Working professionals everywhere know the struggle of putting in a hard day’s work, then still having to figure out food. It can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back—but, thankfully, versatile meal options like the quesadilla have a long history of solving this conundrum.

Today (Friday, September 25, 2026) is National Quesadilla Day, which is the perfect occasion to celebrate and learn about this cheesy delight.

We will even let you in on the best deals to satisfy your well-earned hunger. 

At its core, traditional quesadillas are made of a folded tortilla and melted cheese prepared by heating on a griddle. Tortillas date all the way back to Mesoamerican times around 10,000 BC and were a staple food in the diets of the Aztecs and Mayans. 

When the Spanish, under Hernan Cortés, conquered what would become Mexico City in the 1500s, the conquistadors were exposed to the corn-based “tlaxcalli.”

They decided to change the moniker to tortillas because the round shape resembled the egg dish popular in Spain. This new name comes from the Spanish word torta, which means cake. Beyond name changes, the Spanish also introduced dairy.

These days, many Americans make quesadillas with cheddar cheese in the microwave, which might make the ancient Aztecs a little sad.

The quesadilla, like many culinary delights, evolved borrowing aspects of both the Spanish and ancient mesoamerican cultures.

It soon spread throughout Mexico, with each region adding its own flair to the dish.

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