Steak Quesadillas
These steak quesadillas combine tender seasoned flank steak, melty cheese, and golden brown crispy tortillas for a weeknight dinner the whole family will love. Ready in about 30 minutes, they’re easy enough for a busy Tuesday and satisfying enough to request on repeat. Great for game day, using up leftover steak, or just when you need a hearty, crowd-pleasing meal on the table fast.
🥩Crispy Tortillas, Juicy Steak, and Melty Cheese.
Dinner doesn’t get better than this! Not only is this meal delicious, but it’s also easy, satisfying, and always a crowd-pleaser!
Originally when I created this recipe (more than 10 years ago!!!), I used thinly sliced steak, but after more rounds of testing, I found that using a steak cut like flank, you can easily get perfectly cooked steak that is juicy and tender and ideal for the quesadillas. It’s…
🌮 Crispy & cheesy: Golden brown tortillas on the outside with melty cheese and juicy seasoned steak in every single bite.
🥩 Protein-packed: Between the flank steak and melted cheese, this is a hearty, filling meal that definitely keeps you full.
⏰ Ready in 30 minutes: Quick enough for a busy weeknight and satisfying enough to make it a permanent rotation staple.
🍽️ Leftover-friendly: Have extra steak in the fridge? This is the perfect way to put it to work.
💰 Budget-friendly: Stretch a smaller amount of steak into a full meal for the whole family.
🌿 Totally customizable: Add sautéed peppers and onions, swap the cheese, or pile on your favorite fresh toppings.
These steak quesadillas are great with a side of refried black beans — quick, easy, and nutritious. Elote in a cup makes a colorful and crowd-pleasing pairing, especially for game day. Don’t skip a good sauce — the creamy quesadilla sauce is a game-changer. Or keep it simple with fresh salsa, sour cream, and a squeeze of lime.
We have tried this with thinly sliced shaved steak and it’s excellent! –Mary
Ingredient Notes
You’ll need some fresh ingredients and pantry staple seasonings to make these steak quesadillas: steak, oil, tortillas, shredded cheese, salt, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, and plenty of fresh toppings.
- Steak – I have used flank steak, but you have a lot of steak options! A flank or skirt steak are flavorful and tender, which is why they are the two most popular options. Sirloin steak can also work and will save you a bit of cash, too, but it might not be quite as flavorful. Be careful to not overcook the steak. If you have leftover steak, this recipe is a great way to use it! Simply slice up your steak against the grain and heat quickly OR reheat quickly and then slice and use! The smoky flavor from the grill will add even more depth to your quesadillas.
- Tortillas – Use large, burrito-sized flour tortillas (white or wheat flour). You could also use corn tortillas, if you prefer their flavor; you’ll just need to make a few batches. If you can find the uncooked tortillas that need to be cooked quickly before using, they are my favorite and are delicious.
- Cheese – I recommend using a Mexican cheese like queso asadero or queso Oaxaca for the best flavor. You could also use shredded Mexican blend, cheddar, even mozzarella, or anything that melts well.
Emily’s Tips & Tricks
- Pro tip: Don’t skip the rest. After cooking the steak, let it rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing — this keeps the juices in the steak where they belong, not running out into your quesadilla and making it soggy. Use a meat thermometer and pull the steak at 140°F for perfectly juicy medium doneness.
- Shortcuts: Using shaved beef helps cut down on the cooking and resting time!
- Feeding kids without pressure: Let your kids decide if they want to add steak to their quesadillas. Maybe they’ll want a small bite of steak, a tortilla, and shredded cheese – normal!
- Additions: Veggies like sautéed peppers, onions, and mushrooms would be delicious. Serve with quesadilla sauce for extra flavor.
Steak Quesadillas
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
These homemade steak quesadillas have layers of tender and juicy steak, melted cheese, and golden brown tortillas. Quick, easy, and flavorful!
Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. cumin
- 1/8 tsp. paprika
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 lb. flank steak
- 1 Tbsp. avocado oil
- 4 flour tortillas (burrito size)
- 12 oz. shredded Mexican cheese (queso asadero or queso Oaxaca)
- fresh toppings (salsa, shredded lettuce, sour cream)
Instructions
- In a small pinch bowl, mix together sea salt, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper.
