How is a Quesadilla Different from a Sincronizada? - CuernaKitchen

Last Updated on June 9, 2023 by Catrina

If you are a Mexican food lover, then you are likely familiar with the quesadilla. You know, ooey, gooey melty cheese folded into warm tortillas. Mmmmm, quesadillas can be heavenly! But have you ever tried a sincronizada?

Both of these Mexican dishes include tortillas and cheese, so what’s the difference? Read on to learn more about each of these Mexican dishes as well as the subtle differences that distinguish the two!

Photo of a quesadilla and sincronizada for comparison

What is a quesadilla?

Ahhh, the quesadilla! At its core, a quesadilla is a tortilla filled with cheese then folded over and cooked. You can find these popular snacks on street corners and roadside stands throughout Mexico. This Mexican street food is perfect for a hot breakfast, quick snack, or light dinner.

Squash blossom quesadillas on the comal, 2 quesadillas are folded over, one shows the filling ingredients

Mexican quesadillas vs. US quesadillas – they are not the same

I live in Morelos, a central state in Mexico, just south of Mexico City. So, the typical quesadilla here might be a bit different from what you order at the local Mexican restaurant in your hometown.

In Mexico, quesadillas are typically made with corn tortillas (tortilla de maíz), unless you are in northern Mexico where wheat flour tortillas (tortillas de harina) are more common. I have seen flour tortillas also more commonly used in the United States versions of restaurant quesadillas. Quesadillas in Mexico can be a great option if you have a gluten intolerance, but just be sure to ask what kind of tortilla is being used for your quesadilla before you order!

Two ways to cook quesadillas

In central Mexico, I have seen quesadillas cooked two different ways: on a hot griddle (quesadilla de comal) or fried (quesadilla frita).

For quesadillas prepared on a hot griddle, fresh corn tortillas are pressed into oval shapes and then cooked on the griddle. They are filled with Mexican cheese, vegetables, or meat, then the tortilla is folded in half over the filling ingredients to make a little packet. Sometimes a small amount of vegetable oil or drops of lard are added to the griddle to make the tortilla a bit more golden brown and slightly crunchy.

If the quesadilla is being fried, raw tortilla masa is pressed into an oval shape, then folded around the filling. The packet is pressed closed to seal the ingredients inside…almost like an empanada made with corn dough.

In Mexico, sometimes you have to ask for cheese in your quesadilla

In most places, quesadillas are made with cheese, unless there is some other filling specified (like refried beans and cheese quesadilla, or chicken and cheese quesadilla).

The exception, however, is in central Mexico where quesadillas are made with a variety of fillings including meat and vegetables. If you are traveling in central Mexico and want cheese in your quesadilla, you have to ask for it! If you ask for a cheese quesadilla, you will get just that. But if you want a chicken tinga quesadilla with cheese, specify that you want the quesadilla “combinada” or combined with tinga and cheese.

Quesadillas and their many names

Different types of quesadillas may go by different names, depending on the region in Mexico. So while in central Mexico a quesadilla may or may not include cheese (or queso), in the southern and southeastern states of Mexico, the word quesadilla refers exclusively to those made with cheese. If a tortilla is filled with some other ingredient, they go by the name “empanada”. In Puebla, the word molotes refers to a type of quesadilla filled with cooked cow brains (Zurita, R. M. (2012). Larousse Diccionario Enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana. Ediciones Larousse (MX)).

What is a sincronizada?

I like to think of the sincronizada as Mexico’s version of a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. Instead of bread, two tortillas are sandwiched together with a melty combination of cheese and ham in the middle.

Another way to think of a sincronizada is that it is a very specific sort of ham and cheese “quesadilla”, that uses layers of ingredients instead of folding the tortilla over into a neat half-moon packet.

Living in central Mexico, I have only ever seen a sincronizada made with flour tortillas and prepared by cooking on a hot griddle. Although, when researching this article, my trusty Larousse Diccionario Enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana by Ricardo Muñoz Zurita mentions a fried version of a sincronizada that uses corn tortilla masa.

Close up of sincronizada cut into triangles on a talavera plate with salsa verde

Quesadilla vs. sincronizada – what’s the difference?

Below, you will find the main differences between each of these dishes.

The tortilla

A quesadilla can use either a corn or flour tortilla. The type of tortilla will depend on the region of Mexico you are in.

A sincronizada is made with flour tortillas.

The filling

A quesadilla at its core is a tortilla folded over and filled with melted cheese. However, quesadillas can include other types of vegetable or meat preparations in addition to or instead of cheese. These fillings include mushroom, potatoes with chorizo, rajas, tinga de pollo, picadillo, huitlacoche (a type of corn fungus), squash blossom, pork rinds (chicharron), tuna, and shrimp, among others.

A sincronizada includes specifically ham and cheese as the filling ingredients.

The cheese

Quesadillas and sincronizadas both use low melting point cheeses. Common varieties (again depending on the region) are Oaxaca cheese (queso Oaxaca also known as quesillo) or Chihuahua cheese (queso chihuahua). Sincronizadas are sometimes prepared with manchego cheese. If you are making your own quesadillas or sincronizadas at home, Monterrey jack or cheddar cheese, are excellent choices if Mexican cheese varieties aren’t available.

Quesadillas in Mexico are also sometimes served with an extra sprinkling of shredded queso cincho or cotija.

The assembly

One of the key differences between a sincronizada and a quesadilla is how each of these items is assembled.

The quesadilla is essentially, a single tortilla folded in half over a type of filling.

A sincronizada, on the other hand, is more like a tortilla “sandwich” in that, one tortilla is topped with ham and cheese and then a second tortilla is placed on top.

Flour tortilla in a non-stick skillet topped with slices of cheese and ham — Sincronizada assembly

Oyster mushroom quesadillas on the comal with filling ingredients showing — Sincronizada assembly

Cooking techniques

The quesadilla is cooked most commonly on a hot griddle, although fried versions are available in central Mexican states like Mexico City, Mexico State, Hidalgo, and Morelos.

I have only ever seen sincronizadas prepared on a griddle, not fried.

What are they served with?

Quesadillas in Mexico are typically served with Mexican cream and your salsa of choice. In the US, I have seen quesadillas accompanied by sour cream, salsa, and sometimes guacamole.

Sincronizadas can be served with the same accompaniments as quesadillas. However, in Mexico, it is more common to see sincronizadas served with pico de gallo or a simple salsa.

If you want to make these part of a more filling meal, you could accompany these with black beans, calabacitas, rice, or Mexican noodle soup!

Just to recap, here’s a quick chart showing the major differences between quesadillas and sincronizadas.

Chart outlining the differences between a sincronizada and a quesadilla, summarizes the real text differences written in the post

Now that you understand the difference, are you ready to try your hand at making Mexican quesadillas or sincronizadas? I have some easy quesadillas for you to try below!