• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Platein28
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Crafts
  • Screen Time
  • Blog
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Crafts
  • Screen Time
  • Blog
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • Ă—

    Home » Recipe Box

    Southwest Quesadillas with Turkey and Cheese

    Published: Jun 20, 2018 · Modified: Dec 31, 2021 by Julie Park · This post may contain affiliate links

    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe


    Southwest Quesadillas on plate
    Southwest Quesadillas

    We all know know that grilled cheese gets old. While quesadillas aren't that different, here's a Southwest Quesadilla recipe that's equally easy and incorporates a veggie salad that our kids will actually eat.

    Invite kids to help make your southwest quesadillas!

    These Southwest Quesadillas are pretty fun for kids to help make. There are lots of healthy ingredients for little ones to pour and stir into the salad. And our kids loved building their own quesadillas. Showing your kids the inside of an avocado can be really cool too. Oh! Be sure to save the avocado skins for this recipe's Avocado Boat Craft!

    salad ingredients
    vegetable salad in bowl
    Open quesadilla
    assembled quesadillas on sheet

    Step 1: Cook the turkey

    As a first step, brown the turkey and veggies and add in the taco seasoning according to instructions. Turn on your broiler so that it can start heating up!

    Mashing meat with potato masher

    Step 2: Prepare the salad

    While turkey is cooking, mix the black beans, corn, tomatoes, avocados, cilantro and oil into a bowl. Squirt the lime over the mix. Season with salt and pepper and toss together.

    Child stirring avocado salad

    Step 3: Assemble and cook your quesadillas

    Assemble the quesadillas on the cookie sheet and place under broiler for 1-2 minutes. Flip over the tortillas and pop your cookie sheet back under broiler for another 1-2 minutes. Repeat until all quesadillas are cooked. Cut quesadillas in half if you wish and enjoy!

    Open quesadilla
    assembled quesadillas on sheet

    Note: This post contains affiliate links.

    Ways to Customize your Southwest Quesadillas

    Make it Vegan/Vegetarian! The salad that comes with this meal is naturally vegan. If you'd like to have your quesadillas meet the same criteria, we have two options: (1) Swap the turkey for roasted poblano peppers. To roast a poblano pepper, put it on a baking sheet and place in broiler. Heat for a couple minutes on each side. Once the skin is blackened and bubbling, take out and place in a Ziploc bag or in a bowl covered tight with plastic wrap. Let the pepper sweat a bit. Once it has cooled a bit, remove from bag or bowl, peel the skin off, take out stem and seeds, and chop into strips or bite sized pieces. (2) Swap the turkey for pea protein crumbles. I'm a huge fan of Beyond Meat Beefy Crumbles. I've used them for years to make vegetarian chili and it's soooo delicious. I'm definitely a meat eater and I really can't tell the difference. Worth noting is that these crumbles are high in protein, vegan, and also gluten-free. You will cook these crumbles the same exact way as the ground turkey. If you're vegan, obviously eliminate the cheese and sour cream from the recipe. You can add salsa and/or corn to the tortilla filling for extra flavor.

    Make it Gluten Free! The salad that comes with this meal is naturally gluten-free. If you'd like to have your quesadillas meet the same criteria, all you have to do is use corn tortillas (instead of flour) and make sure the taco seasoning contains no traces of gluten.

    Make it Dairy Free! The salad that comes with this meal is naturally dairy-free. If you'd like to have your quesadillas meet the same criteria, simply eliminate the cheese and dairy from the recipe. You can add in corn and/or salsa for extra flavor.

    How kids can help make this dish

    This dish involves many kid-friendly tasks. Here are some ways for your lil' sous chefs to help out (with adult supervision!):

    • Drain and rinse beans and corn using a strainer. This is an easy and fun task for toddlers
    • Prep avocados. Cut avocados lengthwise, remove seed, and cut into chunks. Kids can use a plastic knife, plastic pastry scraper or butter knife.
    • Help chop veggies. We’re  big fans of these Curious Chef kid-safe knives.
    • Break up turkey as it cooks using a Potato Masher.
    • Sprinkle taco seasoning onto meat. Kids can keep tasting the meat to see if it needs more seasoning.
    • Assemble tortillas! Sprinkle turkey, cheese and black olives onto tortillas. Kids can create smiley faces or other designs with black olives.Child putting together quesadillas

    Final Tips To ensure smooth sailing!

    Mimi's Cooking Tips

    Check out these tricks and shortcuts from our in-house expert / Mom:

    🍅Use a potato masher to break up the turkey in the pan.

    🍅Use kitchen shears to chop the cilantro.

    🍅To keep the salad fresh for leftovers, cover it with plastic wrap before refrigerating.

    Our "Kidify" Tips

    Have picky eaters? Check out these helpful tips:

    🍅 Play with your food. If your kids are having a hard time tackling that salad, make a counting game out of it. For example, have them pull out 5 black beans and count them. Then ask how many are left when they eat one. Or have them pull out 3 corn kernels and 4 tomatoes, and ask if the amounts are equal once they eat a tomato. This is great for Kindergarten-aged kids. There are lots of little games you can come up with. Plus, some kids are more apt to eat veggies when they are separated from a dish and eaten alone. Who knows why?!

    🍅 Use the microwave. You don't have to use the broiler. If you're strapped for time, don't have a broiler, or your kids don’t like browning marks on the tortillas, just pop the quesadillas in the microwave.

    🍅 Turkey on the side. Although this quesadilla is pretty simple, some kids will still only eat a cheese quesadilla! If this is the case, just plate the turkey on the side.

