Cheesy Spinach Mushroom Quesadilla

Q: What’s the Best Cheese for Quesadillas With Spinach and Mushrooms?

I’ll be using three cheeses in this Cheesy Spinach and Mushroom Quesadilla recipe, which are: Mozzarella Gouda Cream cheese Of course, neither of these cheeses are authentic to a quesadilla! However, I wanted to make this recipe accessible to everyone, so I’ve chosen a combination of cheeses that you can find at any grocery store. I chose mozzarella to get the amazing stringiness and cheese pulls. However, as I always say when I use mozzarella in my recipes, it doesn’t have much flavour! At Whole Foods, I found this delicious cumin-spiced gouda cheese, which complemented the spinach and mushroom mixture really well. Of course, you can use any type of gouda you’d like! Lastly, we have cream cheese. This is to add some creaminess to the spinach and mushroom mixture and bind everything together. You can use plain cream cheese if you want, but if you like flavoured cream cheese, then go for it! I really love cream cheese with chives or even the “everything” flavoured cream cheese from my local bagel shop. Now, the authentic choice for the melting cheese would be Queso Chihuahua cheese, but after calling a bunch of Mexican stores in my area, none of them had it. If you’re able to find it, then I definitely recommend you go with that, but if not, then don’t worry! This combination was absolutely delicious and melty.

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About this recipe

Crispy, cheesy, and packed with savory spinach and mushrooms, this hearty quesadilla recipe makes the perfect vegetarian lunch or dinner. Ready in minutes and impossible to resist.

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Cinco de Mayo has just passed right before you’re seeing this recipe! However, that doesn’t mean Mexican-inspired recipes suddenly need to stop! As far as I know, busy work days will always exist, and one of my favourite dinners over the past month has been these vegetarian quesadillas with a cheesy mushroom and spinach filling. I’ve had them once a week for the past 4 weeks, no joke! These spinach mushroom and cheese quesadillas are so fast to make and as you’ll soon see, there’s not much hands-on work required!

As I mention in my Make Cooking Fun!! free motivational guide to explore your potential in the kitchen, having a theme can inspire you to try new tasty creations! Just because you’re short on time doesn’t mean you can’t whip up a delicious meal, and I’m sure that this quesadilla recipe will become one of your new go-to dinners - it definitely is for me! Plus, who doesn’t love a cheesy quesadilla?

Be sure to watch the video so you can follow along with all the steps to make these delicious mushroom and spinach cheesy quesadillas! Please subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already, and don’t forget to press the bell icon so you receive the notification when the video recipes go live along with the video ones! Let’s get cooking!

Hand holding a spinach and mushroom quesadilla with melted cheese, with more quesadillas on a plate in the background.

Why You’ll Love These Spinach and Mushroom Quesadillas!

Easy vegetarian recipe: This is an excellent delicious vegetarian quesadilla recipe! You’ll love the creamy filling from the cheesy spinach and mushroom filling! Plus, this cheesy spinach and mushroom quesadilla is super easy to make, where the majority of the work is preparing the filling. Cooking on the stove is just the finishing touch!
Minimal ingredients and prep: The only prep we’ll need to do is chop our mushrooms and spinach and grate cheese. This shouldn’t take you much time at all!
Kid-friendly: If you’re struggling to get kids to eat their greens, then I guarantee that this amazing quesadilla recipe will be adored by kids! The cheesy filling really balances out the spinach here. If you’re looking to put your heart on a plate for your family and show your love to your kids by ensuring they get their greens but in a fun way, then I certainly encourage you to try this cheesy mushroom and spinach quesadilla recipe as part of your Live to Cook one-month challenge! You can get started for free today by signing up to my email newsletter, plus all of my latest recipes will be sent directly to your inbox so you never run out of dinner inspiration!
Minimal dishes: This can be a really important fact when considering what to make for dinner after a long day. The good news is that you don’t need many dishes to prepare these quesadillas! You’ll just need one pan where you can cook the mushrooms and spinach, and then wipe that down to cook the quesadillas. You’ll also need a cutting board to chop the veggies and a bowl to transfer the cheesy spinach and mushroom filling in. You won’t be left with tons of dishes to deal with after your delicious meal, which I know I always appreciate!

