Mexican · main

Grilled Corn and Poblano Quesadillas

Grilled Corn and Poblano Quesadillas reads richness 5.9, citrus 5.5 and sourness 5.0 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Mexican main, about 49 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.6 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 4.5 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 7.0 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 3.1 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.6 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Richness 5.9 · Citrus 5.5 · Sourness 5.0 · Umami 4.1 · Sweetness 3.9 · Salinity 3.8 · Herbaceous 3.4 · Earthy 2.8 · Heat 2.4 · Nutty 2.3 · Allium 2.2 · Fruity 2.0 · Bitterness 1.8 · Warm Spice 1.6 · Funk & Ferment 1.5 · Floral 1.1

What's in it (12)

• corn — 100 g
• poblano chiles — 200 g
• red onion — 110 g
• olive oil — 14 g
• monterey jack and pepper cheese — 227 g
• sharp white cheddar — 113 g
• cilantro — 15 g
• lime — 65 g
• cumin — 5 g
• salt — 4 g
• flour tortillas — 800 g
• unsalted butter — 41 g

Time & effort: about 49 min (47 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 221.5 kcal, 8.6 g protein, 9.1 g fat, 30.6 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (12 steps)

1. Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for direct, medium-high heat (about 450 F); set a large cast-iron skillet or griddle on the grate to preheat alongside it.
2. Brush the corn, poblanos, and onion rounds with the olive oil.
3. Grill the corn directly on the grate, turning every few minutes, until charred in spots and tender, 10-12 minutes; transfer to a plate.
4. Grill the poblanos, turning occasionally, until the skins are blistered and blackened on all sides, 8-10 minutes; transfer to a bowl, cover, and let steam 10 minutes to loosen the skins.
5. Grill the onion rounds until charred and softened, about 4-5 minutes per side; transfer to the plate with the corn.
6. Cut the kernels from the corn cobs (about 1 1/2 cups), roughly chop the grilled onion, and peel, seed, and dice the steamed poblanos.
7. In a large bowl, toss the corn, poblano, onion, Monterey Jack, cheddar, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, and 3/4 teaspoon salt until evenly combined.
8. Lay 4 tortillas on a work surface; mound the filling evenly over each, leaving a 1/2-inch border, and top with the remaining 4 tortillas.
9. Brush both outer sides of each quesadilla with the softened butter.
10. Working in batches on the preheated skillet over medium-high grill heat, cook the quesadillas until deeply golden and crisp on the first side, 3-4 minutes.
11. Flip and cook until the second side is golden and crisp and the cheese is fully melted, 3-4 minutes more.
12. Transfer to a cutting board, rest 2 minutes so the cheese sets slightly, then cut into wedges and serve hot.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Sheet-Pan Loaded Vegetarian Nachos — Mexican
• Halloumi with butternut squash, sweet potatoes and chilli recipe — Greek
• Chicken Fajitas — Tex-Mex
• Grilled Lamb Kebabs with Tzatziki — Greek
• Chicken Quesadillas with Melted Pepper Jack — Tex-Mex

Keep reading: what richness, citrus, sourness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.