Let’s make cheesy beef quesadillas! Our whole family loves this meal. And there’s a lot to love – this ground beef quesadilla recipe is comforting and delicious; easy and ready in 20 minutes. The ground beef is made just like my ground chicken tacos and then it’s layered with two layers of cheese for the ultimate layered gooey cheese quesadilla, just like my chicken fajita quesadillas, steak quesadillas, baked quesadillas, and shrimp quesadillas. Serve it with quesadilla sauce if you want to be extra. 🙂
If you love Tex Mex meals like this one, be sure to try my bean and cheese burritos, turkey taco skillet, beef enchilada casserole, refried black beans, black bean tostadas, air fryer chicken flautas, and my virgin margarita mocktail next time!
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
What You’ll Love About Beef Quesadilla Recipe
- Quick and easy dinner
- Delish cheesy beef flavor
- Made with simple ingredients
- Just 5 minutes prep time
- Just 20 minutes total time
Ingredients
- Lean ground beef – Use whatever type of ground beef you like. If you use a higher fat content, drain off some of the fat if necessary. You can also use ground turkey, ground chicken, or your favorite plant-based ground beef.
- Tomato paste – This is a secret ingredient that gives the beef rich and deep flavor. You could also use tomato sauce, but the paste adds a much deeper flavor.
- Spices – Sea salt, chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder – we’re making a quick homemade taco seasoning that’s full of flavor.
- Cheese – Use pre-shredded cheese as a shortcut or shred your own for the BEST quesadilla. You can use a Mexican blend, cheddar cheese, Monterey jack, or Chihuahua (quesadilla cheese). The most important factor is that you find a perfect melting cheese.
- Tortillas – I’ve used flour tortillas, but you could also use corn tortillas or whole wheat tortillas.
- Toppings – Lettuce, cilantro, salsa, sour cream, etc. (See a full list below)
How to Make Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas
This is an overview on how to make beef quesadillas, the detailed instructions can be found below in the recipe card.
Beef Quesadilla Topping Ideas
- Corn Salsa (Chipotle Copycat)
- Quesadilla Sauce (Taco Bell Copycat)
- Thinly sliced lettuce
- Sliced grape tomatoes
- Chopped red onion
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Pickled jalapeño peppers
- Favorite salsa
- Pico de gallo
- Sour cream
- Diced avocado
- Guacamole
- Lime juice
FAQs
Are beef quesadillas healthy?
As a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor and someone with a nutrition degree…this question makes me cringe and so I’m always trying to offer up a different perspective when it comes to this question! This quesadilla recipe with ground beef is a great source of protein and makes for a filling and satisfying meal. Top it with some fresh vegetable toppings to round it out and add some fresh produce and you’ve got a meal that offers energy, protein, fat, produce, and flavor!
What goes inside a quesadilla?
I prefer to keep quesadillas pretty simple – and then going crazy with toppings. So this quesadilla with ground beef has just cheese and ground beef inside.
Are quesadillas authentic Mexican food?
Yes, cheese quesadillas are authentic but this beef quesadilla recipe reminds me of gringo-style tacos (aka ground beef tacos) so probably not something you would see in Mexico.
Storage Instructions
These beef quesadillas are best served fresh. If you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
How to reheat
For best results, reheat in a hot skillet until heated through. You can also microwave them, but the tortillas won’t be crispy.
Can you freeze quesadillas?
You can also freeze beef quesadillas for 2-3 months if you need to.
What to Serve with Beef Quesadillas
Wondering what to serve with these easy ground beef quesadillas? Here are some simple sides:
- Black Refried Beans
- Chipotle Fajita Veggies (Copycat)
- Grilled Mexican Street Corn
- Elote in a Cup (Street Corn)
- Simple Corn Side (microwave frozen corn and season with butter and salt to taste)
- Tex Mex Side Salad
- 49 Sides for Tex Mex meals
How to Feed Beef Quesadillas to the Whole Family
I get it, feeding kids can be tough! But following the Division of Responsibility and knowing your job and your child’s job makes it SO much more enjoyable. You’ll be able to feed your kids any meal, which will help ensure that they are eating a variety of nutritious foods – with plenty of play food sprinkled in.
I would recommend serving the quesadillas in a pinch bowl (taster bowl) if it’s a new or learning-to-like it food and let everyone build their own tacos. Serve the meal with a few items you know your kids will eat, like fruit, milk, and/or bread and butter.
More Easy Quesadilla Recipes
If you love this cheesy ground beef quesadillas recipe, you’ll probably like some of my other easy quesadilla recipes:
- Steak Quesadillas
- Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas
- Vegetarian Black Bean Quesadillas
- Chicken Fajita Quesadillas
- Shrimp Quesadillas
Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadilla Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: Tex Mex
Description
This ground beef quesadilla recipe is the ultimate comfort food with multiple cheesy layers! Made with simple ingredients and ready in 20 minutes, too!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 tsp. chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. cumin
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. onion powder
- 12 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 large tortillas (burrito size)
- Fresh toppings: lettuce, cilantro, salsa/tomato, sour cream, etc.
Instructions
- Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook 3-4 minutes, breaking up with a spoon.
- Add tomato paste, sea salt, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder to skillet and mix everything well. (Depending on fat content, add a splash of water if it’s dry.)
- Turn the heat down to low and cook for 3-4 more minutes, stirring frequently, until ground beef is cooked through. Set aside.
- Assemble quesadillas. In large skillet over medium heat, layer 1/3 cup shredded cheese on one half of the tortilla. Top with 1/2 cup ground beef mixture and another 1/3 cup shredded cheese.
- Fold over top and cook for about 2-3 minutes, and when cheese starts to melt, carefully flip over with large flipper and cook for another 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Repeat with remaining 3 quesadillas.
- Cut into wedges and serve with toppings. (See topping ideas in post or below)
Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.
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Rehoboth
Wonderful recipe
Emily
Thank you!
Rehoboth
Very Nice post
Kaye
This has turned into a regular meal at our house, we love it!