Return to top
featured in… The Huffington Post CookingLight Reader's Digest Women's Health BuzzFeed Glamour Whole Foods Oprah Winfrey Network CNN Food Network Healthline Shape

Hello! I’m Anjali. I’m a board certified health coach, author, wife, mom and food lover from the SF Bay area (now living in Seattle, WA!); with a passion for delicious food and a desire to make healthy eating easy, tasty and fun! Learn more about me here and stay for a while!

Anjali Shah

Halloween Quesadillas: Easy “Jack-O-Lantern” Pumpkins

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.

These Halloween Quesadillas in the shape of a Jack-O-Lantern Pumpkin are the cutest and most delicious dinner idea for fall. They are sure to bring a smile to your face and are perfect for kids or festive get-togethers. Filled with cheesy goodness and pumpkin between whole wheat tortillas, they are irresistible! 

jack-o-lantern pumpkin halloween quesadillas served on a white plate

I’m a huge fan of cute Halloween food. Whether you’re making fun treats for the holiday, or trying to figure out how to make a festive Halloween dinner, I love finding recipes that not only taste fabulous but are also super cute too!

With Halloween coming up, I wanted something that would get the kids excited, was fun and delicious, and that they could help make too.

These Halloween quesadillas are so adorable and are likely to become a tradition during the fall in many households. They’re super easy to make and I promise, even picky eaters will gobble them up!

The kids loved cutting out the pumpkin shapes and putting them on the griddle pan. With only 3 ingredients, they’re the most simple, tasty quesadilla recipe you will find!

Our whole family loved them. Even if you aren’t a huge Halloween person, if you love pumpkins, these little beauties are just what you need. It’s a Mexican vegetarian recipe with a Halloween twist!

🎥 Latest Recipe Video!

👩‍🍳 Why This Recipe Works

  • Perfect for a Kids Halloween Party
  • Sugar Free Halloween Recipe
  • Easy Way to Prepare an Autumn Inspired Dinner
  • Simple Ingredients
  • Quick to Make
  • Jack-O-Lantern Pumpkin Quesadillas make a healthy and fun kids recipe!

🥘 Ingredients

This super easy quesadilla recipe uses just 3 ingredients! For the detailed ingredients and instructions, follow the recipe card at the end of this post.

  1. Tortillas: Whole Wheat, Sprouted Wheat, Spelt, or White Whole Wheat Flour tortillas would all work well
  2. Pumpkin Puree: Just a couple of tablespoons adds a bit of creaminess and sweetness to these quesadillas. Make sure you’re getting 100% pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling!
  3. Cheese! Because what are quesadillas without cheese 🙂 We used Monterey Jack but you could use a Mexican shredded cheese blend or even just pure cheddar cheese would work great.

🍽 Equipment

📖 Variations

  • Add protein: Add a few black beans to give yourself a boost of protein and nutrients. Plus, the beans taste really good with the cheese and pumpkin. You could do whole black beans or refried black or pinto beans.
  • Change up the cheese: Adjust the variety of cheese you use. We most often use Monterrey Jack, but you could also go with mozzarella, a Mexican cheese blend, cheddar, or even Pepper Jack if you want some spice added to yours. 
  • Add heat: If you are feeling a little extra festive and want some spice, add in some chopped chili powder, jalapeños, hot sauce, or green chiles.
  • Add herbs: Toss some fresh herbs on these pumpkin quesadillas. Cilantro, oregano, or parsley would all taste great and add some color too. 
  • More veggies! Feel free to chop up some yellow bell peppers or poblano peppers, tomatoes, and baby spinach and add them into these cheese quesadillas.
halloween jack-o-lantern pumpkin quesadillas served on a white plate

🔪 Instructions

Cut Tortillas: Use the cookie cutter to cut out 8 pumpkin-shaped tortillas. 

pumpkin shapes cut out of tortillas on a cutting board

Make Jack-O-Lantern Face: Use a sharp knife to cut a jack-o -lantern face into four of the pumpkin-shaped tortillas. 

jack o lantern faces cut out of a tortilla on a cutting board

Assemble: Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. When the griddle is hot, place the remaining four pumpkin tortillas (without faces) on the griddle. Spread a little less than 1 tsp of pumpkin puree on each tortilla, top with shredded cheese.

cheese added to quesadilla on cutting board

Stuff with Cheese: Place the pumpkin tortillas with faces on top of the cheese. 

jack o lantern tortilla topping the quesadilla

Cook on Skillet: Cook for five minutes, or until cheese is melted, then flip and cook an additional two to three minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving. 

halloween jack-o-lantern pumpkin quesadillas served on a wooden cutting board

❓ Recipe FAQs

Are quesadillas healthy?

The answer is – it depends on how you make them! If you sue whole grain tortillas, healthy fillings, and less cheese, then quesadillas can be a delicious meal!

These jack o lantern halloween quesadillas are healthy for a few reasons:
1) Low Calorie: Each little jack-o-lantern quesadilla is only 100 calories! That makes it the perfect snack or part of a healthy dinner. You could eat 3-4 of them and still be only around 300-400 calories for your meal! It’s also a perfect portion size for kids.

2) Vitamins and Minerals: Besides the fact that these pumpkin quesadillas are super cute, they are also good for you too. With each helping, you will get fiber, protein, vitamin A, riboflavin, potassium, manganese, folate, vitamin B6, iron, niacin, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin E, and the list goes on!

How Do You Reheat Quesadillas?

There are a few ways you can reheat these Halloween quesadillas. Let’s take a look at the options for reheating:

Air Fryer: Did you know that Air Fryers are actually great for heating leftovers? Turn on the air fryer to 350 degrees and spray a little bit of olive oil on the quesadillas. Cook for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until they are hot. You don’t need to cook them a long time, you are just wanting to warm them up. This will give you crispy quesadillas every time. 

