Do quesadillas come with or without cheese?

The Mexicans are characterized by being a united people in complicated situations where we help each other, but don't touch the subject of whether quesadillas have cheese or not because Rome will burn. Mexican gastronomy is vast and has flavor combinations that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Furthermore, it was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, so it is understandable that Mexicans are proud of traditional Mexican food and defend it fiercely. This leads to debates among ourselves about how certain iconic dishes are prepared, as is the case with quesadillas. Therefore, at kiwilimón, we tell you everything you need to know once and for all about whether quesadillas have cheese or not.The eternal debate: Do quesadillas have cheese or not? One of the many topics related to gastronomy that Mexicans simply cannot agree on is quesadillas. Do they come with cheese or without cheese? If they don't have cheese, are they tacos? To find the answer, it is necessary to delve a little into the definitions and uses of the term that refers to this delicious and versatile Mexican snack.You can also read: The delicious origin of mole poblanoSome claim that the word quesadilla comes from the Nahuatl quetzaditzin, which supposedly means “folded tortilla” and does not refer to cheese. This claim is often used to defend the opinion that quesadillas do not always contain cheese; however, this information is false. As noted by the portal Delicias Prehispánicas, while Mesoamerican cultures did not know cheese until after the arrival of the Spaniards, the actual Nahuatl word for tortilla is tlaxcalli. Additionally, the word quetzaditzin is not found in Nahuatl language dictionaries. Therefore, this argument does not support the position that quesadillas do not contain cheese.In reality, the word quesadilla comes from the Spanish term quesada, which in turn refers to cheese, so it could be said that quesadillas do contain cheese. However, it is not that simple, as different official Spanish dictionaries collect different meanings. It is worth mentioning that, for the purposes of our search, we have focused solely on the use of the word quesadilla in Mexico – in other countries, the word relates to cheese-filled pastries or sweet fillings.According to the Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy, in Mexican cuisine, the word quesadilla refers to a “corn or wheat tortilla folded in half, sometimes filled with cheese and sometimes with other ingredients.”The Dictionary of Americanisms defines quesadillas in the same way and adds that they can be grilled or fried, that they are eaten hot and are accompanied by salsas.The Dictionary of Spanish in Mexico has a definition of quesadilla similar to the previous ones, adding that it can be “filled with various foods such as cheese, potato, mushrooms, minced meat, pork cracklings, squash flowers, etc.” Additionally, it includes a rather illuminating example: “Make me a brain quesadilla, two squash flower ones, and one cheese one.”Finally, the Larousse Gastronomic Dictionary states that a quesadilla can be “filled with fresh cheese to melt or some other stew.”One of the things that all these definitions of quesadilla have in common is that none mention that this snack must be prepared with cheese as a requirement, as they indicate that the filling can be cheese or other stews. This is a key point for the eternal debate about quesadillas. What was mentioned is not necessarily the conclusion to the quesadilla topic, as we must consider the linguistic notion that language belongs to the speakers. Broadly speaking, this means that the use of language and the definitions of its words are determined by how people use them. With this in mind, it is possible that the word quesadilla refers both to the snack that must always contain cheese – as it occurs in the interior of the Mexican Republic – and to the folded tortilla that may or may not be prepared with cheese – as happens in Mexico City and other places in the central and southern parts of the country.You can also read: What did people eat in pre-Columbian America?The expert in the study of the Spanish language, José G. Moreno de Alba, presents the previous position in his text Minucias del lenguaje, where he explores the changes that the word quesadilla has undergone concerning its meaning, from its origin in European Spanish to its various uses in different locations in Mexico. What is his conclusion? The word quesadilla does not have a definition that helps us conclude this gastronomic and linguistic debate; on the contrary, it comprises multiple meanings encompassed in a single term.So, do quesadillas have cheese or not? You decide! At the end of the day, we don’t eat dictionary definitions, and even if we did, they change over time, so the answer will never be definitive. What matters is that you enjoy your quesadillas with the ingredients you like the most and that no one tells you otherwise. If you’re feeling hungry, remember that at kiwilimón you can find irresistible recipes for quesadillas and Mexican snacks of all kinds and for all tastes.