dairy-free butter/oil. Check tortilla and condiment labels as well.
Cross-contact warning
If this is being prepared for someone with a severe nut allergy, check the labels on tortillas, cheese alternatives, sauces and seasonings and use clean cookware to avoid cross-contact.
📊 Approximate nutrition
For 1 large quesadilla, using flour tortilla, ~50 g melting cheese, vegetables and a small amount of oil:
Calories: ~400–450
Protein: ~16–20 g
Carbohydrates: ~40–45 g
Fat: ~20–24 g
Fiber: ~4–6 g
Actual values vary substantially with tortilla size and cheese quantity. For comparison, the American Diabetes Association’s mushroom-spinach quesadilla provides 390 calories per quesadilla with its particular ingredients and portion sizes.
D
Diabetes Food Hub
Q&A
Can I use frozen spinach?
Yes. Thaw it completely and squeeze out as much water as possible before adding it. Fresh spinach generally gives a better texture.
Can I use different mushrooms?
Absolutely. Try cremini + shiitake + oyster mushrooms. Avoid putting very wet mushrooms directly into the tortilla.
Why are my quesadillas soggy?
Usually one of three things:
mushrooms weren’t cooked long enough,
spinach retained too much water,
too much filling was used.
Cook the vegetable mixture until relatively dry.
Can I make them ahead?
Yes. Prepare the mushroom-spinach filling up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it. Assemble and bake when ready.
Can I freeze them?
Yes. Cool completely, wrap individually and freeze. Reheat from frozen in an oven or air fryer rather than a microwave for the best crispness.
Can I make these vegan?
Yes. Use vegan melting cheese and olive oil instead of butter.
Can I add protein?
Definitely. Good additions include:
black beans
refried beans
grilled chicken
shredded chicken
tofu
scrambled egg
For a vegetarian version, black beans + mushrooms + spinach + cheese makes it particularly filling.
Can I make them in a skillet instead?
Yes—and it’s arguably the best method if you want maximum browning. Cook over medium heat about 2–3 minutes per side, until crisp and the cheese has melted.
C
Cooking With Anadi
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What should I serve with them?
My ideal plate:
Spinach-mushroom quesadilla + pico de gallo + guacamole + lime + sour cream + fresh cilantro.
The acidity from salsa/lime balances the rich cheese and mushrooms beautifully.
What’s the secret ingredient?
For a restaurant-style flavor, add a tiny splash of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce to the mushrooms, plus smoked paprika and lime at the end. Don’t add much—the mushrooms should still taste like mushrooms.