Gringas de Carnitas (Flour Tortilla Pork and Cheese Quesadillas)
Two soft flour tortillas sealed round melted Oaxaca cheese and crisp carnitas, griddled until golden and served with green salsa.
Made with Salsa verde (cooked tomatillo salsa) and Flour tortillas and Carnitas (slow cooked pork). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time25 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.25 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Take your ready made carnitas (see the base recipe) and crisp them in a dry frying pan over a high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until the edges are browned and the pork is steaming hot all the way through.
4 min - 2
Warm a large frying pan or griddle over a medium heat. Lay one of your flour tortillas (see the base recipe) in the pan and brush the top lightly with oil.
- 3
Cover the tortilla with a quarter of the cheese, a quarter of the carnitas, some onion and coriander. Top with a second tortilla.
- 4
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then flip carefully with a wide spatula and cook for 2 minutes more, until the cheese has melted and both sides are blistered and golden. @300 Repeat to make four gringas.
- 5
Cut each into wedges and serve straight away with the salsa verde (see the base recipe) spooned over or on the side, and lime wedges.
Tips
- Grate the cheese rather than slicing it, so it melts evenly and glues the two tortillas together.
- Keep the heat at medium. Too hot and the tortillas scorch before the cheese melts.
- Two tortillas per gringa is what makes it a gringa. A single folded tortilla is a plain quesadilla.
- Warm the salsa verde gently before serving if you like, but spoon it on cold for a fresh contrast.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten straight from the pan. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat in a dry frying pan until the middle is steaming hot.
Questions
Why are they called gringas?
The name is generally said to refer to the pale flour tortilla (and the cheese and meat filling) in place of corn, and the dish is closely linked with tacos al pastor. The story varies, so treat the origin as folklore.
Can I use corn tortillas?
Yes, but then it becomes an ordinary quesadilla. Corn tortillas are smaller and more brittle, so fold them rather than stacking two.
Can I make them gluten free?
Only with a gluten free flour tortilla recipe, as described in the flour tortillas base. Ordinary flour tortillas contain wheat.
More made with salsa verde (cooked tomatillo salsa)
Sopes de Frijol con Salsa Verde (Masa Cups with Beans)
GFEFNFTamales de Rajas en Salsa Verde con Queso (Poblano Strip and Cheese Tamales)
GFEFNFTacos de Coliflor Adobada (Adobo Cauliflower Tacos)
GFDFEFQuesadillas de Pollo Asado con Salsa Verde (Chicken and Cheese Quesadillas)
GFEFNFSee every dish made with salsa verde (cooked tomatillo salsa)
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.