Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas

Beef Quesadillas

These crispy on the outside and cheesy on the inside quesadillas are mouth-wateringly moreish. Bursting with flavored ground beef and oozing with cheese, they will keep everyone coming back for these pockets of goodness. You will love to give this delectable, hard-to-resist recipe a go!

Ground beef quesadillas are a tasty Mexican snack that consists of tortillas packed with mainly cheese and meat stuffing. Paired with aromatic seasoning and complementary ingredients, they are undeniably satisfying and versatile. 

Reasons Why You’ll Love Beef Quesadillas

• Packed with flavor: With an assortment of distinct aromatic spices and fully adjustable to your tastes, these can be a zingy addition to mealtimes. 
• Simple to make: There are only a few easy steps in this recipe, mainly cooking the ground beef and then simply stuffing the tortillas with the prepared filling. Finish off with a quick fry in the pan.
• A great finger food: Looking for something to serve at a party? Or hungry kids who need something quick? These ground meat and cheese Quesadillas are just the thing you’ve been looking for. Easy to eat, in small portions, and with the option of pairing with a dip of your choice, these are the perfect complementary dishes for the table.
• Versatile: The filling in these stuffed tortillas is interchangeable. Is beef not your thing? Make chicken quesadillas. Rather have a veggie option? Substitute with avocado, sweetcorn, bell pepper, or mushroom for more bite. No cheese option? Try humous.

Ingredients You Need To Prepare

• Ground Beef: If you don’t want to use ground beef, you can substitute it for another type of meat, such as chicken, fish, or turkey. 
• Brown Onion: Chopped onions bring flavor and body to the dish. They work particularly well when cooking with meat. You can also fry them for a crispy topping on dishes. 
• Garlic Mince: Garlic brings great nutritious benefits to the body, as well as deep flavor to meat dishes and other savory meals in particular. 
• Cajun Spice: It consists of various seasonings such as black pepper, white pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. If buying store-bought, the ingredients may differ slightly from brand to brand. 
• Tomato Paste: This brings acidity, juiciness, flavor, and color to the beef mixture.
• Red Bell Pepper: This can add color to the dish, as well as a hint of sweetness to balance out the other spices.
• Sweetcorn: Not a necessity if you are not a fan of sweet corn, though it can brighten up the beef filling and add a sweet and juicy bite to the dish. 
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese: A versatile and readily available hard cheese, this ingredient packs a punch when added to the quesadillas. You can also use any other shredded cheese, such as mozzarella, for that added cheesy pull!
• Cooking Oil: You can use a light, neutral oil such as sunflower or canola. Though the flavors in these meaty quesadillas are deep and distinct, it is okay to use light olive oil, too. 
• Tortilla: Usually, when making quesadillas, you would traditionally use corn tortillas, but you can also use flour ones if that is what you have on hand.
• Salt and Pepper: Added according to your taste, usually at the cooking stage. For some extra heat, add some red pepper flakes. You can also use taco seasoning if you prefer. 

Equipment Needed

• Chopping board: A necessary staple in any kitchen to speed up and simplify the prepping process. You can get chopping boards made of many different materials, such as wooden, plastic, and metal. I find wooden chopping boards work best overall. 
• Kitchen knife: A good quality, sharp kitchen knife is a must-have to make easy work of dicing and chopping when cooking your favorite recipes. 
• Frying pan: A good quality frying pan or skillet with a large diameter will be perfect to cook the beef and fry the stuffed corn tortillas.
• Slotted spoon: This will allow any extra liquid to drain off, as you need the mixture to be dry enough so that the tortillas are not soggy. 

How To Make Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas

1. To make these quesadillas come together in next to no time, heat some oil in a large skillet or non-stick frying pan over medium heat and add some chopped onions. Sauté the onions until translucent. 
2. Add the minced garlic to the onions and cook until lightly golden brown. Do not overcook it, as this could burn the garlic.
3. Next, add the ground beef and cook with the onions and garlic until the meat has browned.
4. Once the meat has browned, season it with salt and pepper, cajun spice, and tomato paste. 
5. Keep stir-frying until the beef has fully cooked, then add the chopped bell peppers and sweet corn. Cook the mixture for roughly three minutes, then put to one side. 
6. Reheat a tortilla and sprinkle some of the grated cheese all over. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the beef quesadilla filling. 
7. Sprinkle a bit more cheese on top and fold the tortilla in half. Carefully put it in the pan and fry until it turns golden brown and crispy outside. 
8. Flip to cook the other side. Keep repeating the process for all the tortillas. Once these quesadillas are ready, you can enjoy them with sour cream, guacamole, or salsa, but they are just as tasty on their own!

