Quesadilla Salvadoreña is not that ordinary quesadilla where tortilla is filled with cheese and then grilled. This Salvadoran creation is, in fact, a dessert! It's a rich, delightful cheese filled bread / pound cake which is perfect with a cup of tea or coffee!
Now that my blog is a little bit more popular and I am getting more emails, comments, and messages on Facebook, you will find more recipes suggested by you, my dear readers, here. Last week I made Kedgeree, a delicious British rice and smoked fish dish, suggested by a fellow blogger in the comments section, while today I brought to life the idea given to me by Alejandra, who is from El Salvador. It's a relatively small country in Central America bordering with Guatemala and Honduras. To be frank, I didn't know too much about it before that.
I was really happy to exchange emails with Alejandra and to find out more about her home country. The fact that I have never cooked anything from El Salvador before made me even more excited!
The recipe she suggested to start my journey through the cuisine of this interesting country with is Quesadilla Salvadoreña. Now before your imagination draws an image of a grilled tortilla generously filled with cheese and other goodness, which is how we can describe Mexican quesadilla, let me stop you by telling that this Salvadoran quesadilla is nothing like it. In fact, these dishes are even not in the same category: the one coming from El Salvador is a dessert!
You heard me right. Quesadilla Salvadoreña is a sweet cheese filled bread / pound cake. The type of cheese usually used to make it is queso duro - a Parmesan-like Salvadoran cheese. I don't know if you'll be able to find it, I certainly didn't, but don't worry, though. The good old Parmesan cheese, which is perfectly accessible everywhere, is a great substitute. The majority of recipes online use it.
The end result is a rich, not too sweet, delightful cake. Perfect with a cup of tea or coffee. If you will ever visit El Salvador, you should be able to find Quesadilla Salvadoreña in every local bakery (panadería). If you won't have such a chance, just devote 15 minutes of your time and bring Salvadoran flavors into your own kitchen.
This cake was so good my family didn't leave any crumbs behind. I am undoubtedly adding it to the collection of my most favorite international recipes. Thanks, Alejandra! 
Quesadilla Salvadoreña - Sweet Cheese Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup milk
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ cup rice flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup melted butter
- ¼ cup sesame seeds , for sprinkling
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix the grated cheese with the milk until very well combined. Set aside.
- Separate the egg whites from the yolks and add them to another bowl. Beat with a mixer until soft peaks form. Now add the yolks, one by one, and continue beating after each addition. Set aside.
- Sift the flour and the baking powder together into a third bowl. Add the sugar and stir. Now add the egg white and yolk mixture to the flour and mix well until all the flour is incorporated.
- Add the sour cream, melted butter, and the cheese and milk mixture. Mix well until smooth.
- Preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter and lightly flour a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour the batter spreading it evenly. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before removing from the baking dish. Cut into slices and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Pretty
This recipe reminders me of a middle eastern cheese/sweet dessert. Great to see something different!
Igor
Which one? Thanks for the comment!
Alexia
I bet it's kanafeh I had the same reaction haha
Igor
Thanks! I googled it and as I see kanafeh is much more cheesy 🙂
Bungkis
thats cool, you reminder me of ones of my friends
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Well that sounds like a fun bread!
Igor
It surely is, Rebecca!
Shashi at RunninSrilankan
I simply love how your are taking reader suggestions and sharing them on here. I'd never heard of Quesadilla Salvadoreña and from the heading thought it was indeed a stuffed quesadilla - but this sounds absolutely delightful and would indeed go so well with a cup of coffee.
Igor
Now we know more Quesadilla types than any average person, ha!
Karla
It is amazing and I am from El Salvador so it is pretty close to the stuff we get home! My only comment is that it is missing cinnamon. I was taught to place a few cinnamon sticks on it and the flavour is even more amazing.
Dannii
I have never heard of this before, but it sounds incredible. I have such a sweet tooth and I love cheese, so it's a perfect combination for me.
Igor
Yup, it's right up your alley!
Kristen Chidsey
WOW! This is such a new dish for me! I am pretty sure that I would absolutely LOVE it.
Igor
You surely would, Kristen. Try it!
Tina
I have never heard of this before, but it looks incredibly delicious. Thanks for sharing something that's a bit out of the ordinary. I'll be saving this to try!
Igor
That's my mission, ha! To explore the world and share with you something you have never tried before 🙂