Make-Ahead Breakfast Quesadillas

I am a little ashamed to admit that I never had breakfast quesadillas until about two years ago. Sure, I had enjoyed many a cheesy quesadilla filled with spinach or other veggies for lunch and dinner. But for breakfast, and with eggs? This was a whole new concept to me!

I’ve made a few versions over the course of these last two years, but this one may be my favorite. Red onion and corn are sautéed in a skillet along with a few spices like cumin and smoked paprika, and then mixed together with scrambled eggs and black beans. A little bit of cheese and salsa adds the perfect finishing touch.

One of the main reasons that these are my favorite is that they are freezer-friendly. I am all for any breakfast that can be made in advance and just pulled out whenever you need it—whether it’s for breakfast proper, or a quick weeknight dinner.

I like to set up a sort of assembly line when making a batch, which makes the whole process nice and easy. After they are all assembled, wrap them up tightly in plastic wrap and then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet or some other flat surface that will fit in your freezer. Once they are firm, you can transfer them (in the plastic wrap) to a plastic freezer bag or other airtight container to keep in your freezer.

If you are making these ahead to freeze, let the egg and veggie mixture cool down to room temperature before you start assembling. This allows any steam to dissipate before everything’s wrapped up, which will help prevent sogginess. You can either cook the quesadillas in a skillet ahead of time and reheat in the microwave later—or skip the skillet step, freeze, then cook in the skillet when you’re ready to heat them later.

Enjoy whenever you would like, and with whatever toppings are your favorites! Personally, I love them with a good helping of sliced avocado and a bit of extra salsa.

Make-Ahead Breakfast Quesadillas

These freezer-friendly quesadillas are filled with plenty of eggs, black beans, and veggies – the perfect way to start the day!

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 10 quesadillas

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 8 large eggs       
• 1 tablespoon milk
• Pinch of black pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 10 large flour tortillas
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese of choice
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chunky-style salsa
• Optional toppings such as plain Greek yogurt, chunky salsa, and/or sliced avocado

Instructions

1. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the corn, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cumin, paprika and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Set the skillet back over medium heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. When hot, add the egg mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, until scrambled, 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. If the bowl of veggies has any excess juices, drain them off. Add the veggies back to the skillet with the scrambled eggs. Add black beans and mix to combine. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
4. Place a tortilla on your work surface. Spoon about 1/10th of the egg mixture on half of a tortilla, leaving a small border around the edge. Top with 1/10th of the cheese and 1 tablespoon salsa. Fold the empty half of the tortilla over the top of the filling to form a semicircle. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
5. Wipe out the skillet that you used for the eggs and set over medium-high heat. When hot, mist lightly with an oil mister or cooking spray. Place an assembled quesadilla in the pan and cook for about 5-6 minutes, until both sides are browned and the cheese is melted, flipping once halfway through. Repeat this process with the remaining quesadillas.
6. Cut into triangles. Serve with optional toppings if desired.

Notes

If you’re making these ahead to freeze, cook the veggies and eggs as directed above, then let them cool to room temperature before proceeding. Assemble the same way as directed above but do not cook in the skillet. Instead, wrap each assembled quesadilla individually in plastic wrap, then, to prevent bending, place in a single layer on a baking sheet or another flat surface that will fit in your freezer. Transfer to the freezer, freeze until firm, then move the quesadillas to a freezer bag or airtight container for storing in your freezer.

When ready to eat, remove the plastic wrap, then warm in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through. Alternatively, let them thaw out overnight in the fridge and then, in the morning, cook in a skillet as directed above.