Quesadillas have become a standard menu item in many bars and restaurants. They are versatile and loved by so many!
Children love cheese quesadillas and adults love them with chicken.
But once you try ground beef quesadillas, there’s a good chance they’ll become your new favorite.
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Ingredients Needed
I used to make only chicken quesadillas. They were my guy's favorite.
But one day I needed to re-purpose some leftover taco meat. So I tried it in a quesadilla. He has never asked for a chicken version again! Now I make taco meat specifically for ground beef quesadillas.
Assuming you have the meat already made, the ingredient list is very short:
- Taco meat
- Cheese
- Flour tortilla (burrito sized)
- Cooking oil
How to make the Quesadilla
Heat some oil in a large skillet. Place tortilla in the skillet and spread with cheese. Please note that deli slices of cheese work really well for this!
Shredded cheese is also a good choice - or sometimes I use both! I like to use a blend of different cheeses to get a combo of taste and stretchy texture. But I have also used just sharp cheddar cheese slices when that was all I had in the house.
Then add meat to one half of the tortilla.
Take a spatula and fold the “non-meat” half over to cover the meat.
Cook the quesadilla for a couple minutes to brown, then flip it to brown the other side.
When done, remove the quesadilla to a cutting board and let it cool for a minute before cutting.
Serve with toppings or sauces of your choice!
Variations
Once you get the hang of it, making a quesadilla is very easy. Since you make them one at a time, you can customize them to different people’s tastes. One person might insist on chicken or vegetarian, and all you need to do is switch out the meat.
Or, you know, a super cheesy version. 😁
Serving Suggestions
Don’t forget sauce! Salsa, sour cream and guacamole are the classic options.
Want something different? Try some cilantro-lime sauce. Copycat Taco Bell quesadilla sauce works great as a dipping sauce, or you can spread some on the flour tortilla before adding anything else for a little sauce in every bite!
And make a yummy black bean dip to round out the meal.
Recipe FAQs
Use a neutral flavored oil so it doesn't interfere with the taste. I like canola oil, as I find it browns the tortilla very nicely and makes a great tasting quesadilla.
📖 Recipe
Ground Beef Quesadillas
Ingredients
- ½ cup taco meat
- 2 ounces cheese
- 1 flour tortilla burrito size
- Canola oil for cooking
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet on medium to medium-high heat. Add the flour tortilla and spread cheese all over the tortilla. Add meat to half of the tortilla, then use a spatula to flip the other half over to make a half-moon shape.½ cup taco meat, 2 ounces cheese, 1 flour tortilla, Canola oil for cooking
- Cook the quesadilla 2-3 minutes, until browned. Flip and cook the other side about 2 minutes.
- Remove the cooked quesadilla to a cutting board and allow to cool slightly before cutting.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Vincit
I could eat these 8 days a week!
Sula
Wow - THAT is quesadilla love!
Mama Maggie's Kitchen
This dish looks amazing. I wish I could eat that right now!
Sula
Me too!
Audrey
This is such a great idea for leftover taco meat!
Sula
It's a shame for it to go to waste!
Emily Flint
These quesadillas were so good!! Now my son asks for them all the time and I will have to have taco meat at the ready!!
Sula
Good thing it's such an easy meal!