Ground Beef Quesadillas are flour tortillas folded around spiced ground beef and a blend of cheddar, Monterey Jack and mozzarella, then pan-fried until golden brown and crispy. The beef cooks with chili powder, chipotle, cumin and oregano, and finishes with a spoonful of tomato paste and a splash of beef broth. The recipe makes 6 quesadillas, cut into 12 pieces, and it’s ready in 35 minutes.
How to make it: Brown the beef with the spices, stir in the tomato paste and broth, then layer cheese, beef and more cheese on each tortilla and fold it over. Pan-fry two at a time, about 2 minutes a side, and keep the finished ones warm in a 200°F oven.
Why You’ll Love It
- Crisp outside, cheesy inside: cheese goes both under and over the beef and holds the filling together.
- Pantry spices: chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic and onion powder season the beef, no packet needed.
- Made for a hungry table: a warm oven holds each batch while the next one cooks.
- Easy to change: swap in taco seasoning, leftover taco meat, beans, corn or peppers.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef: One pound. Extra lean works well.
Tomato paste and beef broth: They go in after the beef is cooked and cook in within a minute or two. Unsalted, low-sodium or regular broth all work, or use water.
Cheese: 12 ounces, about 3 cups. A store-bought blend of cheddar, Monterey Jack and mozzarella gives you three cheeses in one bag; any one of them works on its own. Two-thirds goes under the beef and the rest on top.
Tortillas: Six flour tortillas about 7 to 8 inches across. Flour tortillas are hearty and flexible and hold a generous filling. Corn tortillas work too; they’re smaller, so each one takes less filling.
Ingredients
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef, extra lean works well
- 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, optional
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons beef broth (unsalted, low-sodium or regular)
- 12 ounces shredded cheese (about 3 cups), divided: a blend of cheddar, Monterey Jack and mozzarella
- 6 flour tortillas, about 7 to 8 inches across
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for the pan (about 2 teaspoons per batch)
- Salsa, guacamole or sour cream, for serving (optional)
How to Make Ground Beef Quesadillas
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 200°F. It keeps the finished quesadillas warm while you cook the rest in batches.
2. Cook the beef. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan (10-inch or 12-inch) over medium heat. Add the ground beef, chili powder, chipotle, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper and cayenne if using. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking the beef into small pieces and stirring occasionally, until it is browned all the way through with no pink left and reaches 160°F on a food thermometer.
3. Add the tomato paste and broth. Stir in the tomato paste and beef broth and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, until the broth is absorbed. Move the beef to a bowl and drain off any excess grease.
4. Fill the tortillas. Divide 8 ounces (2 cups) of the cheese among the tortillas, over one half of each. Spoon the beef over the cheese, then sprinkle the remaining 1 cup (4 ounces) of cheese on top. Fold each tortilla over into a half-moon.
5. Cook in batches. Wipe out the pan, add about 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil and heat it over medium-low heat, swirling to coat. Cook two quesadillas for about 2 minutes, carefully flip them, and cook for another 2 minutes, until golden brown and crispy outside and the cheese is melted. Watch closely so they don’t burn.
6. Keep warm and repeat. Move the cooked quesadillas to a sheet pan in the warm oven. Repeat with the rest, adding more oil to the pan between batches as needed.
7. Cut and serve. Cut each quesadilla in half to make 12 pieces. Serve with salsa, guacamole or sour cream.
The Secret to a Crisp Quesadilla That Holds Together
Cheese on both sides of the beef. Cheese is the glue in a quesadilla. A layer under the beef and another on top keep the filling tucked inside when you flip it.
A dry filling. Let the broth cook in until it’s absorbed, then drain off any extra grease before you fill the tortillas. The beef should be thick, with little to no liquid left; a wet filling makes a crispy quesadilla hard to get.
Lower heat, a thin coat of oil. Medium-low heat lets the tortilla turn golden brown while the cheese melts. Quesadillas burn quickly, so stay close to the pan.
A careful flip. Use two spatulas, or one really large one, so the filling doesn’t spill out. A gentle press with the spatula after folding helps the two halves stay together.
A short cool before cutting. Give each quesadilla about 30 seconds, or up to a few minutes, before you cut it with a pizza cutter or a sharp knife.
Tips for Success
What kind of ground beef works best?
Extra lean or lean beef, such as 85/15 or 90/10. With a fattier blend, drain some of the grease after browning.
