Sausage and Egg Quesadilla
This sausage and egg quesadilla is filled with savory breakfast sausage, fluffy scrambled eggs, and melted cheese tucked inside a golden, crisp tortilla. It’s an easy, satisfying breakfast that comes together quickly and is just as good for a busy morning as it is for a leisurely weekend breakfast.
Start the day with a savory quesadilla
I can’t remember a time when sausage, egg, and cheese wasn’t my favorite combination for a breakfast sandwich. Now that I often tuck that same combination inside a crispy, golden tortilla, this breakfast quesadilla with sausage and eggs ranks right up there with that sandwich.
It’s a big bonus that these quesadillas make a quick and easy meal at any time of day. And who doesn’t want breakfast anytime, right?!?! But perhaps the very best part of this recipe is how well it freezes and reheats. Whenever I make them, I cook a few extras to stash in the freezer for those days when I just don’t have time to cook.
If you love bringing quesadillas to the table as much as I do, you’ve got to check out my roasted sweet potato quesadilla, spicy Cajun chicken quesadilla, and tomato grilled cheese quesadilla recipes too.
Recipe ingredients
- Breakfast sausage: Choose a well-seasoned breakfast sausage with a good balance of lean meat and fat so it stays juicy as it cooks and brings plenty of savory flavor to the filling. My breakfast sausage from scratch works especially well here and lets you control the seasoning.
- Tortilla shells: Use 12-inch burrito-style flour tortillas. Their larger size gives you enough room for the sausage, eggs, and cheese while still folding neatly and holding the filling securely. If you’re using my easy homemade tortilla shells, divide the dough into 6 portions instead of the 12 called for in that recipe to make larger tortillas for these quesadillas.
- Butter: Butter adds rich flavor while helping the outside of the tortilla turn golden and crisp as the quesadilla cooks. My butter made from fresh cream is a great choice here, but any good-quality butter will work.
- American cheese: American cheese is my preferred choice for a sausage and egg breakfast sandwich — and for these quesadillas — because that’s the classic choice in the region where I’m from. It melts exceptionally well, giving the filling a smooth, creamy layer that brings the sausage and eggs together. You can substitute whichever cheese you enjoy most on your breakfast sandwiches or quesadillas.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make a sausage and egg quesadilla
Step 1: Whisk the eggs, milk, pepper, and granulated garlic together until well combined. Heat the olive oil in a skillet, add the egg mixture, and cook, gently stirring and folding the eggs until they are just set. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
Step 2: Add the breakfast sausage to the skillet and cook, breaking it into small crumbles as it browns. Continue cooking until the sausage is completely cooked through, then remove it from the skillet and set aside.
Step 3: Spread half of the butter evenly over one side of a tortilla. Place the tortilla butter-side down in a skillet over medium heat.
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Step 4: Sprinkle half of the shredded cheese evenly over the entire tortilla. Arrange half of the scrambled eggs and half of the cooked sausage over one half of the tortilla, leaving the other half topped with cheese only.
Step 5: Cook until the underside of the tortilla is golden brown and the cheese has melted. Fold the cheese-only half over the sausage and egg filling, then gently press the quesadilla together with a spatula.
Step 6: Transfer the finished quesadilla to a cutting board. Use the remaining tortilla, butter, cheese, scrambled eggs, and sausage to prepare the second quesadilla in the same way.
Step 7: Let the quesadillas rest for 1–2 minutes before cutting so the hot filling and melted cheese have a chance to settle. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges and serve.
Easy additions
This quesadilla is delicious just as it is, but it’s also an easy recipe to customize with ingredients you already enjoy in your favorite breakfasts. Because the tortilla is already packed full of sausage, eggs, and cheese, reduce the amount of the original filling as needed to make room for any additions you choose.
- Vegetables: Sautéed bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, spinach, or diced jalapeños all work well. Cook vegetables first so they don’t release excess moisture into the quesadilla.
- Potatoes: Add a thin layer of crispy diced home fries or shredded hash browns for a more substantial breakfast.
- Bacon: A little crumbled bacon adds extra smoky, salty flavor alongside the breakfast sausage.
- Fresh tomatoes: Use seeded, diced tomatoes and add them sparingly to avoid making the tortilla soggy.
- Green chiles: Drained diced green chiles add mild heat and work particularly well with the eggs and melted cheese.
- Avocado: Add sliced or diced avocado just before removing the quesadilla from the skillet, rather than grilling it inside.
