Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas with Crispy Golden Tortillas
By Isabella Quinn
Prep
10 min
Cook
25 min
Total
35 min
Servings
12
Level
Easy
Dinner can be prepared in 35 minutes with typical kitchen spices and other ingredients and a frying pan. Beef quesadillas are wrapped in flour tortillas with spices and several types of cheese. Beef quesadillas are pan-fried until the tortillas are golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Extra-lean ground beef is flavored with chili powder, chipotle, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper, if desired. Tomato paste and beef broth are mixed into ground beef before and after browning to make a taco filling. Cheese is placed over and under the ground beef taco topping and used to hold taco shells, which are curved like half moons, together while cooking.
The key indicators of a fully cooked quesadilla are a dark brown, firm tortilla and melted cheese at the folded edge. To ensure that two quesadillas cook properly, use a lightly oiled nonstick pan. The most common issue cooks have with quesadillas is cooking them at too high a temperature, which prevents the cheese from melting. Watch quesadillas closely and turn as needed.
Reheat already cooked quesadillas in a low oven while making new ones. Cut prepared quesadillas into two wedges and offer salsa, guacamole, or sour cream as optional toppings. To reheat leftovers, pan-fry quesadillas in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat to crisp them.
Why we keep this one around
- It takes 35 minutes to make dinner because the seasoned beef cooks quickly, and tortillas only need a few minutes per side to cook.
- Includes common spices usually available in the home and ground beef as fillings, so no other ingredients or sauce are needed to add flavor to the fillings.
- Keeps cleanup contained by cooking both ground beef and tortillas in the same large nonstick skillet.
- Serves 12 pieces from six tortillas. Can be served to several people or cut into smaller servings without further cooking.
- Prevents spillage because cheese is present on both sides of the beef, and melted cheese helps hold tortillas together in a folded configuration.
- Can be prepared without salsa, guacamole, and sour cream. Quesadillas can be made with other ingredients that are on hand.
Ingredients
- •½ tbsp olive oil
- •1 lb ground beef (extra lean)
- •1 tsp chili powder
- •1 tsp ground chipotle chili pepper
- •½ tsp dried oregano
- •½ tsp ground cumin
- •½ tsp garlic powder
- •½ tsp onion powder
- •½ tsp salt
- •½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- •¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper (optional)
- •1 tbsp tomato paste
- •2 tbsp unsalted beef stock or broth (low-sodium or regular)
- •12 oz shredded cheese blend (divided; about 3 cups; cheddar, Monterey Jack, and pizza mozzarella)
- •6 flour tortillas (7 to 8 inches in diameter)
- •2 tbsp vegetable oil (for greasing pan; about 2 teaspoons per batch)
- •salsa (for serving, optional)
- •guacamole (for serving, optional)
- •sour cream (for serving, optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit to keep cooked quesadillas warm while making batches.
- 2
Heat the olive oil in a large 10- or 12-inch non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
- 3
Add the ground beef, chili powder, chipotle pepper, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper, if using.
- 4
Cook, breaking the beef into small pieces and stirring occasionally, until fully cooked through with no pink remaining, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- 5
Stir in the tomato paste and beef stock or broth and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more.
- 6
Remove the beef to a bowl and drain or remove any excess grease.
- 7
Distribute about 8 ounces, or 2 cups, of cheese on one side of all the tortillas, reserving the remaining 4 ounces, or 1 cup.
- 8
Distribute the ground beef over the cheese, then sprinkle the reserved cheese over the beef.
- 9
Fold each tortilla in half to form a half-moon shape.
- 10
Heat about 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat and swirl to coat the pan.
- 11
Cook two quesadillas at a time for about 2 minutes on the first side, adding more oil between batches as necessary.
- 12
Carefully flip and cook for another 2 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy outside and the cheese has melted.
- 13
Transfer cooked quesadillas to a sheet pan and keep warm in the preheated oven while cooking the remaining batches.
- 14
Repeat the cooking process with the remaining quesadillas.
- 15
Cut each quesadilla in half to make 12 pieces and serve with optional salsa, guacamole, and/or sour cream.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
227
Calories
16g
Protein
14g
Fat
9g
Carbs
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