Arizona cheese crisp

For other uses, see cheese crisp (disambiguation).

Arizona cheese crisp

Alternative names	Cheese crisp
Place of origin	Arizona, United States
Main ingredients	Tortillas, cheese

An Arizona cheese crisp (simply cheese crisp in the region) is an open-faced, flour tortilla covered in shredded cheese.^[1] It is put on a metal pizza pan that has been brushed with butter or margarine and put under a broiler until it gets crisp. It is similar to a quesadilla, but distinct in that a cheese crisp is not folded over, and that it is also baked until the tortilla becomes crisp. Common cheeses to use include in various combinations are Oaxaca, Monterey Jack, or Cheddar. Cheese crisps sometimes are topped with onions, cilantro, or peppers.^[2]

Cheese crisps are served as appetizers at most Tucson-area Mexican restaurants, but are rarely found outside the state, other than places popular with Arizonan tourists such as Puerto Peñasco and San Diego.^[1][3][4]

See also

• Frico
• Welsh rabbit
• Khachapuri

References

1. Stern, J.; Stern, M. (2009). 500 Things to Eat Before It's Too Late: And the Very Best Places to Eat Them. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 306. ISBN 978-0547059075. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
2. "'Arizona Cheese Crisp' 7th Space Interactive". Archived from the original on 2008-12-03. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
3. "Arizona Daily Star: Cheer for cheese crisps". Orange Coast. March 12, 2008. Archived from the original on May 18, 2017. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
4. "Orange Coast Magazine: The Cheese Crisp Brings a Little Tucson to O.C." Arizona Daily Star. September 4, 2015.