Mini Goat Cheese Quesadillas

Last Updated on January 18, 2023 by Catrina

Let’s veer off the traditional Mexican food path for a minute, shall we? Although my main goal is to bring traditional recipes and techniques to this blog, sometimes, we need to make room for something a bit different. While these mini goat cheese quesadillas are certainly Mexican-inspired, they can hardly be called traditional. But, I hope you won’t be disappointed.

These little pockets of melty, cheesy goodness are the perfect appetizer for your next entertaining event. Tangy goat cheese, mixes with melted cheddar cheese and fresh diced vegetables in a small flour tortilla pocket, for an addicting and flavorful crunch. My mouth is watering already.

A modern take on the quesadilla

While quesadillas are distinctly Mexican, these goat cheese quesadillas are definitely not traditional. What I mean is this: you will not find a quesadilla like this one at any of the hundreds of quesadilla stands here in central Mexico. Cheddar and goat cheese are not used in traditional Mexican dishes. And veggie quesadilla fillings here are typically cooked (like in my squash blossom or oyster mushroom quesadillas), not like in this version which uses raw vegetables for a delicious crunch.

The only thing “traditional” about this particular quesadilla is that it includes two common quesadilla ingredients: cheese and a tortilla. But traditional or not, the combination of cheese and vegetables is surprisingly addictive and this mini version makes for a perfect party appetizer.

A non-Mexican origin story

Most of this site is dedicated to sharing recipes provided to me by home cooks in central Mexico. This recipe is an exception.

During high school and college, I worked at a neighborhood Mexican restaurant called El Parador. They had all of the standard Mexican dishes on their menu like enchiladas and tacos. But one appetizer stood out…goat cheese quesadillas, served with pico de gallo, guacamole, and the most amazing, chunky mango salsa.

The recipe that I am sharing here is based on that restaurant version that I remember from so many years ago but scaled up to make 24 mini quesadillas, perfect for your next get-together. Of course, you can easily modify this recipe to make even more quesadillas for serving a larger crowd. Or scale the recipe down to make a quick family dinner.

And since this recipe is so easy to put together, I am betting this will become one of your new go-to party favorites 🙂

How to make these mini goat cheese quesadillas

These mini goat cheese quesadillas are a cinch to make! Start by dicing all of your vegetables and mixing them with the shredded cheddar cheese. You want to make sure all of the ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Next, spread goat cheese on your tortilla halves. Roll the tortillas into a cone shape to create a pocket for filling. Add a bit of the cheddar cheese mix and place them on a baking sheet.

Repeat until all of the tortillas, goat cheese, and cheddar mix are used up! I was able to get 24 mini-quesadillas with the quantities used in the recipe.

What I love about these goat cheese quesadillas

There is a lot to love about melted cheese inside a delicious tortilla. But I love these quesadillas for a couple of particular reasons.

1. These mini versions are a perfect party appetizer
2. These can be batch baked in the oven (instead of cooked on the stove) which reduces the amount of time needed to make larger quantities
3. The recipe is easily scalable to make more (or less) if needed
4. This is the perfect quesadilla to dip in guacamole, pico de gallo, mango salsa, or any other favorite salsa!
5. Also, the ingredients are fairly common and easy to source outside of Mexico (at least if you are in the US), which makes this riff on Mexican food totally accessible. No searching for hard-to-come-by Mexican ingredients here!

I hope that you love these mini goat cheese quesadillas as much as we do! Let me know how these turn out for you in the comments section!

Modern Mexican, not your thing? I have you covered with these more traditional oyster mushroom quesadillas and squash blossom quesadillas recipes!

Source: The Jacob Family, El Parador Restaurant, Tucson, AZ