Description
This Easy Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas recipe offers a quick and flavorful meal featuring seasoned ground beef and melted cheddar cheese folded inside warm flour tortillas, perfect for a delicious weeknight dinner or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Ground Beef Mixture
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce or salsa
Assembly
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 large flour tortillas
- Butter or oil for skillet
Optional Toppings
- Cilantro
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Hot sauce
Instructions
- Cook Ground Beef: In a skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil and add the ground beef. Cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spatula, then drain excess fat to keep the dish from being greasy.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add the finely chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet with the beef. Cook for about 3-5 minutes until the onion is softened and fragrant.
- Add Spices: Stir in chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, salt, and black pepper, mixing well to evenly coat the meat and onions with the spices.
- Combine Tomato Sauce: Pour in the tomato sauce or salsa and simmer for 2-3 minutes to meld the flavors and slightly thicken the mixture.
- Assemble Quesadillas: Lay out one flour tortilla, sprinkle a generous layer of shredded cheddar cheese, spoon the beef mixture evenly over the cheese, then add a little more cheese on top before folding the tortilla in half.
- Cook Quesadillas: Heat a little butter or oil in a clean skillet over medium heat. Place the folded quesadilla in the pan and cook until golden and crispy on the bottom, about 2-3 minutes. Carefully flip and cook the other side until crisp and cheese is melted.
- Serve: Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then slice into wedges. Serve with optional toppings such as cilantro, sour cream, guacamole, or hot sauce for extra flavor.
Notes
- Use low-fat ground beef or ground turkey as a leaner option.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute flour tortillas with gluten-free tortillas.
- Feel free to add diced jalapeños or hot sauce to the beef mixture for extra spice.
- Make sure to drain excess fat from the beef to avoid greasy quesadillas.
- Leftover quesadillas can be reheated in a skillet or air fryer for best texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: ground beef quesadillas, cheesy quesadillas, quick dinner, Mexican recipe, skillet quesadillas