    🍅 Skip the chips! If you’re worried your kids will end up only eating chips for dinner...then skip the chips! I speak from experience here.

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe Share on Facebook

    Southwest Quesadillas

    Author: Marcie & Julie
    Tired of grilled cheese? These delicious Southwest Quesadillas will please even the pickiest of eaters. Bonus: we include a not-so-scary veggie salad.
    Total Time28 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Americanized Mexican
    Servings: 6

    Ingredients

    Salad

    • 15 ounce can black beans (drained & rinsed)
    • 15 ounce can corn (drained)
    • ½ - 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (halved)
    • 2 ripened avocados (pitted & cubed)
    • 1 - 2 Tablespoon fresh cilantro (chopped)
    • 1 - 2 Tablespoon oil (olive or sesame oil)
    • 1 small lime
    • salt & pepper (to taste)

    Turkey & Cheese Quesadillas

    • cooking oil
    • ½ small yellow onion (chopped)
    • 4 ounce can mild green chilis
    • 2 pound ground turkey
    • ½ cup water, maybe more
    • taco seasoning
    • 10 medium flour tortillas
    • 8 ounce bag shredded Mexican cheese blend
    • 2.25 ounce can sliced black olives
    • 8 ounce sour cream
    • salsa
    • tortilla chips (optional)

    Instructions

    • Preheat a pan (my absolute fave!) on medium, and add cooking oil. Combine chopped onion, green chilis and ground turkey in pan. Break turkey apart into smaller pieces. Cook until no longer pink.
    • While turkey is cooking, prepare the salad. Mix the black beans, corn, tomatoes, avocados, cilantro and oil into a bowl. Squirt the lime over the mix. Season with salt and pepper and toss together.
    • Add ½ cup water and healthy dose of taco seasoning to pan mixture. Mix together in pan and cook until water dissipates. Add more seasoning and water as needed, by taste. Remove from heat.
    • Turn on your broiler to high heat. Give your broiler 5-10 mins to heat up before you’re ready to use it. Grab a cookie sheet.
    • Assemble the quesadillas on the cookie sheet. On one half of the tortilla place a couple spoonfuls of turkey mixture, a handful of shredded cheese, and a few black olive slices. Fold in half. Repeat for each tortilla, as many as will fit on the cookie sheet.
    • Put cookie sheet under broiler for 1-2 minutes. Take cookie sheet out and flip over the tortillas. Pop back under broiler for another 1-2 minutes. Repeat until all quesadillas are cooked. Cut quesadillas in half if you wish.
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Notes

    Serve quesadillas with a dollop of sour cream and salsa, if desired. Serve with chips to scoop up all the good stuff.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 1025kcal (51%)Carbohydrates: 117g (39%)Protein: 56g (112%)Fat: 39g (60%)Saturated Fat: 14g (88%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 139mg (46%)Sodium: 1434mg (62%)Potassium: 1483mg (42%)Fiber: 13g (54%)Sugar: 67g (74%)Vitamin A: 1693IU (34%)Vitamin C: 36mg (44%)Calcium: 411mg (41%)Iron: 6mg (33%)

    *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. While we are not certified nutritionists, we work with a WordPress-integrated nutrition API to calculate our recipes' ingredient values.

    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @Platein28 or tag #platein28!

    What Can Kids do while grown-ups cook?

    illustration called "TV Time" of child with pigtails watching a screen with planets and stars on it

    OTHER Turkey DISHES YOU MIGHT LIKE:

    🍅 Tangy Turkey Taco Bowl

    🍅 Crunchy Taco Salad with Pasta & Ranch Dressing

    🍅 Mini Turley Pot Pies

    You May Also Like

    • 35 Easy Italian Sausage Recipes for Dinner
    • Reasons Why Your Steak Is Coming Out Tough and Chewy
    • Lemony Garlic Pasta (One Pot!)
    • Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan & Lemon

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome!

    Julie & Marcie in kitchen

    We are two sisters with young kids who want to help simplify mealtime for busy families! Platein28 is our family’s unofficial guide to wading through mealtime chaos. Here you will find quality recipes that take 28 minutes or less, with activities to occupy your kids so you can actually cook.

    More about us →

    Winter Recipes

    • Coconut Curry Recipe for Kids
    • 10 Easy Ground Turkey Soups (30 minutes!)
    • Creamy Vegetable Pasta
    • Old Fashioned Sloppy Joes Recipe
    • Easy Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms
    • The Best One Pot Lasagna Soup

    Popular Recipes

    • Old Fashioned Sloppy Joes Recipe
    • Easy Cinnamon Pancakes with Vanilla
    • Creamy Chicken Pea Skillet with Rice (One Pan!)
    • How to Cut Carrot Sticks
    • The Easiest Turkey Burger Sliders
    • Best Philly Cheesesteak Recipe

    Kids Crafts & Activities

    • Fun with Melting Crayons on Pumpkins
    • Fun with Melting Crayons in the Oven
    • How to Dye Pasta for Crafts
    • Adorable DIY Fish Puppet
    • Cow-Themed Tissue Paper Vase
    • Adorable Mushroom Craft for Kids

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • About Platein28
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Graphics courtesy of Fred Chao

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    Have comments or questions?

    Send us an email!


    We earn a commission through purchases made through partner and affiliate sites.

    Copyright © 2020-2022 Platein28 on the Foodie Pro Theme

    We use cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to use this site, you consent tocookiesbeing used. Visit our Privacy Policy for more information.
    ACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT