Description
These Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas are a quick and flavorful meal featuring spiced ground beef, melted cheddar cheese, fresh tomatoes, and cilantro, all sandwiched inside crispy, golden flour tortillas. Perfect for an easy lunch or dinner, they’re satisfying, cheesy, and bursting with savory Mexican-inspired flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Spices
- 8 ounces ground beef
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Quesadilla Assembly
- 4 large flour tortillas
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat the skillet: Place a skillet over medium heat to get it hot and ready for cooking the beef and quesadillas.
- Cook the ground beef: Add the ground beef to the hot skillet and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is fully browned and no longer pink.
- Add spices: Stir in the chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper for robust flavor.
- Toast the spices: Continue cooking the beef and spices together for 2-3 minutes, allowing the spices to infuse and toast slightly.
- Set aside cooked beef: Remove the seasoned ground beef from the skillet and keep it aside while assembling the quesadillas.
- Prepare the tortilla: Place one flour tortilla in the same skillet over medium heat.
- Add cheese: Sprinkle a quarter of the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over half of the tortilla’s surface.
- Add filling: Layer a quarter of the cooked ground beef, followed by diced tomatoes and chopped fresh cilantro, on top of the cheese.
- Fold the tortilla: Fold the empty half of the tortilla over the filled half, creating a half-moon shape to encase the filling.
- Cook first side: Let the quesadilla cook for 2-3 minutes until the bottom turns golden brown and crispy.
- Flip and cook second side: Carefully flip the quesadilla and cook the other side until it also turns golden brown and the cheese melts completely.
- Repeat: Repeat steps 6 to 11 with the remaining tortillas and filling ingredients until all quesadillas are cooked.
- Slice: Cut each quesadilla into wedges for easy serving.
- Serve hot: Serve immediately and enjoy the warm, cheesy, and flavorful quesadillas.
Notes
- You can substitute ground beef with ground turkey or chicken for a leaner option.
- For extra heat, add chopped jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce to the filling.
- Use whole wheat tortillas to increase fiber content and add a nutty flavor.
- To make it vegetarian, omit the beef and add sautéed mushrooms or beans.
- Cook quesadillas on medium heat to ensure cheese melts fully without burning the tortilla.