Questions You May Have!

What’s the Best Cheese for Quesadillas With Spinach and Mushrooms?▼

I’ll be using three cheeses in this Cheesy Spinach and Mushroom Quesadilla recipe, which are:

Mozzarella
Gouda
Cream cheese

Of course, neither of these cheeses are authentic to a quesadilla! However, I wanted to make this recipe accessible to everyone, so I’ve chosen a combination of cheeses that you can find at any grocery store. I chose mozzarella to get the amazing stringiness and cheese pulls. However, as I always say when I use mozzarella in my recipes, it doesn’t have much flavour! At Whole Foods, I found this delicious cumin-spiced gouda cheese, which complemented the spinach and mushroom mixture really well. Of course, you can use any type of gouda you’d like! Lastly, we have cream cheese. This is to add some creaminess to the spinach and mushroom mixture and bind everything together. You can use plain cream cheese if you want, but if you like flavoured cream cheese, then go for it! I really love cream cheese with chives or even the “everything” flavoured cream cheese from my local bagel shop.

Now, the authentic choice for the melting cheese would be Queso Chihuahua cheese, but after calling a bunch of Mexican stores in my area, none of them had it. If you’re able to find it, then I definitely recommend you go with that, but if not, then don’t worry! This combination was absolutely delicious and melty.

Spinach mushroom and cheese quesadilla being held, showing melted cheese and filling between toasted flour tortillas.

What Type of Tortilla Do You Use for This Mushroom Spinach and Cheese Quesadilla Recipe?▼

I’m using flour tortillas. These are the best choice since they are very soft and pliable, making these perfect to hold a filling and to fold and then cut. Corn tortillas are more flimsy and tend to break easily. It’s not impossible to make a quesadilla with corn tortillas, but it will be more challenging to ensure that they won’t break.

What size of tortilla should I use for Cheesy Veggie Quesadillas?▼

Quesadillas are made with 10 inch tortillas, which tend to be labelled as “large” tortillas on the package. These are the best choice because you’ll be able to add significantly more filling than in smaller medium-sized tortillas, which are 8 inches, and you’ll have large triangles when serving! As per the section above, I’ve not been able to find large corn tortillas, but if you do see 10 inch corn tortillas, you can use them if you really want to, but you’ll need to be extra careful and warm the tortillas first and then make sure toto not over stuff them for the quesadillas.

Can You use Frozen Spinach For this Quesadilla Recipe?▼

Yes, you definitely can! If you are using frozen spinach in this quesadilla recipe, ensure that you fully defrost it and squeeze out the excess moisture. You have to be very diligent when using frozen spinach because if you don’t drain the water out completely, then you’ll end up with soggy quesadillas, and nobody wants that!

What’s the difference between baking and pan-frying the quesadillas?▼

The key difference between baking and pan-frying quesadillas is the smokiness. In my opinion, I prefer the char and crispiness that comes from pan-frying the quesadillas that you just don’t get from baking them. Additionally, I prefer pan-frying quesadillas because and I find the quesadillas cook faster on the pan overall.

With the oven baked method though, it’s much more convenient to get an even crispy all throughout and to prepare several quesadillas at once. Both are delicious, you pick, and be sure to let me know whaich method is your favourite!

What to Serve with Spinach and Mushroom Quesadillas

While this cheesy spinach mushroom quesadilla recipe is super delicious to enjoy by itself, you may want some sides or condiments for dipping to go with these quesadillas, then be sure to try out any of the following:

Hand holding a golden quesadilla filled with spinach and melted cheese, with more quesadillas on a plate behind it.

Tools to Make Spinach Mushroom and Cheese Quesadillas

Ingredients for Cheesy Spinach and Mushroom Quesadillas

Scroll to the bottom of this post for the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD to see all ingredient quantities and to save the recipe for later. You can also scale the recipe based on how much spinach and mushrooms you’ve got on hand so that you have just the right amount of ingredients to make enough filling for the number of quesadillas you want to prepare - it’s all calculated for you!