Skillet: Add a little bit of cooking spray or olive oil to a skillet. Heat the quesadillas on medium-high heat until they are hot all the way through. Be sure to flip them to warm both sides. 

Microwave: Place the pumpkin quesadilla on a microwave-safe plate and heat for 30 seconds – 1 minute. Once hot, they are ready to serve. If you opt for the microwave method, the quesadillas will not end up as crispy. 

How do you make quesadillas crispy?

The key is to cook them low and slow on the stovetop – typically over medium-low heat. That way the cheese will melt, and the tortilla will get crispy and golden brown without burning!

🧊 How To Store

To Refrigerate: I have found the best way to store leftover Halloween Pumpkin Quesadillas is by wrapping them up in plastic wrap. Then I put each Halloween quesadilla in a plastic or glass food container. They typically last around 3 days in the fridge. 


To Freeze: Do a flash freeze on the quesadillas, so when you store them in the freezer, they don’t stick to each other. To do that, place them on a baking sheet and freeze them for 2-3 hours. Then remove off the baking sheet and put it in a freezer-safe container. They last up to 2 months. 

👪 How To Serve

Serve these adorable jack o lantern quesadillas as is with pumpkin and cheese. Or serve with a side of sour cream, salsa, and green onions. These would also taste great alongside refried beans for added protein.

💭 Expert Tips

  • It’s very important not to overstuff these easy quesadillas with ingredients. If you do, you will have a mess, and they will likely spill out as you are cooking them. 
  • It’s best to divide up the filling, so you make evenly stuffed quesadillas. They will cook better when you have the correct amount of filling too!
  • Keep your skillet on medium low heat so that the cheese melts evenly and you get that nice crispy outside without burning your tortillas.
  • If you have kids, get them involved in the kitchen! There are lots of easy steps to this recipe that kids as young as 3 years old can participate in – they’ll have a blast making and then eating these quesadillas! These make for an easy dinner or after school snack for kids!
jack-o-lantern pumpkin halloween quesadillas served on a white plate

🎃 More Fun Halloween Foods!

LOVE THIS RECIPE? Please leave a 5-star rating 🌟 in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page!

You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see more delicious, healthy, family-friendly food, and if you have any questions, I’m here to help!

📋 Recipe Card

🎥 Watch How to Make It

halloween jack-o-lantern pumpkin quesadillas served on a white plate
Print Recipe
5 from 11 votes

Halloween Quesadillas: “Jack-O-Lantern” Pumpkin

These Halloween Quesadillas are the cutest and most delicious dinner idea for fall. These pumpkin quesadillas are sure to bring a smile to your face and are perfect for kids or festive get-togethers. Filled with cheesy goodness and pumpkin between whole wheat tortillas, they are irresistible. 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Total Time18 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 4 quesadillas
Calories: 105kcal
Author: Anjali Shah

Ingredients

Shop Ingredients on Jupiter

Equipment

Instructions

  • Use the cookie cutter to cut out 8 pumpkin shaped tortillas.
  • Use the knife to cut jack o lantern faces into four of the pumpkin shaped tortillas.
  • Heat a skillet or griddle over medium high heat. Spray with olive oil cooking spray. When the griddle is hot, place the remaining four pumpkin tortillas (without faces) on the griddle. Spread a little less than 1 tsp of pumpkin puree on each tortilla, top with shredded cheese and place the pumpkin tortillas with faces on top of the cheese.
  • Cook for five minutes, until cheese is melted, then flip and cook an additional two to three minutes.
  • Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Notes

Pumpkin Quesadilla Variations
  • Add a few black beans to give yourself a boost of protein and nutrients. Plus, the beans taste really good with the cheese and pumpkin. You could do whole black beans or refried black or pinto beans.
  • Adjust the variety of cheese you use. We most often use Monterrey Jack, but you could also go with mozzarella, a Mexican cheese blend, cheddar, or even Pepper Jack if you want some spice added to yours. 
  • If you are feeling a little extra festive and want some spice, add in some chopped jalapeños or green chiles. They both are tasty!
  • Toss some fresh herbs on the quesadillas. Cilantro, oregano, or parsley would all taste great and add some color too. 
  • For more veggies, feel free to chop up some yellow bell peppers or poblano peppers, tomatoes, and baby spinach and add them into the quesadillas.
Top Tips For Making Homemade Halloween Pumpkin Quesadillas
  • It’s very important not to overstuff the quesadillas with ingredients. If you do, you will have a mess, and they will likely spill out as you are cooking them. 
  • It’s best to divide up the filling, so you make evenly stuffed quesadillas. They will cook better when you have the correct amount of filling too!
  • Keep your skillet on medium low heat so that the cheese melts evenly and you get that nice crispy outside without burning your tortillas.
  • If you have kids, get them involved in the kitchen! There are lots of easy steps to this recipe that kids as young as 3 years old can participate in – they’ll have a blast making and then eating these quesadillas!

Nutrition

Serving: 1quesadilla | Calories: 105kcal | Carbohydrates: 11.9g | Protein: 4.8g | Fat: 4.9g | Saturated Fat: 2.8g | Cholesterol: 11.4mg | Sodium: 208.5mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1.3g

20 responses to “Halloween Quesadillas: Easy “Jack-O-Lantern” Pumpkins”

  1. These are so cute. Such a clever idea! They will be perfect when my niece and nephews come to visit this weekend.5 stars

  2. Oh my goodness, these quesadillas look so amazing! I am sure my kids will go crazy over them and I love how easy these are to make 🙂5 stars

5 from 11 votes (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating





Subscribe to newsletter

Copyright 2024 The Picky Eater®, LLC. All rights reserved.