- Fresh herbs: Chopped chives, green onions, or cilantro add fresh flavor without changing the basic character of the recipe.
- Hot sauce: Add a few dashes to the filling before folding, or serve it alongside the finished quesadilla.
Top tips
- Keep the sausage crumbles small: Break the sausage into very small, evenly sized crumbles as it cooks. Smaller pieces distribute more evenly through the eggs and melted cheese, helping the quesadilla hold together when folded, cut, and eaten. The same principle applies to most additions — dice or chop them small so large pieces don’t cause the filling to separate or fall out.
- Keep the skillet at medium heat: If the pan gets too hot, the tortilla can brown before the cheese has time to melt. Moderate heat gives you a crisp, evenly golden tortilla and thoroughly melted cheese.
- Spread the filling evenly: Avoid piling the sausage and eggs in the center. An even layer makes the quesadilla easier to fold and gives you a good balance of sausage, egg, and cheese in every wedge.
- Press gently after folding: Use just enough pressure with your spatula to help the melted cheese bind the two sides together. Pressing too firmly can push the eggs and sausage out of the tortilla.
- Wipe out the skillet between quesadillas: Bits of cheese or filling left behind can burn while the second quesadilla cooks and leave bitter, dark spots on the tortilla.
- Use a wide spatula: A wide spatula supports more of the quesadilla when you lift it from the skillet, helping prevent the folded tortilla from cracking or the filling from spilling out.
- Freeze for easy meals later: Let the cooked quesadillas cool completely, then wrap each one individually and place them in an airtight freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Freeze them whole rather than cut into wedges to help protect the filling and tortilla from drying out.
- Reheat for the best texture: Thaw the quesadilla overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat it in a skillet over medium-low heat, turning as needed, until the filling is hot and the tortilla is crisp again. Keep the heat moderate so the tortilla doesn’t burn before the center is heated through.
Serve
A sausage and egg quesadilla is filling enough to serve on its own, but a few well-chosen sides and toppings can easily turn it into a complete breakfast or brunch. Serve it with crispy home fries, breakfast potatoes, or hash browns for a classic breakfast plate, or add fresh berries, melon, or citrus fruit for something lighter alongside the rich sausage, eggs, and melted cheese.
For dipping and topping, simple pico de gallo adds fresh tomato flavor and a little acidity, while small batch fresh guacamole brings a cool, creamy contrast to the crisp tortilla. Sour cream, salsa, and your favorite hot sauce are also easy options to put on the table so everyone can dress their quesadilla exactly the way they like it.
If you’re serving these quesadillas for a larger brunch or breakfast-for-dinner, seasoned black or pinto beans make an easy addition that pairs naturally with the tortilla and toppings. A platter of fresh fruit alongside the beans and quesadillas makes it easy to serve everything family-style.
Other recipes you’ll love
If you loved this from scratch breakfast recipe, give these other great breakfast recipes a try too!
Bacon Egg and Cheese Quesadilla
Three Cheese Quesadilla Recipe
Ham and Cheese Quesadilla
Apple Pie Quesadilla Recipe
Sausage and Egg Quesadilla
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 6 teaspoons whole milk
- coarse ground black pepper to taste
- granulated garlic to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 ounces loose breakfast sausage
- 2 12-inch burrito-style tortilla shells
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cups shredded American cheese
Instructions
- Whisk the eggs, milk, pepper, and granulated garlic together. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the eggs and scramble until just set. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Cook the breakfast sausage over medium heat until cooked through, breaking it into small crumbles as you go. Set aside.
- Butter one side of a tortilla and place it butter-side down in a skillet over medium heat.
- Sprinkle half of the cheese over the entire tortilla. Top one half with half of the scrambled eggs and half of the cooked sausage.
- Cook until the tortilla is golden brown underneath and the cheese is melted. Fold the cheese-only half over the filling and gently press with a spatula.
- Transfer to a cutting board. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make the second quesadilla.
- Rest for 1–2 minutes, then cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges and serve.
Notes
- Break the breakfast sausage into very small crumbles as it cooks so the filling distributes evenly and the quesadilla holds together better when cut and eaten.
- Keep the skillet over medium heat so the tortilla has time to turn golden and crisp while the cheese melts without burning.
- To freeze, cool the cooked quesadillas completely, wrap them individually, and store them in an airtight freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze whole for the best texture.
- To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm in a skillet over medium-low heat, turning as needed, until heated through and crisp.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
