Kalua Pork and Goat Cheese Quesadilla

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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!

Prep Time5

Cook Time5

Total Time10

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine: American, Hawaiian

Servings: quesadilla

Calories: 502kcal

Author: Victoria

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.

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