I had one of the best quesadillas of my entire life at Gill's Lanai on the Big Island of Hawaii. Of course I absolutely had to recreate it! A crispy tortilla is stuffed with juicy kalua pork, gooey jack cheese, tangy goat cheese, and sweet caramelized onions. You really cannot go wrong with this recipe; it's outrageously good and so easy!
When I visited the Big Island of Hawaii in June 2026, little did I know that a simple lunch stop at Gill's Lanai in Kapaau Town would change my life. But it did. It's a really laid-back unassuming spot along the road, and the prices may seem high (to mainlanders) but holy moly it was one of my favorite meals on the island!
I ordered the "Pork and Goat Quesadilla" ($23 at the time of my visit) which features kalua pork (Hawaiian slow-cooked and shredded pork), goat cheese, shredded jack cheese and caramelized onions. They serve it with lime crema, fresh mango salsa, and homemade tortilla chips. So what did a $23 quesadilla taste like? ABSOLUTE FREAKING HEAVEN!
It was so good that even the leftovers I couldn't finish, which I reheated the next day in a microwave, still tasted absolutely amazing even though it was no longer crispy. It was the best quesadilla ever. Hands down. No contest.
Recreating it is easier than it seems. Yes, you will need kalua pork (or some other kind of slow-cooked shredded pork) on hand, which may require advance planning. You can use my recipe for 3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Kālua Pork. The good part about that is you can prepare that as a meal and then use some of the leftovers to make these fabulous kalua pork quesadillas!
You will also need to make caramelized onions. But again, who doesn't love caramelized onions on just about anything, so make a batch and enjoy! Once you have the components, the rest is a piece cake, or in this case The World's Best Quesadilla…
Ingredient notes
- Flour Tortilla: Since I use a single-tortilla folded quesadilla method, it's best to use a larger flour tortilla, preferably one with a 10-inch diameter or even larger. This may be labeled as burrito or large burrito size.
- Kalua Pork: Ideally, use leftover kalua pork or another slow-cooked shredded pork for this recipe. Already have leftover shredded pork? Great! If not, I recommend my recipe for Slow Cooker Kālua Pork.
- Jack Cheese: This is the gooey cheese component that acts as the glue in the quesadilla. It's less sharp than using cheddar and yields a delicious and balanced flavor without being too strong.
- Goat Cheese: Crumble soft goat cheese or chevre to add a tangy touch to your kalua pork quesadilla.
- Caramelized Onions: To make caramelized onions in advance, peel and slice a bunch of onions. Add them along with a pinch of salt to a heavy, wide skillet over medium heat with a little oil or butter. Once softened, reduce the heat to medium-low or low and cook slowly, stirring regularly until the turn a deep, rich brown. If they start to burn, add a splash of water to deglaze the pan and provide a gentle, wet, cooking environment. The caramelization process should take about 45 to 60 minutes if done correctly. Two pounds of onions (weighed before trimming and peeling) will yield about ¾ cup of caramelized onions.
How to make it
First, make the lime crema by combining sour cream, minced or crushed garlic, fresh lime juice, salt, and cayenne pepper in a small mixing bowl. Set aside until ready to serve.
Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, lightly brush melted butter or brush or spray oil evenly on one side of the tortilla.
Place the tortilla butter-or-oil-side-down in the pan. Then sprinkle the Jack cheese over one half of the tortilla, top that half with the kalua pork, caramelized onions, and goat cheese, distributing everything evenly.
Use a spatula to fold the tortilla over itself and cook on that first side for about 2 minutes or until browned and crispy and the cheese has started to melt. Then use the spatula to flip the quesadilla over and cook the other side for about another minute or until it's browned and crisp. Adjust the heat if it's browning too fast.
Transfer the quesadilla to a cutting board and cut into 4 wedges. Serve immediately with the lime crema and mango or pineapple salsa, if desired. Repeat to make more quesadillas if you wish.
Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe (in a printable recipe card) including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
Expert tips
This recipe does not include cooking time to make the kalua pork or caramelized onions. The assumption here is that you have previously prepared those ingredients and are just assembling and cooking the quesadilla to serve.
