Let’s make cheesy ground beef quesadillas! Our whole family loves this meal. And there’s a lot to love – this 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 melty cheese quesadilla, just like my steak quesadillas and shrimp quesadillas.
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, and my virgin margarita mocktail next time!
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Table of Contents
What You’ll Love About Ground Beef Quesadillas
- Quick and easy dinner
- Delish cheesy beef flavor
- Made with basic ingredients
- Just 5 minutes prep time
- Just 20 minutes total time
Ingredients
This recipe for ground beef quesadillas is made with simple ingredients:
- 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.
- Spices – Sea salt, chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder – no taco seasoning necessary.
- 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).
- 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 tomorrow)
How to Make Ground Beef Quesadillas
Let me show you how to make this quesadilla with ground beef!
- Brown ground beef. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up with spoon.
- Season ground beef. Add tomato paste, sea salt, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder to ground beef and stir to combine. Cook until beef is cooked through.
- Assemble quesadillas. Add tortilla to hot pan and sprinkle cheese over one side of a tortilla, top with ground beef, and another layer of cheese to tortilla. Fold over and cook until both sides are golden brown and cheese is melty.
- Top beef quesadillas. Top your quesadillas with desired toppings.
Beef Quesadilla Topping Ideas
- Corn Salsa (Chipotle Copycat)
- Thinly sliced lettuce
- Sliced grape tomatoes
- Chopped red onion
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Pickled jalapeño peppers
- Pico de gallo
- Sour cream
- Diced avocado
- Guacamole
- Lime juice
Frequently Asked Questions
Are beef quesadillas healthy?
As a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor and someone with a nutrition degree…this question makes me cringe! 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.
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 – this beef quesadilla recipe reminds me of gringo-style tacos (aka ground beef tacos).
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?
Yes, you can also freeze beef quesadillas.
How to Serve Cheesy Ground 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 be sure to serve these quesadillas with a few sides you know they will eat. And you can always serve the components separate if your kids are unsure of the whole thing.
All of my articles on feeding kids can be found here and if you want a FULL list of all of the videos I have with hacks, tips, scripts, and ideas for feeding kids, check out my instagram or tiktok page.
What to Serve with Beef Quesadillas
Wondering what to serve with these easy ground beef quesadillas? Here are some simple sides:
- Refried Black Beans
- Chipotle Fajita Veggies (Copycat)
- Grilled Mexican 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
More Easy Quesadilla Recipes
If you love this cheesy ground beef quesadillas recipe, you’ll probably like some of my other easy quesadilla recipes:
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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)
Keywords: ground beef quesadillas, ground beef quesadilla recipe, beef quesadilla recipe
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Photo Credit: All photos in this post were take by Loren at Sweet Rustic Bakes
Rehoboth
Wonderful recipe
★★★★★
Emily
Thank you!
Rehoboth
Very Nice post
★★★★★