At El Pollo Norteño, we’re all for adapting food to your taste and just enjoying anything that’s savory. However, when it comes to Mexican food, a lot of people wonder about the authenticity of certain dishes. For example, are quesadillas authentic? In today’s blog, we provide an answer.
Are Quesadillas Authentic?
Maybe it’s because they’re so convenient that they almost feel American. Or maybe it’s because the ingredients are so common that there’s something universal about them. The fact of the matter is that a lot of people wonder if quesadillas are authentic, and the answer is yes — quesadillas are a popular and well established part of the Mexican food tradition.
As for who invented quesadillas, that’s another story, and one that’s harder to discern. Bread, or bread-like products and cheese are such a natural pairing (think, for example, of pizza), that pinpointing the exact origin of quesadillas is almost impossible.
However, tortillas and cheese go so well together that some people believe that quesadillas became a thing as soon as both ingredients got near each other. If this theory is correct, quesadillas would have been invented by the Spanish conquistadors during the conquest of Mexico. Since they had cheese with them, it’s easy to imagine them reproducing similar Spanish dishes using Mexican tortillas.
Cheeseless Quesadillas
Fun fact: in some parts of Mexico there are cheeseless quesadillas. In Mexico city and surrounding areas it’s not uncommon to use the term “quesadilla” to refer to fried tacos filled with ingredients like zucchini flowers or boiled potatoes.
Believe it or not, this topic is the subject of heated debates in Mexico. Inhabitants of Mexico City insist that cheeseless quesadillas (quesadillas sin queso) are legit, while people from other regions of Mexico are adamant that a quesadilla must have cheese (after all the word “queso” means cheese).
To learn more about quesadillas, check out our previous blogs, “3 Ideas To Take Your Quesadillas To The Next Level” and “Tacos Vs Quesadilla: Which One Is Best?”
El Pollo Norteño: Authentic Mexican Food
Craving delicious, authentic Mexican food made with ingredients of the highest quality? El Pollo Norteño has you covered!
Visit any of our five locations (Anaheim, Santa Ana, Garden Grove, and Lake Forest), order online, get in touch through Facebook, or call 866-MI-POLLO to enjoy our vast selection of authentic Mexican dishes.