Before you cook
Background Recipe story & origin
Sincronizadas are Mexican grilled tortilla sandwiches, essentially ham and cheese quesadillas using flour tortillas. The name means 'synchronized,' referring to how the two tortillas are matched together. The dish is simple: flour tortillas filled with ham, cheese (usually Oaxaca or Manchego), and sometimes jalapeños, grilled until crispy outside and melted inside. Sincronizadas are served with salsa, guacamole, or crema. The dish is home cooking and street food, found at fondas and taquerias throughout Mexico. They're late-night snacks, children's food, quick meals. While not 'traditional' in the sense of pre-Columbian cuisine, sincronizadas represent modern Mexican comfort food. The flour tortilla indicates northern Mexican influence; similar preparations (gringas) use corn tortillas. Simple, satisfying, and endlessly adaptable.
Before you start Equipment you'll need
- griddle — Provides high heat surface for grilling sincronizadas until golden and crispy
Safety Safety & allergen notes
- Handle knives carefully when prepping ingredients.
Non-negotiables Rules for success
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Assemble to serve
Layer cheese and ham on 4 tortillas. Top with remaining tortillas.
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Grill to finish
Butter griddle. Cook sincronizadas until golden and cheese melted, 3 minutes per side.
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Quarter and serve
Cut into quarters. Serve with salsa.
Prep Get set first
About 5 min of prep
- Prepare griddle
This recipe takes about 12 minutes total.
Ingredients
Instructions
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-
Assemble to serve
Layer cheese and ham on 4 tortillas. Top with remaining tortillas.
-
Grill to finish
Butter griddle. Cook sincronizadas until golden and cheese melted, 3 minutes per side.
-
Quarter and serve
Cut into quarters. Serve with salsa.