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Close-up of stacked, grilled Cheesy Beef Quesadillas showing melted cheese stretching between layers of seasoned ground beef.

Cheesy Beef Quesadillas

Make these simple, cheesy beef quesadillas for a quick meal. This recipe uses ground beef seasoned with spices and layered with cheese inside flour tortillas, then cooked until golden brown.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 12 pieces
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 227
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Beef Filling
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef I use extra lean ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted beef stock/broth or low sodium or regular
For Assembly
  • 12 ounces shredded cheese blend divided (about 3 cups. I used a combination of cheddar, Monterey jack and pizza mozzarella)
  • 6 flour tortillas about 7 to 8 inches in diameter each
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to grease pan (about 2 teaspoons of oil per batch)
For Serving (Optional)
  • Salsa, guacamole and/or sour cream

Equipment

  • Large non-stick frying pan (10-inch or 12-inch)
  • Sheet pan

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit to keep quesadillas warm while cooking batches.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add ground beef, chili powder, chipotle pepper, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Cook, breaking the ground beef into small pieces and stirring occasionally, until the ground beef is fully cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  3. Stir in tomato paste and beef stock/broth and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove beef from the pan and place into a bowl. Drain/remove any excess grease.
  4. Distribute about 8 ounces (or 2 cups) of cheese among all tortillas on one side of them.
  5. Distribute ground beef on top of cheese. Then sprinkle the remaining 1 cup (or 4 ounces) of cheese on top of ground beef. Fold over each tortilla so it forms a half-moon shape.
  6. Heat about 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat. Gently swirl the oil around the pan to coat. Wipe out the pan if you used it for the ground beef.
  7. Cook the quesadillas in batches, two quesadillas at a time, adding more oil to the pan between batches as needed. Place two quesadillas in the pan. Cook quesadillas for about 2 minutes on one side.
  8. Carefully flip quesadillas to the other side and continue to cook for another 2 minutes or until they are golden brown and crispy on the outside and the cheese is melted inside. Transfer cooked quesadillas to a sheet pan and place into your preheated oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining quesadillas.
  9. Repeat the process to cook the remaining quesadillas.
  10. Once done, cut each quesadilla in half so you have 12 pieces. Serve with salsa, guacamole and/or sour cream.

Nutrition

Calories: 227kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 16gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 443mgPotassium: 210mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 326IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 211mgIron: 2mg

Notes

If you have any leftovers, properly store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat before serving. You can sub the seasoning/spices with your favorite homemade taco seasoning.

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