Store-Bought Frozen Quesadillas, Ranked From Worst To Best

Whether you're hungry enough for a full meal or you're just hankering for a snack, it's hard to beat a good quesadilla. In its simplest form, this Mexican (and now Tex-Mex) staple, originating in Sinaloa, Mexico, is composed of cheese folded inside a tortilla that's grilled to crispy, melty perfection. But despite its simplicity, this savory snack hasn't reached the same frozen-aisle ubiquity as some other favorites. Since we've already ranked frozen empanadas and other take-home classics like frozen store-bought sliders, we wanted to give frozen quesadillas a try — despite our options being somewhat limited.

Before we dive into which frozen quesadillas reign supreme, it's worth noting that this is not an exhaustive list. Several brands we researched were unavailable in our area, and while we reached out to a handful of companies in hopes that they were willing to send over some samples for the purposes of this review, only one followed up. As such, certain brands or filling types included here may not be available in your area, and vice versa. If anything, let this ranking be a testament to the unmet potential of the frozen quesadilla market — no matter how tasty the items that we sampled were, there will always be room for more. You can find more on the methodology used for this ranking at the end of this article.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

Breakfast quesadillas present an excellent early morning option for hungry people on the go, but unfortunately, Rise & Puff's Ham, Egg & Cheese quesadilla left us wanting more. As its title suggests, this quesadilla featured Black Forest ham, cage-free egg whites, and a Swiss cheese blend. Each element tasted satisfactory in its own right, but in combination, they just didn't add up. Our first bite presented a pleasantly subtle ham flavor (not overly salty as some ham tends to be), but either the egg whites or the cheese, both decently tasty, made the overall texture pretty watery. With each bite, this wetness became more noticeable, and by the end, a few small pools of liquid were even left behind in the bowl.

This excess moisture also downgraded the texture of the tortilla itself, as the edges developed a nice crisp while the middle (where the bulk of the filling was) remained soft and — we hate to say it — even a bit soggy. That's the last kind of texture you want when you bite into a firm, well-cooked quesadilla, which is why we unfortunately had to slot Rise & Puff's Ham, Egg & Cheese offering into last place.

In the second-to-last spot on our list is yet another breakfast quesadilla. We swear we don't have a breakfast vendetta, but like Rise & Puff's Ham, Egg & Cheese offering, its Turkey Bacon & Sausage, Egg Whites With Cheese quesadilla didn't earn enough positive marks to snag a higher slot.

Both the turkey bacon and turkey sausage were the stars of this show, but for reasons unknown to this reviewer, the meat's flavor more closely resembled ham than it did turkey. The Thanksgiving bird isn't necessarily known for being ultra-flavorful, but the ham taste was so noticeable that we had to double-check which quesadilla we were eating.

The other ingredients tasted just fine, and we even got a decent cheese pull from the reduced-fat sharp cheddar. The tortilla was nicely crisped after its stint on the stove, and each slice maintained its shape when held at one end. But besides the turkey-ham confusion noted above, our other note was that this quesadilla could have used a bit more cheese (or even a lot more, but we don't want to get greedy). As you'll see throughout the rest of this ranking, this low-cheese issue proved to be an ongoing theme.

If you're a fan of barbecue chicken pizza (which was invented by California Pizza Kitchen, in case you didn't know), then you would probably enjoy a barbecue chicken quesadilla. The concept is the same: a piece of flatbread slathered with barbecue sauce and topped with shredded (or sometimes grilled) chicken, plus a few generous sprinkles of cheese. But while barbecue chicken pizza generally features other toppings like red onions or cilantro, this BBQ Chicken quesadilla from Rise & Puff came with only chicken, sauce, and part-skim mozzarella, which left us wanting something a bit more exciting.

The overall flavor was pleasant but unintrusive (we would even venture to say forgettable), and like the Turkey Bacon & Sausage quesadilla, the tortilla was a bit soggy near the center — so much so that we struggled to even remove it from the pan without it falling apart. The tortilla was difficult to chew for this same reason, and all of the chicken was seemingly gathered in one large chunk that slid out entirely upon our first bite. This quesadilla was a valiant effort overall, but it would need a bit more work in the flavor and texture departments before it's ready to join the upper echelons of our ranking.

