Make-Ahead Frozen Breakfast Quesadillas Recipe

By Spruce Eats Staff
Updated on 09/14/22
Tested by Mary Jo Romano
Make-Ahead Frozen Breakfast Quesadillas Recipe

The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Freeze Time: 80 mins
Total: 105 mins
Servings: 3 servings

Having a quick breakfast doesn’t have to mean having a boring (or carboloaded) breakfast. These vegetarian breakfast quesadillas are packed with flavor and protein. For an easy morning treat, make these ahead of time and freeze, then microwave or heat them in a frying pan when you’re ready to eat. Heating in a frying pan will give them a crispier finish.

This recipe is made simple by using canned black beans, but you can prepare the beans yourself from dried beans. The corn can be prepared by boiling or steaming fresh corn ears or by using frozen corn or canned corn.

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“I truly had never considered making burritos and freezing them individually for easy morning grab, heat and eat. I am sold! The ease of making these plus the tremendous freedom in the future mornings when I am rushed is wonderful. Next time I will double the recipe. Reheats well!” —Mary Jo Romano

Make-Ahead Frozen Breakfast Quesadillas Recipe/Tester Image
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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oil, such as olive or canola

  • 4 large eggs, whisked

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

  • 1/2 cup rinsed and drained canned black beans

  • 1/2 cup rinsed and drained canned corn

  • 1/4 cup red onion, diced

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

  • 1/2 tablespoon taco seasoning

  • 3 medium flour tortillas

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    ingredients to make breakfast quesadills

    The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

  2. Heat the oil in a large, nonstick skillet. Add the eggs and a pinch of salt. Cook to your liking. Set aside.

    scrambled eggs in skillet

    The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

  3. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, shredded cheese, black beans, corn, onion, cilantro, taco seasoning, and salt to taste, if desired. 

    scrambled eggs mixed with black beans, corn and spices

    The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

  4. Lay the tortillas on a work surface. Divide the filling mixture evenly on one side of each tortilla and fold over. Let come to room temperature. 

    tortillas filled with scrambled egg and bean mixture

    The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

  5. Transfer the quesadillas to a parchment lined plate and freeze for about 1 hour.

    quesadillas on parchment paper

    The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

  6. Individually wrap each quesadilla for freezer storage. Label each bag with the contents and the date.

    quesadillas in plastic zip baggies

    The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

Reheating

To reheat, you can microwave the quesadilla for about 1 minute until the cheese is melted. You can also heat in a skillet until the cheese is melted and tortilla is brown, or warm them in a toaster oven. Serve with fresh salsa or simply eat them on the go.

Tips

  • Not everyone loves cilantro, so you can leave that out if it's not to your taste.
  • These frozen breakfast quesadillas should keep for two months in the freezer.
  • You can remove them from the freezer to the refrigerator to defrost the night before you want them for breakfast, or you can simply reheat them without defrosting—but it will take a little extra time in the microwave, frying pan, or toaster oven and they may not heat evenly.

Recipe Variations

  • Instead of four whole eggs, use one large egg and three egg whites.
  • If you like things a little spicier, add chopped jalapeños or a dash of hot pepper sauce to the quesadillas.
  • Pump up the veggies by including chopped roasted red peppers, bell peppers, or canned diced green chiles. Or steam and chop spinach, chard, or kale to add to the quesadillas.
  • You can use a shredded Mexican cheese blend rather than cheddar.
  • When it comes to beans, any type will work, including pinto beans.
  • If beans don't suit your digestion, you could eliminate them and add corn and more vegetables.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
902 Calories
34g Fat
115g Carbs
34g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3
Amount per serving
Calories 902
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 34g 43%
Saturated Fat 11g 55%
Cholesterol 276mg 92%
Sodium 1556mg 68%
Total Carbohydrate 115g 42%
Dietary Fiber 10g 35%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 34g
Vitamin C 3mg 14%
Calcium 327mg 25%
Iron 8mg 45%
Potassium 557mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)