- Season steak by sprinkling spice mixture over both sides of the steak and lightly pat into steak.
- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet or grill pan and add steak, cooking for about 4-6 minutes per side. (Because the thickness of steaks will vary, it’s best to use a meat thermometer and cook to 140 degrees F for medium doneness.) Set meat aside and let rest for 10 minutes until thinly slicing.
- Assemble quesadillas. In large skillet over medium heat, layer 1/3 cup shredded cheese on one half of the tortilla. Top with thinly sliced steak 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. Repeat with remaining 3 quesadillas.
- Cut into wedges and serve with toppings.
Notes
Storage: Store leftover quesadillas in the refrigerator for 2–3 days. It’s best to make only what you need and store the components separately, then assemble and cook fresh. To reheat, use a nonstick skillet over medium heat until warmed through and crispy again — the microwave will make them soggy.
Ingredients: Flank and skirt steak are the top picks here — flavorful, tender, and ideal for slicing thin. For cheese, queso asadero or queso Oaxaca melt beautifully and give the best flavor, but any good melting cheese works. Uncooked flour tortillas (the kind you cook quickly before using) are Emily’s favorite — if you can find them, grab them.
Prep ahead: The steak can be cooked ahead of time, but this meal comes together so quickly that you’ll likely just make it fresh. If you do cook the steak in advance, slice it against the grain and refrigerate; reheat quickly in a skillet before assembling.
Tools: A meat thermometer is non-negotiable for cooking steak properly. Pull it at 140°F for medium. A large nonstick skillet or grill pan works well for both the steak and the quesadillas.
This is one of my go-to weeknight dinners! For more easy recipes like this, check out my complete weeknight dinner guide.
Quesadilla Topping Ideas
These quesadilla toppings add great flavor and crunch. Choose a few (or all!) to add:
- Corn Salsa (Chipotle Copycat)
- Cowboy Caviar
- Thinly sliced lettuce
- Sliced grape tomatoes
- Chopped red onion
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Pickled jalapeño peppers
- Creamy Quesadilla Sauce
- Pico de gallo
- Sour cream
- Diced avocado
- Guacamole
- Lime juice
FAQs
Yes — the steak won’t cook through properly once it’s inside the quesadilla. Sear it separately, let it rest, slice it thin, then layer it in.
Let the steak rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing. This prevents the juices from running out during cooking, which is the main culprit for a soggy quesadilla.
Absolutely — leftover steak is ideal for this recipe. Slice it against the grain and reheat it quickly in a skillet before adding it to the quesadilla. Leftover grilled steak adds great smoky flavor.
Flank steak and skirt steak are both excellent — flavorful, relatively affordable, and easy to slice thin. Sirloin works in a pinch. Shaved beef is a great shortcut that cuts down on cooking time significantly.
Yes — the grill adds incredible smoky flavor to both the steak and the tortillas. Cook the steak on the grill, let it rest, then assemble and cook the quesadilla on a grill pan or cast iron skillet.
About the Author
Emily Dingmann is a recipe developer and founder of My Everyday Table, where she helps busy families take the stress out of weeknight dinners. With a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and almost 20 years of experience, Emily specializes in simple, nourishing recipes and weekly meal plans that actually work for everyday life. She’s a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor who believes delicious food and good nutrition go hand in hand.
Get started: Weeknight Dinners Guide | Weekly Meal Plans | About Emily
Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.
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mmm, these look good! they actually remind me of fajita quesadillas with the veggies. i like to make those w/ fajita leftovers but i usually use chicken. 🙂
You are totally right and that didn’t even cross my mind! Definitely will be stuffing leftover fajitas into quesadillas from now on!
We also like to add a little shredded cheese as a topping!
We’ve made these with leftover steak too, super easy!
We have tried this with thinly sliced shaved steak and it’s excellent!
I used shaved steak then added pickled onions, jalapeños, and a red Goya packet. Yummmmm!!!
That sounds like perfection to me!
This is an easy recipe and the result tastes great! I used thin sliced chicken and had greens, sour cream and salsa on the side. Thanks for this recipe.
Yum! Sounds lovely. Thanks for sharing!