Here we find an outlier in our ranking: the only store-bought frozen quesadilla we could actually find in stores. This will vary depending on your location, of course, but as it's the option we see most frequently in our local supermarket, it's safe to say that this is a popular pick among those looking for a quesadilla pick-me-up during their weekly grocery run.

This is a classic flavor variant, billed as a "char-grilled chicken quesadilla" on the box. Considering that Taco Bell's chicken and cheese-filled tortilla topped our ranking of fast food quesadillas, our hopes were high for this item. While it didn't necessarily disappoint, it was a bit lacking, particularly in the size department. The other options we tried were 8 inches long at the tortilla's fold, but this version only reached 6.5 inches. Delimex's quesadilla wasn't necessarily cheap, either. The other versions we tried all retailed for $5 apiece, but this Delimex box of two cost $8.49, meaning each small quesadilla costs $4.25 if purchased at full price.

Taste-wise, this quesadilla was pretty decent, if a little bland. The only components listed on the front of the package were chicken rib meat, Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses, and a flour tortilla, and while the ingredients list did mention a spice blend that included garlic and soy sauce, among other additions, these were hardly noticeable on the tongue. While the Hot Pocket-esque crisping sleeve did give the tortilla a nice crunch, even in the microwave, we still found the interior underwhelming.

While we found this entry a bit unconventional, and though we did have some issues with its construction, it was all in all a pleasant surprise. Containing (of course) pesto and goat cheese, as well as part-skim mozzarella and aged Parmesan, this Rise & Puff item was a welcome palate change from our otherwise chicken-heavy roster.

The pesto was far more prominent than the goat cheese (which we thought was a shame), but the spread's flavor managed to remain bold without becoming too overpowering. Likely due to the addition of mozzarella and Parmesan, the goat cheese flavor was a bit muddled, but if you're usually hesitant to try this tangy and pungent dairy, this quesadilla might be an ideal conveyance method (for what it's worth, we think this cheese is definitely worth a try).

Our main issue with this quesadilla was its thinness. While many of the other entries gathered here relied on meat for their bulk, this option only had pesto and cheese to lean on, which didn't provide much substance beyond a pleasant blend of flavors on the palate. As each of these Rise & Puff quesadillas retails for $5, this just missed the mark as a worthwhile buy, at least in our book.

Similar to Rise & Puff's Pesto & Goat Cheese quesadilla, its Pizza Margherita option was pretty delicious, if a bit insubstantial. Still, it's hard to beat the classic combo of tomatoes and cheese, which may be why this entry edged out its pesto-based competitor.

The tomato sauce was bright, robust, and quite tasty, and its flavor nearly made up for the lack of meat, veggies, or other more filling ingredients. The cheese, while smooth and satisfyingly stretchy, was relegated to the back seat thanks to the spicy acidity of the tomato sauce. In fact, without the visual cue of a cheese pull with each bite, it was difficult to tell whether or not this quesadilla contained any cheese at all.

This lack of substance extended to the texture department. Without any protein or other solid matter to help combat all of the sauce and cheese, the effect was that of a grilled tortilla dipped in a very tasty (but meatless) marinara. All complaints aside, however, this was easily one of the tastiest quesadillas we tried. If you can't manage to find it in stores, allow us to recommend our recipe for the ultimate Margherita pizza toast instead.

This Chipotle Chicken quesadilla from Rise & Puff is, in most ways, pretty comparable to Delimex's Char-Grilled Chicken quesadilla. The tortilla developed an excellent crisp in the skillet despite the moist interior, and the filling had a nice kick that built up with each bite. Since this would hardly be a quesadilla without cheese, it included a few varieties: cheddar, Monterey Jack, and part-skim mozzarella.

The chipotle seasoning was relatively minimal in terms of ingredients — containing only chipotle powder, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, and the elusive term spices — but it still provided a pleasant, smoky heat. Not only was this quesadilla a bit more flavorful than its Delimex competitor, but its larger size made it a much better deal (and a more satisfying snack). This was one of Rise & Puff's offerings that we would argue is worth the $5 retail price, if only because it offered plenty of protein (20 grams, to be precise) and filled any gaps in the tortilla with plenty of tasty, melty cheese.

