Cheesy Green Chile and Avocado Rice Quesadillas.

Cheesy Green Chile and Avocado Rice Quesadillas. Cheese, rice, smashed avocado, and roasted poblano peppers…all tucked inside soft flour tortillas, then pan-fried until warm and crispy. These easy vegetarian quesadillas come together quickly and include simple ingredients. They’re crispy on the outside and cheesy inside. Serve with a fresh roasted serrano pepper cilantro lime salsa and sour cream. Great for dinner and simple to throw together.

I’m sure I’ve shared this story before, but when I first started cooking as a young teen, I would make quesadillas. Nothing fancy, just really delicious food. Cheesy quesadillas are just of those meals that everyone loves! My brothers would eat them almost every day. They’d usually go snowboarding after school (once we had moved to Colorado), so when they got off the hill they always needed a pre-dinner snack.

Sure, they’d throw frozen pizzas or bagel bites into the oven on occasion. But I swear, almost daily they would request one of my quesadillas.

We’d always, always have leftover rice and chicken in our fridge, so I’d make chicken, rice, and cheese quesadillas. I’d add taco seasoning for flavor, but that was about it. And they LOVED them.

These days I’ve upgraded to a bit more flavor, but the thing I’ve never given up is the rice. Rice-filled cheese quesadillas really are one of the most delicious, simple meals.

We loved them then and we still love them today. Today’s quesadillas are vegetarian with roasted poblano peppers and avocado. They’re a family favorite and so easy to make. Under 30 minutes, and very little prep!

Char the peppers

You could use canned green chilies, but charring fresh poblanos always tastes so much better, and it’s easy to do.

Just broil the peppers along with either a serrano or jalapeño pepper and garlic until lightly charred. This only takes minutes and is practically mess-free.

The serrano (or jalapeño) and garlic are for the salsa. Take both, chop them, and mix with fresh cilantro, green onion, lime, and olive oil. This is a peppery herb-style salsa, so it’s a little different, but a really nice fresh topping for these quesadillas.

Make the quesadillas

Now, simply assemble the quesadillas. I find it easier to make half-circle quesadillas as opposed to larger round quesadillas. The half-size is just so much easier to work with.

Layer the tortillas (make sure you try my homemade flour tortillas!) with cheese and rice. Then add the mashed avocado. Tip, add a squeeze of lime juice + a pinch of sea salt to preserve the color and add flavor.

Next, layer on the poblanos and a spoonful of salsa verde. Don’t overfill your quesadillas, that just makes them messy and difficult to flip. Thinner quesadillas are best.

Pan fry each in a skillet, then enjoy with plenty of the cilantro salsa and a dollop of yogurt.

These really aren’t anything fancy, they’re just really delicious food. I love making these when the fridge is empty and all I can find are cheese, rice, and avocados. And there’s almost always some kind of pepper in my fridge. And if not, there’s always a jar of salsa verde in the pantry.

Perfect easy meal – just one of those meals that everyone loves!

Looking for Mexican dinners? Here are my favorites: 

One Skillet White Chicken Chili Bake

Cheesy Green Chile Chicken

Skillet Chicken Fajitas with Creamy Jalapeño Verde Sauce

Cauliflower Al Pastor Quesadillas

Lastly, if you make these, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!