Beef Cheese Quesadillas (Print Version)

Savory quesadillas with seasoned beef, melted cheeses, and sautéed bell peppers for a quick meal.

# Recipe Ingredients:

→ Beef Filling

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 pound ground beef
03 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Quesadillas

11 - 8 large flour tortillas
12 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
13 - 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
15 - Sour cream, salsa, and guacamole for serving (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and diced red bell pepper, sautéing for 2 to 3 minutes until softened.
02 - Incorporate minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add ground beef to the skillet, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until browned and fully cooked. Drain excess fat if needed.
04 - Stir in ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring to combine. Remove from heat and set aside.
05 - Preheat a clean large skillet or griddle over medium heat.
06 - Place one tortilla on the skillet. Sprinkle 1/4 cup each of shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese evenly over the tortilla. Distribute about one-quarter of the beef mixture over the cheese. Add cilantro if desired.
07 - Top with a second tortilla. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the bottom is golden and the cheese begins to melt. Flip carefully and cook for another 2 minutes until golden and crispy.
08 - Repeat the assembly and cooking process with the remaining tortillas and filling.
09 - Cut quesadillas into wedges and serve immediately with optional sour cream, salsa, and guacamole.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in just 30 minutes from start to finish, making it perfect for weeknight dinners when hunger strikes suddenly
  • The beef filling is so flavorful and seasoned just right that you'll find yourself making extra to have on hand
  • Watching the cheese melt and the tortilla turn golden crispy is oddly satisfying, and tastes even better than it looks
  • One batch feeds four people generously, making it ideal for feeding a crowd without breaking a sweat
02 -
  • The moment you add the top tortilla is the moment you commit—don't rearrange the beef filling after that or you'll end up with an uneven texture. Get it right the first time and let the heat do the work.
  • Shredding cheese fresh instead of using pre-shredded makes an enormous difference in how smoothly it melts. The anti-caking agents in pre-shredded cheese prevent it from achieving that creamy, cohesive melt you're after.
  • If your cheese isn't melting between the tortillas, your heat might be too high or too low. Medium heat with a minute or two of patience is the sweet spot.
  • Don't walk away while your quesadilla is cooking. Stay right there and listen—the sound of the sizzle changes when it's ready to flip, and there's a very thin line between perfectly crispy and slightly burnt.
03 -
  • If you're making quesadillas for a crowd, brown all your beef and prepare all your fillings ahead of time. Then assembly and cooking becomes a breeze, and you can actually enjoy hanging out with your guests instead of being chained to the skillet.
  • A cast iron skillet or well-seasoned griddle creates the most beautiful, even browning. If you don't have one, a non-stick skillet works perfectly fine, though the crust won't be quite as dramatic.
  • Don't be afraid to crank your heat to medium-high for the quesadillas themselves—you want that tortilla to develop real color and crispiness, not just warm through. The cheese will melt plenty with the residual heat from the tortilla.

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