Air Fryer Recipe
Mediterranean Veggie Quesadillas
A bright, easy Mediterranean veggie quesadillas recipe, just right for cooking in the air fryer.
Ingredients
- 4 large flour tortillas
- 200g feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 red onion, finely sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 zucchini, sliced
- 2 tablespoons black olives, sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Method
- Prepare your ingredients: Make sure all the vegetables are washed and ready to go. Slice the zucchini, chop the sun-dried tomatoes, dice the bell pepper, and finely slice the red onion.
- Cook the vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the red onion and sauté until translucent. Add the bell pepper and zucchini, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender. Take off the heat and leave to cool slightly.
- Assemble the quesadillas: Lay out a tortilla and scatter one half with the cooked vegetables, sun-dried tomatoes, black olives, and crumbled feta cheese. Fold the tortilla over to make a half-moon shape.
- Preheat and cook in the air fryer: Set the air fryer to 180°C (356°F) and preheat. Place the quesadillas in the air fryer basket and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the tortillas are golden and crisp.
- Garnish and serve: Remove the quesadillas from the air fryer, slice into wedges, and garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.
Why this works in an air fryer
Pre-cooking drives moisture from the courgette, pepper and onion so the tortilla can crisp rather than steam. The air fryer’s fast convection dries the tortilla surface, while a little oil from the filling and feta helps browning; folding keeps the loose Mediterranean filling contained without needing a heavy melting cheese.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5–6 litre basket fitting one folded large tortilla at a time; in a single-drawer model cook in batches with space around the edges, while a dual-zone air fryer can cook two at once but may need the trays swapped or an extra 1–2 minutes if one side browns faster.
Common pitfalls
- Tortilla pale and leathery after 7 minutes? The filling is too wet or piled too thick; drain oily sun-dried tomatoes, cool the veg before assembling, and spread a thinner layer.
- Filling spilling into the basket? The half-moon is overfilled or the feta is too crumbly; leave a 2cm border and press the fold firmly before air frying.
- Edges browning before the centre is hot? The tortilla is sitting too close to the heating element; lower to 170°C and add 2–3 minutes, or turn halfway in compact baskets.
- Quesadilla lifting or unfolding in the airflow? Secure the edge with a cocktail stick or place a small perforated trivet on top for the first 3 minutes, then remove it to finish crisping.
Variations & substitutions
- Swap feta for halloumi cut into small cubes; it will stay firmer and saltier, so dice it small and expect less binding in the filling.
- Use roasted jarred peppers instead of fresh; pat them very dry first because their brine can soften the tortilla quickly.
- Add baby spinach after the cooked vegetables come off the heat; it wilts from residual heat and avoids releasing excess water in the air fryer.
- Use wholemeal tortillas; they brown a little faster and can turn brittle, so check from 4 minutes onwards.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooled quesadillas refrigerated for up to 2 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 170°C for 3–5 minutes until crisp and hot through.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