Ingredients laid out for spinach mushroom cheese quesadillas: tortilla, sliced mushrooms, fresh spinach, shredded cheese, garlic, and sour cream.

Mushrooms: I’m using brown cremini mushrooms because those are my favourite! I like the little extra bite they have. However, if you’ve got white button mushrooms, then these will definitely work too!
Spinach: I’m using fresh baby spinach. We’ll need to chop it before sautéing.
Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves that we’ll mince to cook with the mushroom and spinach filling.
White wine: Optional, but adding a splash of white wine will enhance the flavours of the mushrooms, and I do really recommend it! To be honest with you I had this out and I forgot to use it, but when I’ve prepared this quesadilla recipe before, I’ve used white wine when making the mushrooms and it really adds so much flavour.
Green chilies: A touch of green chilies to add a little bit of heat to the filling. You can omit these or replace with jalapeños if you would like.
Salt and pepper: Essential seasoning for the quesadilla filling.
Olive oil: Used to cook the spinach and mushroom filling, plus we’ll add a bit more to pan-fry the quesadillas. You could also cook with butter if you would like.
Cheeses: As mentioned above, we have grated mozzarella, gouda, and cream cheese.
Flour tortillas: I’m using regular white flour tortillas for this recipe, but if you want to use whole wheat or even flavoured tortillas that are 10 inches, then go ahead and do that!

How to Make Crispy Cheesy Mushroom Spinach Quesadillas

Prepare the Filling

Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add ½ tsp olive oil, then the sliced mushrooms with a pinch of salt.

Olive oil being drizzled into a dark skillet on a stovetop.

Sliced mushrooms sautéing in a black pan over medium heat, releasing moisture.

Sauté until the mushrooms release their moisture and reduce in volume by about half (approx. 7–9 minutes).

Sliced mushrooms sautéing in a dark pan, partially cooked and reduced in volume.

Sliced mushrooms being sautéed in a black pan with a wooden spatula, releasing moisture and reducing in volume.

Add the minced garlic and chopped chilies, and cook for another 3–4 minutes until fragrant.

Sliced mushrooms sautéing in a black wok with green onions and minced garlic scattered on top.

Sautéed mushrooms in a dark pan being stirred with a wooden spoon, releasing moisture and reduced in volume.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, then transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Sliced mushrooms cooking in a dark skillet with garlic and green chillies visible throughout.

Sliced mushrooms being stirred in a pan with visible garlic and spices during cooking.

In the same pan, add the spinach. Cook for 2–3 minutes until wilted, stirring frequently.

Fresh spinach wilting in a dark skillet during cooking.

Fresh spinach wilting in a black pan over heat with a wooden spoon stirring

Return the mushroom mixture to the pan with the spinach. Turn off the heat.

Sautéed sliced mushrooms and wilted spinach mixed together in a black skillet on a stovetop.

Cooked mushrooms and spinach mixture in a black pan with a wooden spoon, ready for cream cheese to be added.

Add the cream cheese and mix thoroughly until everything is evenly combined and creamy.

Cream cheese being added to a pan of cooked mushrooms and spinach mixture on the stovetop.

Cream cheese being stirred into a pan of cooked mushrooms and spinach on a stovetop.

Assemble the Quesadillas

Lay a tortilla flat and sprinkle half of one side with shredded gouda.

Hands spreading shredded cheese over two flat tortillas on a dark surface during quesadilla assembly.

Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of the spinach-mushroom filling over the cheese.

Tortilla filled with shredded cheese and cooked spinach-mushroom mixture being prepared for folding into a quesadilla.

Top with shredded mozzarella and fold the tortilla in half, pressing gently.

Hands spooning spinach and mushroom filling with melted cheese onto an open flour tortilla before folding into a quesadilla.

Hands pressing a folded tortilla filled with spinach-mushroom mixture and melted cheese into a quesadilla shape.

Heat ½ tsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.

Place a quesadilla in the pan and cook for 2–3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and the cheese is melted.

Hand pressing a folded quesadilla in a skillet to cook until golden brown.

