For packed lunches and late-night snacks, nothing hits like a quesadilla. Today, we’re letting foodies in on a fast, simple way to freshen up their go-to quesadilla recipes and keep that versatile beauty from getting boring: Just add a scoop of canned pears. It’s an unexpected combo, for sure, but this dimensional snack is all about sweet-savory interplay. We even add pear slices to our grilled cheese sandwiches.
Thanks to its long-lasting shelf stability, the star ingredient can be kept on hand for this canned fruit hack, ready and waiting whenever the next quesadilla craving hits. It’s an affordable upgrade, too. At a Walmart in Chicago, a 14.5-ounce can of pears in water costs just $1.54 – enough to make multiple quesadillas. Pear quesadillas can also provide a craveable, welcome opportunity for using up any home-canned fruit from last season’s garden harvest. Pears are one of the best fruits for canning, as they soften in the can to roughly the texture of poached pears — making for tender, seamless incorporation in your quesadilla with every bite.
To assemble, simply load your tortilla with drained canned pears and other toppings as usual. Then, toast the folded quesadilla in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden brown. Feel free to load your tortilla to your heart’s delight, but for a balanced jumping-off proportion, 1 cup of shredded cheese, 1 cup of canned pears, and roughly ½ cup of any other toppings work well here.
Try filling your next quesadilla with canned pears
For optimal texture, look for pears canned in water rather than syrup. Water-canned pears will provide a less sweet flavor and allow for greater control over the flavor profile of your quesadilla. A gentle toss in a mesh strainer or a few minutes sitting on a paper-towel-lined plate will help remove the most liquid and prevent a soggy tortilla. The fruit can be sliced or cut into a smaller dice, depending on which mouthfeel you prefer.
You could add a scoop of canned pears to this shredded chicken quesadilla for a subtly sweet pop of dimensionality. The fruit would pair especially well alongside sharp white cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese. Those slightly sweet canned pears could also help take the hot edge off of this spicy skirt steak quesadilla with sauteed onions and jalapeños. For a more elevated flavor combo, try filling your pear quesadilla with ground sausage and fresh sage. Or, go sweet-savory with brie cheese or funky crumbled Roquefort, canned pears, red onion, and a smear of fig jam. If savory is more your style, canned pears can get the job done, too. Try pairing ’em with ground beef, salty cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro (bonus points if you top this one with a scoop of sweet-hot mango or peach salsa).
