Blooming Quesadilla Ring Appetizer (Printable Version)

Mini cheese quesadillas arranged in a stunning blooming ring, baked golden and served with salsa and sour cream.

# What You Need:

→ Quesadillas

01 - 16 small flour tortillas, 5-6 inches diameter
02 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
03 - 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
04 - 1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
05 - 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
06 - 1 small green onion, thinly sliced
07 - 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 0.5 teaspoon chili powder
09 - 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - Salt and black pepper to taste
11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

→ Garnish and Dipping

12 - 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
13 - 1 cup prepared salsa
14 - 0.5 cup sour cream
15 - 1 avocado, sliced (optional)
16 - Lime wedges (optional)

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, combine cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, black beans, red bell pepper, green onion, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
03 - Cut each tortilla in half to create 32 semicircles.
04 - Place 1 tablespoon of cheese mixture on each tortilla semicircle. Fold the straight edge over the filling to form a triangle, pressing gently to seal.
05 - Arrange the quesadilla triangles with points facing inward and slightly overlapping in a tight ring on the baking sheet to form a blooming flower shape.
06 - Brush the tops of all quesadilla triangles with melted butter.
07 - Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until tortillas are golden and cheese is fully melted.
08 - Slide the blooming ring onto a serving platter. Sprinkle fresh cilantro over the top.
09 - Place salsa, sour cream, and avocado slices in small bowls in the center of the ring. Serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like you hired a caterer but you actually just folded tortillas into triangles and arranged them in a circle.
  • Everyone pulls their own piece so there's no awkward cutting or serving, just happy grabbing and dipping.
  • You can make it cheesy and simple or load it up with whatever's lurking in your fridge and it still works.
02 -
  • Don't overfill the triangles or the cheese will leak out and glue them to the pan, and yes, I learned this by making a cheesy disaster my first attempt.
  • Brushing with butter instead of oil makes a real difference in flavor and crispness, it's worth the extra step even if you're tempted to skip it.
  • Serve this immediately while it's still warm and crispy, because once it sits for too long the tortillas soften and lose that satisfying crunch.
03 -
  • Press the edges of each triangle firmly after folding so the filling doesn't escape during baking, a little pressure goes a long way.
  • Use a round pizza pan or cake pan as a guide when arranging your ring if you want it to be perfectly circular and symmetrical.
  • If your tortillas are stiff or cracking, warm them in the microwave for 10 seconds wrapped in a damp towel to make them pliable.
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