Golden-brown quesadilla being flipped in a skillet with a spatula, showing melted cheese inside.

Repeat with the remaining quesadillas. Add more oil as needed.

If you’re making multiple quesadillas, place the cooked ones on a wire rack over a baking sheet in a 200°F (95°C) oven to keep them warm and crisp.

Let quesadillas rest for 1 minute before slicing into thirds.

Hands slicing a cooked quesadilla into thirds on a white cutting board.

Serve hot and enjoy!

Spinach mushroom and cheese quesadilla sliced in half, showing melted cheese and sautéed mushrooms with herbs inside.

Tips for Perfect Quesadillas

Add extra flavour by sprinkling a pinch of smoked paprika, cumin or chili flakes to the mushroom mixture.
Swap the cheeses with smoked gouda and aged cheddar for a more intense flavour.
Use traditional Mexican Queso Chihuahua cheese for an authentic flavour.
Leave a small gap at the edges of the tortilla to provide room for the toppings to spread as you fold and cook the quesadillas.
A low profile spatula - like a fish spatula is great to flip and handle the quesadillas gently and melt the cheese faster.

Variations of Spinach Mushroom and Cheese Quesadillas

Greens: You could replace the spinach with kale or use a 50/50 mix.
Add beans: For some extra plant-based protein, you could add in black beans or pinto beans. Check out my guide to cooking beans in the Instant Pot if you’re using dried beans!
Gluten-free: If you’re looking for a gluten-free option, you can use a corn tortilla, but be sure to handle them with extra care.
Cheeses: I recommend you keep the formula of a cheese that melts well and a flavourful semi-hard cheese. You could try provolone in place of mozzarella, and instead of gouda you could try Havarti, Gruyere, Monterey Jack, pepper jack, or even a strong white or yellow cheddar. You could even add in some feta cheese.
Creaminess: Instead of cream cheese, ricotta, cottage cheese, or mascarpone will also be great here. You can even make your own ricotta or mascarpone cheeses from scratch!

Can I make Spinach Mushroom and Cheese Quesadillas In Advance?▼

I really recommend that you enjoy your spinach mushroom and cheese quesadillas piping hot and fresh! They will be the most delicious here, and the filling won’t make the tortillas soggy. However, if you do end up with leftovers for whatever reason, then you can definitely keep them in the fridge and reheat the next day. On the other hand, the best case scenario would be that you prepare enough quesadillas that you will actually eat fresh, and then simply store the cheesy mushroom and spinach filling to make quesadillas later on. Let’s go over both scenarios.

Storing Leftover Quesadillas

The best way to store these quesadillas would be in aluminum foil or you can transfer them into an airtight container. The quesadillas will stay fresh in the fridge for about 2 to 3 days, depending on the freshness of the ingredients used to make the filling.

How to Reheat Cheesy Veggie Quesadillas▼

Quesadillas can easily be reheated in the oven or over the stove. To reheat these cheesy vegetarian quesadillas over the stove, place a non-stick pan on medium-low, and heat until the cheese is molten and the quesadilla is entirely warmed through.

To reheat in the oven, preheat the oven to 400. Place the quesadillas on a baking sheet and heat until the cheese is molten and the spinach and mushroom filling is entirely warmed through.

When you reheat the quesadillas, they won’t be as crispy on the outside as when they are freshly made, but they’ll still taste really great!

Storing Leftover Cheesy Mushroom and Spinach Filling

Simply store the filling in an airtight container in the fridge. Due to the garlic and dairy in the mushroom and spinach filling, I would not recommend keeping it in the fridge for longer than 3 to 4 days. You can use the leftover filling to make more quesadillas if you would like, but this would also be great in other sandwiches and wraps, or even perhaps some pasta!

A quick tip on the mushrooms: baby bella (cremini) mushrooms bring the richest, meatiest flavour here, though white button mushrooms work too — just stir them often as they cook so they brown rather than steam. Serve the quesadillas hot, cut into wedges, with a bowl of guacamole, salsa, or sour cream for dipping, and finish with a squeeze of lime and a little extra black pepper.

Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!