Can I use pre-shredded cheese?
Yes. A pre-shredded blend is a handy shortcut. Cheese grated at home from a block is the other option, and it melts well.
Variations
- Taco seasoning: skip the spices. Brown and drain the beef, then stir in a 1-ounce packet of taco seasoning (or 2 tablespoons homemade) with 1/3 cup water and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until the water cooks off.
- Leftover taco meat: use about 1/2 cup of taco meat and 2 ounces of cheese for each burrito-size tortilla. Heat leftover meat to 165°F before it goes in.
- Southwest: soften a diced onion and poblano pepper in the oil for 4 to 5 minutes, brown the beef with them, then add taco seasoning, a 15-ounce can of black beans and a 10-ounce can of corn and cook until thick.
- Refried beans: stir about 1/3 cup of refried beans into every 1/2 pound of cooked beef. The beans help hold the quesadilla together.
- Turkey or chicken: use ground turkey or ground chicken, and pick turkey that isn’t super lean so the filling doesn’t turn dry. Cook ground poultry to 165°F.
- Under the broiler: set the filled quesadillas on a sheet pan, spritz the tops with oil and broil on medium (400°F) for 3 to 4 minutes a side, until golden and the cheese has melted.
Storage & Reheating
Quesadillas are best served fresh. USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months; thaw frozen ones in the refrigerator. Reheat them in a non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat until the cheese is melted and the center reaches 165°F. The pan gives the crispiest result. The microwave works too, but the tortillas won’t be crispy.
What to Serve With It
Serve the quesadillas with salsa, guacamole, sour cream or pico de gallo, and a side of rice or a green salad. For the steak version with corn and black beans, try loaded steak quesadillas. For more taco-night beef, there’s epic beef nachos supreme, walking taco casserole and Mexican tortilla casserole. Taco-seasoned beef also goes into quick and easy taco soup and taco stuffed baked potatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What seasoning is best for beef quesadillas?
Chili powder, ground chipotle, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and a little cayenne, with tomato paste stirred in at the end. A packet of taco seasoning works as a shortcut.
What can you put in a ground beef quesadilla?
Seasoned beef and plenty of melting cheese are the base. Black beans, corn, sautéed onion and peppers, refried beans, sliced avocado or cilantro can all go in too.
What cheese is best for quesadillas?
Any cheese that melts well: cheddar, Monterey Jack, mozzarella or a blend of them. Pepper Jack, Havarti, fontina, Gouda, provolone and queso Oaxaca also melt well.
Can I make the filling ahead?
Yes. Cook the seasoned beef a day ahead and refrigerate it. Warm it to 165°F, then fill and cook the quesadillas.
Final Notes
Keep the heat on the lower side, put cheese on both sides of the beef, and flip with care. If you have a question or make these, tell me how they turned out in the comments.
Ground Beef Quesadillas
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Ingredients
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef extra lean works well
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili pepper ground
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin ground
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper ground, optional
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons beef broth unsalted, low-sodium or regular
- 12 ounces shredded cheese about 3 cups, divided; a blend of cheddar, Monterey Jack and mozzarella
- 6 flour tortillas about 7 to 8 inches across
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for the pan, about 2 teaspoons per batch
- salsa, guacamole or sour cream for serving, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 200°F. It keeps the finished quesadillas warm while you cook the rest in batches.
- Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan (10-inch or 12-inch) over medium heat. Add the ground beef, chili powder, chipotle, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper and cayenne if using. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking the beef into small pieces and stirring occasionally, until it is browned all the way through with no pink left and reaches 160°F on a food thermometer.
- Stir in the tomato paste and beef broth and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, until the broth is absorbed. Move the beef to a bowl and drain off any excess grease.
- Divide 8 ounces (2 cups) of the cheese among the tortillas, over one half of each. Spoon the beef over the cheese, then sprinkle the remaining 1 cup (4 ounces) of cheese on top. Fold each tortilla over into a half-moon.
- Wipe out the pan, add about 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil and heat it over medium-low heat, swirling to coat. Cook two quesadillas for about 2 minutes, carefully flip them, and cook for another 2 minutes, until golden brown and crispy outside and the cheese is melted. Watch closely so they don't burn.
- Move the cooked quesadillas to a sheet pan in the warm oven. Repeat with the rest, adding more oil to the pan between batches as needed.
- Cut each quesadilla in half to make 12 pieces. Serve with salsa, guacamole or sour cream.
