I get recipe inspiration in a lot of really weird places sometimes, but possibly the weirdest is when I was caught in the most brutal rainstorm I've ever driven through this summer. I was on the way back from paddle boarding at the lake and it took twice as long to get down the very long road leading to the lake before I got back "into town". Given the intense rainfall, I'm not sure how or why but I glanced over and saw that some restaurant was advertising Chorizo Quesadillas on their letter board by the road. How did I even see that in such a downpour?! I wasn't sure where it was, but I got home finally and Googled it. Turns out, it's Cookout that has chorizo quesadillas on their menu.
But still the idea stayed with me through those treacherous miles home and on the way the next day, to Trader Joe's, I thought about it again, except with a TJ's twist. Soyrizo quesadillas. That's Trader Joe's soy chorizo that those of us who know about and love it, but ... in the quesadilla. With cheese, and caramelized onions. Basically, that's the recipe. You almost don't need to go any further, really. But don't feel like you can't, cause the recipe is right below.
Hot tip: turn the heat down for the second quesadilla, they always cook faster... evidence below. I was a nice wife and made Patrick his first so it would be nice and hot.
Soyrizo Quesadilla
Ingredients
- 2 10" tortillas
- spray cooking oil
- ½ serving Trader Joe's soy chorizo
- 1 ½ cups Monterrey jack cheese
- ½ cup caramelized onions
- salsa, sour cream, and chopped scallions for serving
Instructions
- Spray a large frying pan with the cooking spray and heat over medium heat until warmed through.
- Place the tortilla in the pan and let heat for 30 seconds. Flip over.
- Add a quarter of the cheese to one half of the tortilla. Immediately add half of the soyrizo and spread evenly, then half of the caramelized onions, and top with another quarter of the cheese.
- With a spatula, fold over the unadorned side of the tortilla to cover the other side. Press down with the spatula.
- Let heat through for 1 minute, then use the spatula to carefully flip the quesadilla over. Cook for another minute or until both sides are browned and the cheese is melted.
- Repeat this process for the other tortilla and remaining ingredients.
- Cut the quesadillas into 2, 3, or 4 pieces as desired. Top with a thin layer of sour cream on one side of each triangle, and dip into a ramekin of salsa.
A quesadilla itself isn't enough to fill me up for a meal, so I pair it with a yellow rice mix. It's fine, but it would be better if I took the time to make a real tex-mex style rice like this recipe from Eating Well that I've used before. But since this was a quick lunch, shortcuts and compromises were made.
Want another quesadilla? Try corn and cheese quesadillas! How about other meat alternatives?