Recipe by Anadi Misra

Hearty Spinach Mushroom and Cheese Quesadilla Recipe

Crispy, cheesy, and packed with savory spinach and mushrooms, this hearty quesadilla recipe makes the perfect vegetarian lunch or dinner. Ready in minutes and impossible to resist.

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10 min

Prep

20 min

Cook

5 min

Rest

35 min

Total

quesadillas

easy

Level

Ingredients

Tap any quantity to scale

For the Filling

(540 g) mushrooms(washed and sliced)
(240 g) spinach(roughly chopped)
green chillies(finely chopped, adjust to taste)
garlic cloves(minced)
(120 g) mozzarella cheese(shredded)
(105 g) gouda cheese(shredded)
(60 ml) cream cheese
salt(to taste)Shop →
pepper(to taste)Shop →

For the quesadilla

10-inch flour tortillas
(5 ml) olive oil(or as needed, for pan cooking)Shop →

Instructions

For the filling

1
Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add ½ tsp olive oil, then the sliced mushrooms with a pinch of salt.
Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add ½ tsp olive oil, then the sliced mushrooms with a pinch of salt.
2
Sauté until the mushrooms release their moisture and reduce in volume by about half (approx. 7–9 minutes).
Sauté until the mushrooms release their moisture and reduce in volume by about half (approx. 7–9 minutes).
3
Add the minced garlic and chopped chillies, and cook for another 3–4 minutes until fragrant.
Add the minced garlic and chopped chillies, and cook for another 3–4 minutes until fragrant.
4
Season with salt and pepper to taste, then transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl and set aside.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, then transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl and set aside.
5
In the same pan, add the spinach. Cook for 2–3 minutes until wilted, stirring frequently.
In the same pan, add the spinach. Cook for 2–3 minutes until wilted, stirring frequently.
6
Return the mushroom mixture to the pan with the spinach. Turn off the heat.
Return the mushroom mixture to the pan with the spinach. Turn off the heat.
7
Add the cream cheese and mix thoroughly until everything is evenly combined and creamy.
Add the cream cheese and mix thoroughly until everything is evenly combined and creamy.

To make the quesadillas

1
Lay a tortilla flat and sprinkle half of one side with shredded gouda.
Lay a tortilla flat and sprinkle half of one side with shredded gouda.
2
Spoon 2–3 tbsp of the spinach-mushroom filling over the cheese.
Spoon 2–3 tbsp of the spinach-mushroom filling over the cheese.
3
Top with shredded mozzarella and fold the tortilla in half, pressing gently.
Top with shredded mozzarella and fold the tortilla in half, pressing gently.
4
Heat ½ tsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Heat ½ tsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
5
Place a quesadilla in the pan and cook for 2–3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Place a quesadilla in the pan and cook for 2–3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and the cheese is melted.
6
Repeat with the remaining quesadillas. Add more oil as needed.
Repeat with the remaining quesadillas. Add more oil as needed.
7
If you’re making multiple quesadillas, place the cooked ones on a wire rack over a baking sheet in a 200°F (95°C) oven to keep them warm and crisp.
If you’re making multiple quesadillas, place the cooked ones on a wire rack over a baking sheet in a 200°F (93°C) (95°C) oven to keep them warm and crisp.
8
Let quesadillas rest for 1 minute before slicing into thirds.
Let quesadillas rest for 1 minute before slicing into thirds.
9
Serve hot and enjoy!
Serve hot and enjoy!

Notes

•To heat the quesadillas, you can also place the quesadillas on a baking sheet and let them heat in the broiler. It will take about a minute on each side. Ensure that the tortillas don't puff up.

Nutrition per serving

577

Calories

32g

Protein

43g

Carbs

33g

Fat

Fiber

Sugar

1865mg

Sodium

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Tested & written in Anadi’s kitchen

Why You’ll Love These Spinach and Mushroom Quesadillas!

Questions You May Have!

What to Serve with Spinach and Mushroom Quesadillas

Tools to Make Spinach Mushroom and Cheese Quesadillas

Ingredients for Cheesy Spinach and Mushroom Quesadillas