Pulled Pork Carnitas Quesadillas
User Reviews
5
-
Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
30 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
54 kcal
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Cuisine
Mexican
Pulled Pork Carnitas Quesadillas
Description
The recipe starts by caramelizing sliced brown onions with butter, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper until sticky and golden, which adds a sweet, tangy layer to the quesadillas. Pork carnitas are optionally browned briefly in oil to crisp one side before assembling.
Tortillas are layered with shredded mozzarella, the warm pork carnitas, corn kernels, diced red bell pepper, and the prepared caramelized onions. Seasoning with salt and pepper is adjusted carefully due to saltiness from cheese. The filled tortillas are folded and cooked until the bread turns golden and the cheese fully melts.
Fresh parsley or coriander can garnish before serving. The quesadillas freeze well when wrapped tightly, allowing quick reheating as a convenient meal option.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups pork carnitas Mexican Pulled Pork, shredded
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- 8 tortillas
- 1/2 cup corn kernels (frozen or canned)
- 1/2 cup red capsicum bell pepper, diced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
- parsley finely chopped (optional garnish, fresh or coriander
Caramelized Onions
- 1 1/2 tbsp butter
- 2 brown onion halved and finely sliced
- 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- black pepper
Instructions
- Caramelised Onions: Melt butter in a fry pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 7 minutes, stirring every now and then so they cook evenly. Add remaining Caramelized Onion ingredients and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until sticky and caramelised. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Brown Pork Carnitas (optional): Heat 1/2 tbsp oil in a fry pan over high heat. Add Pork Carnitas and press down lightly with a spatula to help crisp up. When the Pork Carnitas are heated through and the underside is golden brown and crisp (about 1 to 1/2 minutes), remove from pan (do not flip).
- Lay out the tortillas. Divide the cheese between the tortillas, scattering evenly across half of each tortilla. Top with pork carnitas, corn, capsicum and Caramelised Onion. Season to taste with pepper and salt. (Note: Different cheeses have different levels of saltiness, so be careful not to over season.) Fold the tortillas in half.
- To freeze: Wrap each tortilla tightly in cling wrap and freeze until required. Defrost before cooking.
- To cook: Heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add as many quesadillas as will fit in the pan. Cook until nicely browned on the underside (about 1 1/2 minutes), then flip over the folded edge. Cook the other side until browned, then remove from pan. Tip: Keep cooked quesadillas warm in a very low oven. Keep then in spread out in a single layer so they stay crisp.
- Serve immediately, garnished with parsley if desired.
Notes
- If substituting unflavored cooked protein like poached chicken, toss it with salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, and onion or garlic powder to mimic the carnitas seasoning.
- Allow frozen corn to defrost slightly to ensure even cooking inside the quesadilla.
- These quesadillas can be individually wrapped tightly for freezing to reheat later.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 54 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 284g | |
| Calories | 5.4cal | 0% |
| Carbohydrates | 58.2g | 19% |
| Protein | 27.6g | 55% |
| Fat | 19.2g | 30% |
| Saturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Cholesterol | 61mg | 20% |
| Sodium | 807mg | 34% |
| Potassium | 413mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 8g | 32% |
| Sugar | 8.1g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 600IU | 12% |
| Vitamin C | 49.5mg | 55% |
| Calcium | 390mg | 39% |
| Iron | 2.3mg | 13% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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