Mexican Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Sincronizadas
Toasted flour tortilla sandwiches filled with melty cheese and ham, a quick and crowd-pleasing Mexican snack griddled until golden.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Good to know
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Lay four tortillas on a work surface and sprinkle each with a layer of cheese, leaving a small border around the edge.
- 2
Top the cheese with slices of ham and a little more cheese, then close each with a second tortilla to form a sandwich.
- 3
Melt a little of the butter in a large skillet or griddle over medium heat until it foams.
- 4
Cook each sincronizada for 2 to 3 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until the tortillas are golden and the cheese is fully melted and gooey.
- 5
Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 1 minute so the cheese sets enough to slice cleanly.
- 6
Cut each into quarters or halves, tuck in avocado slices, and serve hot with salsa and pickled jalapeños on the side.
Listahan Family Score™
77/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving880
Calories
54 g
Protein
12 g
Carbs
71 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Sincronizadas sit in the everyday Mexican snack lane: quick griddled tortillas, cheese, and ham served at home, in cafes, and at casual lunch counters. They are close cousins of quesadillas, but the two-tortilla sandwich shape and the ham make them feel more like a warm, sliced tortilla melt than a folded antojito.
Listahan note
This version keeps the filling straightforward and focuses on the texture: crisp golden tortillas, fully melted cheese, warm ham, and cool avocado added after the griddle so it stays fresh.
Technique cues
- Medium heat matters more than speed here. Too hot and the tortillas brown before the cheese has time to melt through.
- A small cheese border helps the layers seal as they cook, but overfilling makes the sincronizadas slide around when you flip them.
- Resting for 1 minute before slicing keeps the melted cheese from rushing out onto the cutting board.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Slice the avocado and set out salsa and pickled jalapeños while the first sincronizada cooks.
- Make-ahead
- Assemble the tortilla, cheese, and ham stacks a few hours ahead, then cover and chill flat until griddling.
- Leftover move
- Cut leftover wedges into strips and warm them in a skillet, then serve over scrambled eggs with salsa.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Wipe the skillet between batches if cheese leaks out; browned cheese bits can scorch and mark the next tortilla.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
Flour tortillas (8-inch)
Toasted wrapper
Purpose: Flour tortillas brown evenly and stay flexible enough to hold the ham and cheese in a clean sandwich shape.
Handling: Keep them covered while assembling so they do not dry out before they hit the skillet.
Adaptation: Corn tortillas give a more toasted corn flavor and a smaller, firmer bite; use two per sincronizada and handle gently.
Shredded Oaxaca or Monterey Jack cheese
Melty center
Purpose: Oaxaca gives a stretchy pull, while Monterey Jack melts smoothly and is easy to find in North American grocery stores.
Handling: Shred the cheese rather than using thick slices so it melts before the tortillas overbrown.
Adaptation: Mozzarella gives stretch with a milder flavor, while Chihuahua cheese keeps the profile closer to a Mexican deli-style version.
Sliced ham
Savory filling
Purpose: Ham adds salt, a little sweetness, and enough structure to make the sincronizada feel like a quick meal rather than just a cheese tortilla.
Handling: Lay the slices flat and avoid bunching them so the sandwich heats evenly.
Adaptation: Sliced turkey or cooked chicken changes the flavor but keeps the same quick griddle method.
Ripe avocado, sliced
Fresh finish
Purpose: Avocado cools down the rich cheese and ham and gives each bite a soft, creamy contrast.
Handling: Slice it just before serving and tuck it in after cooking so it does not turn mushy in the skillet.
Adaptation: Guacamole works if you want a spreadable finish, but use a thin layer so the tortillas stay crisp.
Butter
Browning fat
Purpose: Butter helps the tortillas turn golden and adds a lightly toasted flavor around the edges.
Handling: Use just enough to coat the pan; too much makes the tortillas heavy instead of crisp.
Adaptation: A neutral oil gives a cleaner, less rich finish and is less likely to brown quickly.
Salsa and pickled jalapeños
Sharp serving contrast
Purpose: Salsa adds moisture and acidity, while pickled jalapeños cut through the cheese and ham.
Handling: Serve them on the side so each piece can be dipped without softening the tortillas too early.
Adaptation: Pico de gallo gives a fresher crunch, while bottled hot sauce keeps the plate simpler.
Technique notes
- Press gently, not hard. The goal is contact with the pan, not squeezing the cheese out the sides.
- Flip with a wide spatula in one steady motion, especially once the cheese begins to loosen inside.
- If cooking several, hold finished pieces on a wire rack instead of stacking them so the bottoms stay crisp.
Ingredient swaps
- Corn tortilla direction
- Use smaller corn tortillas and make more pieces; the flavor is toastier and the texture is less soft than flour tortillas.
- No-butter path
- Cook on a dry nonstick griddle or use a thin film of neutral oil for a lighter, cleaner tortilla surface.
- Cheese stretch adjustment
- Mix Oaxaca with Monterey Jack if you want both pull and a smooth melt without changing the basic method.
- Sharper finish
- Add a thin swipe of salsa after cooking instead of inside the sandwich so the tortillas do not steam.
Serve alongside
- Mexican rice
- Frijoles de la olla
- Cabbage lime slaw
- Esquites
- Agua de jamaica
- Lime agua fresca
- Mexican lager
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate cooked sincronizadas without avocado in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until the tortillas crisp again and the cheese softens.
- Freeze assembled uncooked sincronizadas between parchment sheets, then thaw in the refrigerator before griddling.
Equipment
- Large skillet or flat griddle
- Wide spatula
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
Make this household-aware
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Plan it in Listahan
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