Substitutions and Variations

• This ground beef quesadillas recipe is so versatile you don’t even have to use ground beef! You can use chicken, fish or anything you prefer. 
• If you don’t like peppers and sweetcorn, you can always try something else, such as beans, peas, diced carrots, or even keep it plain. If you want more zing, try flavoring it with red chili or red pepper flakes, or keep it herby and fresh with some oregano and chopped cilantro.
• I have mentioned cheddar cheese in this recipe, though you can use any cheese you prefer. A good flavored cheese is mozzarella, but other cheeses that will work just as well are ones such as Monterey Jack, Edam, Gouda, Lancashire, or Gruyere.
• In this Mexican dish, corn tortillas are the traditional option, but flour tortillas are great to use in this recipe.

Pro Cooking Tips

We know now how easy making these quesadillas is and how you can use practically any ingredient as the filling. A great tip for these is to make a big batch ahead of time and freeze it for future use. 

What To Do With Leftovers

Leftover quesadillas make great little lunchbox meals for the kids, as well as perfect little snack or breakfast pockets. Remember, you can always make this recipe and freeze it in big batches or freeze any leftovers for later use. 

Another great tip when you cook the quesadillas is to be sure you do not overfill the quesadillas. Keep the amount of ground meat filling or vegetables you use the same as the amount of cheese.

What To Serve Beef and Cheese Quesadillas With

These amazing quesadillas can be enjoyed any time of the day, on their own, or teamed up with other tasty delights. They go great with salsa, sour cream, guacamole, a side of fries, Mexican rice, coleslaw, or black beans.

FAQs

Why are my Quesdillas not crispy?

Make sure to fry them on medium heat for roughly a minute to a minute and a half on each side. Be careful not to overdo this, as they can burn quite quickly. Following this method, your quesadillas will be ready when they turn out beautifully golden and crispy, oozing with melting cheese.

Are Quesadillas meant to be hot or cold?

The beauty of quesadillas is that you can have them hot or cold, making them perfect as an on-the-go meal or snack. The kids will love finding this tasty treat in their lunchbox!

Should I use oil or butter to cook quesadillas?

To fry the quesadillas, you can use oil or butter, but remember to use a little bit and not too much. Otherwise, it can make the quesadillas soggy and greasy. We want them crispy! Just grease the pan a little to get the best cooking experience. 

How to store and reheat

You can store these cheesy meat quesadillas in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge. If you prefer, you can freeze them for up to 3 months in the freezer in small or large batches.

To keep your quesadillas crunchy and warm the next day, stick in the oven on a baking sheet pan at 375°F for 10 minutes. Remember to cover with aluminum foil before heating. 

Cheesy Beef Tortillas that Taste Amazing

This Cheesy ground beef flatbread recipe has it all. With a colorful array of herbs, spices, and vegetables teamed with succulent meat, these perfect little pockets of delight will bring Mexican magic to mealtimes. If you follow the simple instructions in this easy recipe, you will be making the best quesadillas around!

Beef Quesadillas Recipe

These cheesy ground beef quesadillas will soon become your favorite go-to recipe that everyone will enjoy. It’s packed with flavors and melted cheese and is easy to make.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 people

Calories: 846kcal

Author: Devy Dar

Equipment

• Chopping board
• Kitchen knife
• Frying pan
• Slotted spoon

Ingredients

• 9 ounces ground beef
• ½ brown onion chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic mince
• 1½ teaspoon cajun spice
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ¼ red bell pepper
• ¼ cup sweet corn
• 1 cup cheddar cheese grated
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt or according to taste
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 4 tortillas

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Heat the oil on the frying pan, add chopped onion, and cook until the onion turns soft and translucent.
• Add minced garlic and continue cooking until it becomes lightly golden.
• Put the ground beef into the onion-garlic mixture and stir fry to brown the meat.
• Then, add the cajun spice, salt, black pepper, and tomato paste.
• Stir and fry until the ground beef is fully cooked.
• Add the chopped bell pepper and sweet corn kernels. Cook further for about 3 minutes. Set it aside.
• Reheat one tortilla until it softens. Scatter some grated cheese on half the area of the tortilla. Then spread 2-3 tablespoons of ground beef mixture on the cheese. Again, scatter some cheese over the beef.
• Fold the tortilla in half and carefully place it on the frying pan.
• Cook the quesadilla until the tortilla turns golden brown and the cheese melts.
• Repeat the process for all the tortillas.

Notes

• You can substitute cheddar cheese with Monterey Jack cheese, Edam, Gouda, Lancaster, etc. Use any neutral cooking oil such as canola oil, sunflower oil, or light olive oil. You can opt for finely chopped zucchini instead of bell pepper if you like.

Nutritional Info Disclaimer

The nutritional info on this page is only an estimate using online calculator. It should not be used for health related guidance. Please verify your own data if you seek an accurate info.

Nutrition

Serving: 150grams | Calories: 846kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 57g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 1547mg | Potassium: 712mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1929IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 530mg | Iron: 6mg