When using leftover kalua pork, I briefly reheat it in the microwave to melt any gelatinized juices, and then drain away any residual liquid from the pork before adding it to the quesadilla. You don't want a soggy filling.
I have always preferred a single-tortilla folded quesadilla over a quesadilla using two stacked tortillas. For me, the best pieces of the quesadilla are the two folded end-pieces. They are extra crispy, and less messy. I will die on this hill. Gill's Lanai makes their pork and goat cheese quesadilla the same way, the better way, folded instead of stacked.
Rather than cooking your pork quesadilla in a dry pan without added fat, adding a bit of butter or even oil really transforms it! It yields an extra crispy and delicious crust on the exterior of your tortilla which really takes it to another level.
The lime crema served at Gill's Lanai has a bit of a kick, which is why I've included a pinch of cayenne pepper in mine. Making a single portion of lime crema is pretty easy, so I've included instructions in the recipe. That said, making a single portion of mango salsa is another story. For this reason, I suggest you simply use a store-bought version if you want. Or just serve it with lime crema alone and skip the salsa.
Other recipes you may like
- 3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Kālua Pork
- Hawaiian Hot Dog (Puka Dog Inspired Recipe)
- Mochiko Chicken (Hawaiian Fried Chicken)
- Garlic Noodles
- Volcano Fries (Garlic Fries with Sriracha Aioli and Furikake)
- Authentic Hawaiian Macaroni Salad (Mac Salad)
- Easy Saimin Recipe (Hawaiian Noodle Soup)
- Hawaiian Loco Moco (Hamburger Steak with Gravy)
- Duke's Hula Pie (Copycat Recipe)
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also follow me on social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Kalua Pork and Goat Cheese Quesadilla
Ingredients
Lime Crema:
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- ½ teaspoon fresh lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon minced or crushed garlic
- Pinch kosher salt
- Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
Quesadilla:
- 1 (10-inch) flour tortilla (usually labeled burrito or large burrito size)
- 1 teaspoon melted butter or neutral oil
- ¼ cup (30 grams / 1 ounce) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- ¼ cup kalua pork (or other cooked shredded pork)
- 2 tablespoons caramelized onions
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams / .9 ounce) goat cheese crumbled
- Chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)
- Mango or pineapple salsa for serving (optional)
Instructions
- First, make the lime crema by combining all of the ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Note that this really only makes a single serving to complement one quesadilla, so if you plan to make multiple quesadillas just multiply as needed. Set aside until ready to serve.
- Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, lightly brush melted butter or brush or spray oil evenly on one side of the tortilla.
- Place the tortilla butter-or-oil-side-down in the pan. Then sprinkle the Jack cheese over one half of the tortilla, top that half with the kalua pork, caramelized onions, and goat cheese, distributing everything evenly. Use a spatula to fold the tortilla over itself and cook on that first side for about 2 minutes or until browned and crispy and the cheese has started to melt.
- Use the spatula to flip the quesadilla over and cook the other side for about another minute or until it's browned and crisp. Adjust the heat if it's browning too fast.
- Transfer the quesadilla to a cutting board, cut into 4 wedges and garnish with chopped cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately with the lime crema and mango or pineapple salsa, if desired. Repeat to make more quesadillas if you wish.
Notes
- To make caramelized onions in advance, peel and slice a bunch of onions. Add them along with a pinch of salt to a heavy, wide skillet over medium heat with a little oil or butter. Once softened, reduce the heat to medium-low or low and cook slowly, stirring regularly until the turn a deep, rich brown. If they start to burn, add a splash of water to deglaze the pan and provide a gentle, wet, cooking environment. The caramelization process should take about 45 to 60 minutes if done correctly. Two pounds of onions (weighed before trimming and peeling) will yield about ¾ cup of caramelized onions.
- This recipe does not include cooking time to make the kalua pork or caramelized onions. The assumption here is that you have previously prepared those ingredients and are just assembling and cooking the quesadilla to serve.
- When using leftover kalua pork, I briefly reheat it in the microwave to melt any gelatinized juices, and then drain away any residual liquid from the pork before adding it to the quesadilla. You don't want a soggy filling.
Nutrition
*All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.*
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