Sometimes there's nothing wrong with simple. We were ready for Rise & Puff's Ooey Gooey Cheese quesadilla to be just OK, considering that all it contained was aged cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Oaxaca cheeses, according to the packaging. But when we actually fried up this cheesy delight, the result wasn't just downright tasty — it was surprisingly satisfying.

The tortilla was perfectly crisp on the outside, and the cheese within was hot and stretchy. Fortunately, there was also enough cheese inside to make this feel more substantial than some of the other options like the Pesto & Goat Cheese quesadilla, and the fold in the tortilla remained sturdy and crisp despite the cheese's oil.

The only reason this quesadilla didn't snag a higher slot? Its texture just wasn't that interesting. It was just a tortilla and cheese, after all, and while that left us with little to complain about, we don't think it was necessarily worth the $5 each of these quesadillas retails for. (For what it's worth, though, we did end up eating more of this item than any of the others we've covered thus far, so keep that in mind if you're just on the hunt for something yummy).

In second place is Rise & Puff's Turkey Sausage & Cheese quesadilla, which — like the Ooey Gooey Cheese option — we found to be a pleasant surprise. In fact, this tasting experience was what we hoped for when we tested the brand's Turkey Bacon & Sausage quesadilla. Where the strangely ham-like turkey flavor and lack of sufficient cheese dragged that option down, this version succeeded with a savory, meaty turkey taste and reduced-fat cheddar cheese that added a pleasant smoothness.

Unlike the Ooey Gooey Cheese quesadilla, we had no complaints about this version's texture being overly simplistic. The meat added to the handheld's sturdiness and provided a much-needed chew that was moist without being overly oily. The only note we really had was a nitpick, and it was simply that, as is true of most quesadillas (and most foods in general, in our opinion), it could have used even more cheese. Don't get us wrong — it's not as though there was a total cheese deficit inside, as we still got an excellent pull upon taking our first bite. We just haven't met a quesadilla yet that truly blew us away with its cheese content.

At last, we've reached the ultimate store-bought frozen quesadilla. Call us simple if you must, but as hard as it is to beat a well-constructed quesadilla, it's just as hard to beat a tasty pepperoni pizza. Besides pepperoni, this quesadilla featured "part-skim mozzarella and pizza sauce," according to the packaging. The tortilla crisped up nicely on the stove, and the center remained sturdy without succumbing to the other ingredients' grease.

The highlight for us was the meat, as it provided a substantive texture and slightly chewy mouthfeel without coming off as too greasy. It also lent the quesadilla a surprising kick, which may have also stemmed from the tomato sauce. This sauce, according to the ingredients list, contained tomatoes in several forms, as well as sugar, salt, olive oil, citric acid, dehydrated garlic, and the familiar descriptor, spices. The pepperoni, on the other hand, contained pork and beef, as well as a handful of seasonings like celery powder, mustard powder, cherry powder, and extractives of paprika, among others.

While we did end up wanting more cheese here (which may say more about us than it does about the quesadilla), the mozzarella did smooth out the sharp acidity of the pepperoni and tomato sauce and provided a bit of flavor balance. Best of all, this quesadilla really earned its $5 price tag thanks to the amount of meat included, making it an easy all-around winner.

To assess these store-bought frozen quesadillas, we primarily looked for a pleasing taste and texture, as well as a sturdy construction. This meant we were looking for a quesadilla that had a crispy, well-browned exterior and a hot, creamy interior, though our ideal taste notes varied by entry. Construction-wise, we were looking for a quesadilla with evenly distributed filling that could maintain its sandwich-like structure even after slicing. To a lesser degree, we also considered ease of preparation, though these items proved well-matched in that regard.

We heated the Rise & Puff quesadillas in a skillet for maximum crispiness, cooking them for five minutes per side. (We did, however, raise the recommended low-heat setting to medium to ensure an even sear). Rise & Puff's packaging also provided instructions for air frying and microwaving, though we stuck with pan frying to give each tortilla a fighting chance. The Delimex quesadillas only came with microwave instructions, though each one was packaged with a crisping sleeve that did exactly as advertised.

Finally, we considered the price of each item, as the value of these frozen quesadillas is not only dependent on the quality of their ingredients and preparation, but also on how much consumers are expected to pay for them. Worth noting is that while Rise & Puff did provide samples for this review, we were not otherwise compensated, and we still factored each quesadilla's suggested retail price into our assessments.