This Beef Quesadilla is a simple dinner recipe that everyone will love. The sauce in this quesadilla recipe, is perfection!
Quesadillas are a staple in our house. They make for such easy weekend lunches, and we even make them on our outdoor griddle so we can make them for everyone at once.
While they kids love them with only cheese, Nathan and I are big fans of the copycat Taco Bell quesadillas. In this recipe we’ve swapped the chicken out for ground beef, thrown in a little homemade taco seasoning, and we are in business with an easy delicious dinner!
Quesadilla Sauce
It is the Taco Bell Quesadilla Sauce that puts there quesadillas over the top! The ingredients for the sauce are probably already in your pantry. This takes just a few minutes to whip together, and makes for amazing beef quesadillas.
- mayonnaise
- pickled jalapeños
- pickled jalapeño juice
- sugar
- cumin
- paprika
- cayenne pepper
- garlic powder
How to Make Ground Beef Quesadillas
- Cook the meat: We are just breaking up and browning the ground beef. Then drain the fat and add a little taco seasoning.
- Prepare the sauce: The quesadilla sauce is very simple to make, but needs to be prepped before you start heating up the skillet.
- Heat a skillet over low heat.
- Add in the first tortilla shell: This shell should have the quesadilla sauce on it.
- Build the quesadilla over the heat: From there add a little ground beef and cheese and top with the remaining tortilla shell.
- Cover and cook: Quesadillas cook best covered and over low heat. After two or three minutes, flip the quesadilla and recover cooking two to three more minutes on the opposite side.
Grating Your Own Cheese
I am convinced that, in addition to that delicious sauce, the key to a good quesadilla is shredding your own cheese. It both melts and tastes better. Given how simple this recipe is, it is well worth the extra 5 minutes to grate your own cheese.
Our family loves Colby Jack Cheese. Like, we alone might be supporting it’s production. But this beef quesadilla would also be delightful with some mild cheddar.
Using Ground Turkey
If you are looking to cut down on fat a little, think about replacing the ground beef in these with ground turkey. Pick a turkey that is 83% lean and cook that the same way we cook the ground beef in this recipe.
Other Simple Dinners
If you are looking for other great dinners that are simple like this one, try some of these:
If you make this Beef Quesadilla recipe or any of my other recipes, leave me a comment and let me know what you think.
Beef Quesadilla
Ingredients
- 4 10 inch flour tortillas
- 3 cups shredded Colby-Jack cheese
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
Quesadilla Sauce
- 1/4 cup mayonaise see note
- 2 teaspoons minced pickled jalapeños
- 2 teaspoons pickled jalapeño juice
- 3/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, break up the ground beef. Cook until cooked through, drain the excess fat from the pan, and stir in the taco seasoning.
- In a small bowl whisk together the ingredients for the sauce.
- Place a large skillet that you can fit with a lid over low heat.
- Divide the sauce in two and spread over two of the tortillas.
- Working with one tortilla at a time, spray the skillet with a very small amount of cooking spray. Place the tortilla (that has been prepared with the sauce) in the skillet. Add half the cheese and half the beef and top it with another tortilla shell.
- Let it cook for about 2-3 minutes or until the shell begins to turn golden brown. Cover while it is cooking. Flip it over, recover, and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Slice with a pizza cutter and enjoy.
Notes
Patricia Morris says
The recipe looks great but absolutely nobody I know here in Texas, including my mexican neighbours, have or heard of pickled jalapenos. Can you recommend a substitute for this?
I think it’s okay to use ingredients you’ve never heard of. Pickled jalapeños are delicious, we love them. If you can’t find them in your grocery store, you could use green chiles instead.
Boni says
This recipe was delicious! I loved the creaminess the sauce added. Yum. It was also so easy to make. I can’t wait to make it again.
I’m so happy you liked this, Boni!
Patricia Morris says
I’m not afraid to use new ingredients, it was intended more as a commentary on having never seen them at any of the stores we frequent. I did find the recipe for the pickled jalapenos so will give them a try and maybe sure them, and your recipe, with my neighbours. ☺️
Dana Loan says
I just made these for a quick lunch, using some leftover chicken I had instead of ground beef. It was so good. I’m not usually a fan of mayo but wanted to try this… so glad I did!
I’m so glad you liked it! We have the chicken version too, and make it exactly as you suggested.