Turkey Quesadillas Remix
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Quesadillas with shredded turkey, sautéed mixed mushrooms, and melted Québec cheese. Sweet-tart cranberry jam adds brightness. Cooked in a skillet until crisp and golden. A quick fix using leftovers, versatile with mushrooms swapped or cheese changed. Patience on heat keeps tortillas crisp, cheese gooey. Practical, fast, no-nonsense approach to elevated comfort food.
Prep:
12 min
Cook:
18 min
Total:
30 min
Servings:
2 servings
#quesadilla
#turkey recipe
#mushroom
#Québec cheese
#leftover recipe
#cranberry jam
Leftovers morphing into something worth the wait. Shredded turkey, but not dry—moist, nestled in melty Québec cheese that pulls like noodles when you bite in. Mushrooms—mixed ones, earthy tones searing in butter, popping out their umami with browned edges. Cranberry jam sneaks a tart surprise, poking through, messing with the savory. Tortillas crackle under the press of a skillet; gold, buttery crust. I’ve burned the shells before, so don’t rush. Patience, that’s the magic here. Toasted edges, gooey pockets, the smell filling the tiny kitchen. Fix any stuffing shortage with more cheese. I like to swap butter for olive oil sometimes, richer flavor but watch the smoke point. Always a win to turn scraps into a meal that feels fresh.
Ingredients
- 240 g mixed mushrooms, sliced
- 25 ml unsalted butter
- 4 flour tortillas, 20 cm diameter
- 400 ml shredded cooked turkey
- 25 ml cranberry jelly (or swap with apricot preserves for twist)
- 480 ml Québec cheese grated (cheddar or raclette acceptable; try aged for punch)
- 25 ml vegetable oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Sour cream optional, for serving
About the ingredients
Varied mushrooms arouse extra depth but button alone works fine; just don’t overcrowd the pan or they’ll release steam, not brown. Butter essential for flavor. Olive oil swap usable but keep heat moderate. For turkey, fresh or leftover shredded meat fits the bill; moist, not dry. Cranberry jelly provides sharpness; apricot or fig jam amps sweetness if preferred. Cheese must be shredded for even melting—raclette, old cheddar, Oka even. Tortillas feel flimsy? Heat briefly before use to soften. Salt mushrooms mid-sauté to draw moisture early. Sour cream optional but adds creaminess and cooling contrast. This can feed two hungry folks or stretch for three with sides.
Method
- First, heat a skillet over medium and melt butter. Toss in mushrooms, don’t crowd the pan or they steam. Stir occasionally, listen for gentle sizzles and watch for golden edges – takes about 7 minutes. Season once mushrooms release moisture. Remove from heat to cool slightly.
- Lay out 2 tortillas flat on a clean surface. Evenly scatter cooled mushrooms, then spread turkey, dab cranberry jelly in small spoonfuls. Don't flood or spill. Finish with cheese generously, aiming for edge to edge coverage. Top with second tortilla; press down firmly but don't squish fillings.
- Warm two nonstick pans on low-medium. Pour half the oil in each. Place one quesadilla in each pan. Hear that whispering shallow fry? Cook 4 minutes before flipping gently with a wide spatula. Flip when bottom is deep golden and crispy, cheese starts melting through edges. Another 3-4 minutes after flip. Adjust heat if browning too fast or slow.
- Slice into wedges, edges crackling, cheese stringy when pulled apart. Plate with optional sour cream dollop which adds cool tang and texture balance.
Cooking tips
Heating mushrooms right kicks this off; sight and sound tell you when they’ve gone golden, smelling earthy—don’t rush this step. Building the quesadilla is tactile; spread ingredients evenly to avoid leaks. Press tortillas but not so hard you crush fillings. Use two pans to save time but one works—just flip carefully halfway through cooking. Low to medium heat prevents burnt tortillas and uneven melting; adjust pan temperature as seen fit. Listen for soft crackle sounds. Cheese oozing at edges signals readiness. Let quesadillas rest a minute before cutting for less mess. Serve warm with a cooling sour cream dollop; adds textural lift. Troubleshooting: soggy tortillas mean too much wet filling or too low heat; dry turkey? Add a drizzle of broth or melted butter to moisten before assembling.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Heat skillet medium before adding butter; mushrooms need space, crowding means steaming, no good browning. Listen for soft sizzle; timing critical here. Season mushrooms only after most moisture is gone, draws flavor out without sogginess. Remove from heat early to cool, stops abrupt cooking later under hot cheese layers.
- 💡 Spread fillings evenly on tortillas; uneven layers mean some spots stay soggy or cold. Dab cranberry jelly lightly in spoonfuls; too much floods, ruins crispness. Press top tortilla firmly but no squash. Crackling sound from hot pan crucial, signals browning. Use wide spatula for gentle flips, keep filling intact.
- 💡 Two pans speed up cooking; pour oil just enough to coat surface, skips greasy mess. Heat low-medium avoids burnt tortillas while melts cheese slow enough to ooze. Flip when edge glints golden, subtle cheese string visible. Adjust heat freely if browns fast or slow, patience here pays off for texture contrast.
- 💡 Slice after resting a minute; cheese settles, less mess plus better hold. Edges crackle, interior gooey pull sounds welcome cue. Sour cream side adds cold, creamy counterpoint. For filling shortage, add more cheese not turkey; moisture balance tricky. Work leftover turkey or fresh shredded, keep moist using broth drizzle if dry.
- 💡 Butter best fat for mushrooms, flavor boost; olive oil swap changes final taste but watch lower smoke point. Tortillas too stiff? Quick heat in microwave or pan softens but not soggy. Cheese shredded fine melts evenly; chunk or slice makes uneven melt, texture off. Salt mushrooms mid saute, draws liquid early but locks it fast.
Common questions
Mushrooms steaming not browning?
Space is key. Too many in pan, moisture trapped. Spread thin. Wait for crackling sound, not boiling noise. Use bigger skillet or smaller batches.
Can I swap cranberry jam?
Yes. Apricot jam works sweeter, Fig jam adds richer note. Avoid watery sauces, mess fajita crisp. Spoon sparingly, spreads tart or sweet bite without sogging.
Quesadilla soggy after cooking?
Likely wet filling or low heat. Mushrooms or turkey too moist. Cook mushrooms fully before layering. Heat up skillet properly. Flip only once crisp bottom and edges appear.
How best to store leftovers?
Fridge in airtight container fine for 2 days max. Reheat in skillet to regain crunch, microwave makes limp. Freeze okay but expect softer tortillas. Wrap tightly to avoid freezer burn.
