Impress your guests with this blooming quesadilla ring! Quesadillas are a great appetizer and dinner recipe, but a quesadilla ring takes this easy, crowd-pleasing recipe to a whole new level!
Using tortilla shells that are cut in half, filled with chicken and cheese, and rolled up, then, placed in a giant ring. This pull-apart appetizer is always a fan favorite!
Blooming Quesadilla Ring – Feeds a Crowd!
This blooming quesadilla ring recipe is a unique appetizer dish that everyone goes crazy over. This show-stopping appetizer is great for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and always a total hit at our Super Bowl party!
You can serve these quesadillas with your choice of sides and garnishes. I like to have sides of shredded lettuce, olives, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.
That way each person can top it off and make their quesadilla however they like. Not only is this so delish, but it also looks amazing. It’s called the blooming quesadilla because it looks like a flower when it’s all put together!
Ingredients / Shopping List
- 20 soft flour tortillas
- 4 cups finely shredded Colby and Monterey jack cheese
- 3 cups shredded cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast
- 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
- ½ cup finely diced sweet yellow onion,
- ½ cup finely diced red onion
- ½ cup salsa, your favorite brand
- 1 cup taco sauce, your favorite brand
- 2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (optional garnish)
Additions & Substitutions
Chicken: I like to use shredded chicken, it makes for less mess and blends well in the quesadillas. If you want to save time, you could get a cooked rotisserie chicken and shred it up or I love to use pre-cooked chicken that is packaged from Costco. It is all cut up and ready to use!
Beyond chicken you could also use seasoned ground beef. Or, if you want to make a vegetarian option you could simply use cheese, or add in more vegetables.
Cheese: Any combination of cheeses will work here. The spice lovers out there might want to try using pepper jack. I know some recipes also use mozzarella. You can use whichever cheeses you like. Many times, I will use whatever I have in the fridge at home.
Peppers: As with the cheese, you can also use any color of bell pepper for your quesadillas. Personally I find that the yellow peppers are a bit more mild and don’t overpower things. But, many people prefer to use green or red peppers and that’s just fine!
How to Make This Blooming Quesadilla Ring Recipe
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a large glass in the center of the sheet.
- Cut tortillas in half. Set aside.
- Combine the chicken, pepper, onions, salsa, and taco sauce. Stir well.
- Fill tortillas with this mixture. Sprinkle cheese on top of each one.
- Roll each filled tortilla into a cone shape.
- Place the pointed end of the cone touching the wide glass on the baking sheet.
- Form a ring around the glass.
- After one ring is complete, sprinkle cheese on top.
- Repeat the ring of cones for a second layer.
- Top with colby and monterey jack cheeses.
- Repeat for the 3rd ring.
- Remove the glass jar.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.
Tips for Making Blooming Quesadilla Ring
Tip 1: You can use a drinking glass or a jar for the center of your ring. You just want to make sure that the mouth is wide enough to make a circle that’s about 2 inches wide.
Tip 2: Do not overfill your tortillas. This is a must, because it will create a huge mess for you!
Tip 3: Be careful not to squish out the filling. This shouldn’t be a problem if you follow tip 2, but you just want to be sure you’re not rolling them too tight and squeezing out the filling.
Tip 4: Make sure to put down parchment paper before making this ring. It will help you with transferring and serving your quesadilla. It will also help make cleaning up super easy! If you are wanting to trim the excess parchment paper to make the appearance better, be very careful not to touch the hot cheese, as you could burn yourself.
How to Store and Reheat
To Store: Any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. This is a tricky one to reheat.
To Reheat: I usually place the leftovers on a sheet pan in the oven and broil to reheat. That way the tortilla shells stay crispy. You can also use the microwave, but the shells may get a bit soggy.
More Easy Appetizers
Baked Salami Appetizer | Sheet Pan Nachos | Pull-Apart Pizza Bread | Pull-Apart Pigs in a Blanket | Rotel Dip {Only 3 Ingredients!} | The Best 7 Layer Dip {Easy Recipe} | Rotel Dip {Only 3 Ingredients!} | Cauliflower Pizza | Easy Guacamole | Homemade Soft Pretzels | Mini Cheese Ball Bites | Giant Party Sub | Loaded Tater Tot Cups
Blooming Quesadilla Ring
Video
Ingredients
- 20 soft flour tortillas
- 4 cups finely shredded colby and monterey jack cheese
- 3 cups shredded cooked skinless boneless chicken breast
- 1 yellow bell pepper seeded and diced
- ½ cup finely diced sweet yellow onion
- ½ cup finely diced red onion
- ½ cup salsa your favorite brand
- 1 cup taco sauce your favorite brand
- 2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put a large, wide mouth glass jar in the center of the baking sheet.
- Using a cutting board and a sharp knife, or a pizza cutter, cut the tortilla’s in half. Cover the halved tortilla’s with a clean dry cloth and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded cooked chicken, diced yellow pepper, finely diced yellow and red onion, the salsa and the taco sauce. Stir well until all of the ingredients are completely incorporated.
- Sprinkle 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons each of the shredded colby monterey jack cheese and the chicken mixture.
- Roll each of the halved, “filled” tortillas into a cone shape. Be careful not to squish out the filling. The small, pointed ends of the cones need to touch the wide mouth jar and form a ring around the jar.
- Once you have made a complete bottom layer, about 12-13 cones, sprinkle 3/4 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese on top of the ring.
- Repeat the ring of cones for a second layer, and top with 1 cup of the colby and monterey jack cheese.
- Repeat for the 3rd and final ring. Remove the glass jar from the center of the cones.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the edges of the cones are golden brown and the cheese is melted.
- Using the edges of the parchment paper, carefully transfer the quesadilla ring to a heat safe serving plate. (If you are wanting to trim the excess parchment paper, be very careful not to touch the hot cheese)
- Serve the quesadilla ring with your favorite salsa or dipping sauce. Any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Jenn’s Notes
Nutrition Info
This is the easiest and most delicious quesadilla dish to make for get-togethers and gatherings. The blooming quesadilla ring will feed a large crowd, and it’s sure to be a hit. Serve it alongside your favorite toppings, and each person can make the quesadilla of their dreams!
Modified the ingredients but followed the assembly/baking/serving technique…great presentation! Big hit – TYSM!!
Hi Connie! So glad it was a hit!
what size tortilla shells are used 6 inch or 10 inch
You want to use between 5-8 inch
Can I make ahead and freeze? Planning a surprise party.
loved this!