Crispy, cheesy breakfast quesadillas filled with eggs, bacon, and veggies. Ready in 20 minutes for a quick brunch, breakfast, or brinner win!
The combination of eggs and tortillas has always been a favorite of mine (like in my migas recipe and breakfast tacos), and these breakfast quesadillas are one of the easiest, most satisfying ways to enjoy them. Crispy bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, sautéed veggies, and lots of melty cheese all folded into a golden, buttery tortilla? Yes please.
My husband and I have eaten these for brunch on weekends and as a quick dinner when the inevitable brinner cravings hit. They never disappoint!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Bacon: Crispy, salty, and savory. Thick-cut is my go-to, but any kind works.
- Onion, tomato, and jalapeño: The Mexican trinity. Swap in bell pepper, spinach, mushrooms, or whatever veggies you have.
- Eggs: You’ll need 6 large eggs for this recipe. Scrambled just until set so they stay soft and fluffy.
- Flour tortillas: You can make your own using my flour tortilla recipe or use your favorite store-bought brand. Go with the soft taco size (about 8 inches). You can use something bigger or smaller, just adjust your filling.
- Cheese: Shredded cheese melts and holds all the quesadilla fillings together. I used a Mexican-blend, but Monterey Jack, pepper jack, or cheddar also work.
- Salted butter: Toasting the quesadillas in butter is an absolute must. Trust me on this. It crisps the tortilla while also adding extra flavor. You can use unsalted butter if that’s all you have.
This is an overview of the key ingredients I used and why. See the recipe card below for the full recipe.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip the butter! Toasting your quesadillas gives them an ooey-gooey melted center and crispy tortilla, plus the butter adds THE BEST flavor.
- Grate your own cheese. It melts better and gives you that gooey, stretchy cheese pull.
- Use an air fryer or griddle. Use a griddle to save time and cook all the quesadillas at once. Just toast in butter as directed. You can also cook in the air fryer at 390℉ for 5-6 minutes on each side. If using an air fryer, I recommend spraying tortillas with cooking spray instead of using butter, and securing with a toothpick.
Make It Your Own
- No bacon? Use your favorite breakfast sausage, Mexican chorizo, or go vegetarian with tofu, beans, or nopales.
- Gluten-free? Use corn tortillas or almond flour tortillas – just know they’ll be a little smaller, so scale down the filling.
- Swap the veggies. You can use other vegetables like bell peppers, poblanos, anaheim, red or yellow onion, spinach, mushrooms, or even leftover roasted veggies.
- Spice it up. Add hot sauce, chipotles in adobo, or pepper jack cheese for extra heat.
How and What to Serve with Breakfast Quesadillas
These quesadillas are already pretty loaded, so you don’t need much else to make it a meal. That said, I’m always here for a good dip situation. A little sour cream, salsa (I’ve got loads of salsa recipes), your favorite hot sauce, or guacamole on the side makes everything feel more fun (and a little extra never hurts).
If you’re making these for a weekend brunch or feeding a hungry crew, pair them with some papas con chorizo, refried beans, or even just some sliced avocado and fresh fruit for balance. Serve with a mug of café de olla or a cold glass of horchata and call it a morning.
More Breakfast Recipes
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Add the bacon to a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook for 4-5 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and let cool slightly, then crumble or chop into pieces and set aside. Discard the bacon grease and wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel. If you like cooking with bacon grease, you can use it to cook the eggs instead of using the olive oil.
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Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, tomato, and jalapeño and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and tender.
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While the vegetables are cooking, whisk together the eggs, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Pour the beaten eggs into the hot skillet and let sit for 10-15 seconds, then stir often until the eggs are just set and mixed with the vegetables, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
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Assemble and cook the quesadillas by sprinkling shredded cheese on one half of each tortilla. Top with a layer of the scrambled egg mixture, some crumbled bacon, and a final layer of shredded cheese.
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Fold the tortillas over and cook in the large skillet with melted butter over medium-high heat for about 1-2 minutes per side, until the cheese starts to melt and the tortilla starts to get crispy.
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Transfer the quesadillas to a cutting board and cut in half. Serve with your favorite salsa and sour cream.
- Storage: Let them cool, then pop them into an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: Toast in a skillet or air fryer to bring back the crisp. Skip the microwave if you can – it’ll make them soft and sad.
Serving: 1quesadilla | Calories: 494kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 341mg | Sodium: 1334mg | Potassium: 306mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1014IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 370mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in February 2020 and has been updated with new photos and a better overall recipe.
Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.