These sheet pan quesadillas are the crunchy, cheese-loving, family-friendly dish your weeknight rotation has been missing. Smoky BBQ pulled pork mixed with green chiles and two types of cheeses is stuffed into flour tortillas, then topped with even more cheese and baked until an irresistible, crispy frico crust forms.
Crispy & Crunchy Baked Quesadillas
Traditional quesadillas are a labor of love, requiring you to flip them one by one over the stove while the first batch gets cold. This sheet pan method changes the game by letting you feed the entire family at once, ensuring every bite is hot, melty, and crispy.
By tossing your pork in a sweet & tangy BBQ sauce, mixing in green chiles, and 2 types of cheeses, you create a smoky, savory, cheese filling that is crave-worthy! Baking them on a lightly oiled pan in the oven gives them the same ‘skillet’ richness, plus the crispiness of the oven’s dry heat. And let’s not forget that outer coating of that crispy, frico-crusted tortilla! It’s what sets this apart from all other quesadillas!
As a pitmaster, pork butt/shoulder is probably my favorite thing to smoke. Seriously, I need another freezer just for how much I already have prepared. It’s one of those dishes when I can load up my smoker with 6-9 big ol’ butts and then have enough leftovers for months. It’s all about efficiency.
Literally, one giant cook for countless meals for months. It’s the perfect meal prep protein!
Watch How To Make Crunchy Quesadillas
In the video, I walk you through the steps to make these crispy, delicious bites! Y’all, these are so incredibly good that it was our lunch for three straight days in a row!
BBQ Pulled Pork & Green Chile Quesadilla Ingredients
Man, I so love recipes like this! They are perfect when you want to clean out the fridge or don’t want to fuss over making a huge meal.
- Cheese: Sharp cheddar and Monteray jack
- BBQ Sauce: I prefer this one
- Green Chiles
- Flour Tortillas
Chef Lori’s #1 Tip for Sheet Pan Quesadillas
- Cheese: Use freshly grated cheese. Do not use pre-shredded material because it contains an additive starch that affects its “meltability”.
How to Assemble Sheet Pan Quesadillas
- While the oven preheats, add the shredded pork, green chiles, some of the cheddar and Monterey cheeses, and BBQ sauce to a bowl. Mix until it’s combined.
- To one half of a flour tortilla, 2-3 heaping Tablespoons of the pork mixture, and fold to close. Repeat this process until all four tortillas are prepared.
- Brush a rimmed half sheet pan with a bit of olive oil, then place the folded tortillas on the pan. Brush the tops of each quesadilla with the remaining olive oil. Place the pan into the oven and bake for 8 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven, carefully flip it over, add the remaining cheese, and return the pan to the oven. Bake for an additional 7-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the quesadilla is crispy.
GBD: Golden Brown and Delicious Crispy Quesadillas
What you’ll love about these, when you pull them out of the oven, is how the cheese on the pan crisps up frico-style and how the quesadilla is crunchy!
Why You’ll Love This Baked Quesadilla Recipe
These sheet pan bites are designed to make your life easier without sacrificing an ounce of flavor
- Massive Time Saver: No more hovering over a stove; just assemble and bake the whole batch at once.
- Budget-friendly: This means no fancy or obscure ingredients
- 6 Simple Ingredients: It’s such a great and delicious way to use up those leftovers.
- One Bowl and One Pan: not 487 dirty dishes
- Easy to Customize: Change up the cheeses, add bacon, or even add heat!
- Perfect any time: meal prep, game day, cookouts, or snack time
- Crowd Favorite: Perfectly slicable into squares for game day or easy-to-grab family portions.
Sheet Pan Quesadillas FAQs
- What type of tortillas can I use? You can use any type or size of flour tortillas, including gluten-free options. You can use corn tortillas, BUT I find their baked texture off-putting.
- Can I make these on the stovetop? Absolutely! Just follow the same steps, but use a cast-iron or heavy-bottom pan over medium-high heat.
- Can I make these ahead of time? You can assemble them a few hours early and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to bake them. You want to bake them right before serving them, to maintain that signature crunch.
How to Reheat Baked Quesadillas
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F(176°C). Lightly spray a pan with cooking spray and reheat until warmed through.
Other Ways to Make Quesadillas
Air Fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190 °C).
- While the air fryer preheats, assemble the quesadillas and lightly coat each side with oil.
- Place them in the air fryer in a single layer, cook for 3 minutes, carefully flip, sprinkle the cheese on top, and continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and starts to turn crispy (frico)
BBQ/Grill
The only downside about making it this way is that you really won’t get a frico crust. It’ll still be delicious, but there’s no cheesy crunchification.
- Set up the grill for 2-zone grilling (indirect and direct heat). Preheat the grill to medium (350°F/176 °C) on the direct side. While the grill is heating up, assemble the quesadillas and lightly coat each side with oil.
- Place the assembled quesadilla on the direct-heat side and grill for about 1-2 minutes, or until the bottom is golden brown.
- Carefully move the quesadillas to the indirect side and FLIP them. Top with the cheese and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
What to Serve With Shredded Pork & Cheese Quesadillas
- Dips/Sauces: Sour Cream Green Chile Sauce, Sour cream, Sweet & Tangy BBQ Sauce
Pulled Pork Quesadilla Recipe Customizations
- VEGGIES: Add black beans, charred corn, or caramelized onions
- HEAT: Add diced chipotles in adobo or pickled jalapenos
- CHEESES: Try Pepper Jack or Smoked Gouda
Here’s what I used:
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Crispy BBQ Pulled Pork Sheet Pan Quesadillas (3 Ways!)
These Crispy Frico-Crusted BBQ Pulled Pork Sheet Pan Quesadillas are the dinner hack you need! Loaded with smoky pulled pork, tangy BBQ sauce, zesty green chiles, and a melty blend of two cheeses, they’re baked until a golden cheese frico crust forms. Whether you use the oven, air fryer, or grill, these are the perfect way to use up leftovers!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 quesadillas
- Category: Appetizer, Sheet Pan
- Method: air fryer and grill, oven
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218 °C). In a bowl, mix together the 2 cheeses and set aside.
- Add the shredded pork, green chiles, half of the cheese mixture, and BBQ sauce to a separate bowl. Mix until it’s combined.
- To one half of a flour tortilla, 2-3 heaping Tablespoons of the pork mixture, and fold to close. Repeat this process until all four tortillas are prepared.
- Brush a rimmed half sheet pan with a bit of olive oil, then place the folded tortillas on the pan. Brush the tops of each quesadilla with the remaining olive oil. Place the pan into the oven and bake for 8 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven, carefully flip it over, add the remaining cheese, and return the pan to the oven. Bake for an additional 7-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the quesadilla is crispy.
- Immediately remove from the pan and plate, then enjoy. Store any leftovers in a covered dish in the fridge.
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