Back To Recipe List

Ground Beef Quesadillas

Rate this recipe

Ingredients

1 lb Laura's Lean Ground Beef
1/2 tsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Chili powder
1 tsp Ground chipotle chili pepper
1/2 tsp Dried oregano
1/2 tsp Ground cumin
1/2 tsp Garlic powder
1/2 tsp Onion powder
Ground cayenne pepper to taste
1 tbsp Tomato paste
2 tbsps Unsalted beef stock/broth, or low sodium
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups Shredded cheese blend, a combination of cheddar, Monterey jack and pizza mozzarella
6 Flour tortillas (about 7 to 8 inches in diameter each)
Vegetable oil for cooking
Salsa, guacamole and/or sour cream for serving

Yield

Servings^*:

*Serving calculations based on 16oz beef products.
For 12oz beef products reduce serving size by 1/4.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Total Time: 30 Minutes

Serving size based on 1 cup (242g)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (to keep quesadillas warm while cooking batches).

2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan (about a 10-inch or 12-inch pan) over medium heat. Add ground beef, chili powder, chipotle pepper, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper (if using). Cook, breaking the ground beef into small pieces and stirring occasionally, until the ground beef is fully cooked through (the ground beef should no longer be pink and be browned all the way through), about 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Stir in tomato paste and stock/broth and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove beef from the pan and place into a bowl. If there is any excess grease, drain/remove.

4. Distribute about 8 ounces (or 2 cups) of cheese among all tortillas (on one side of them).
Note: Reserve the remaining 4 ounces of cheese (or 1 cup of cheese).

5. Distribute ground beef on top of cheese. Then sprinkle remaining 1 cup (or 4 ounces) of cheese on top of ground beef. Fold over each tortilla so it's a half-moon shape.

6. To cook quesadillas, heat about 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat. Gently swirl the oil around the pan to coat.
Note: If you're using the same pan that you used for cooking the ground beef, just wipe out before greasing and cooking your quesadillas.
Note: Cook the quesadillas in batches, two quesadillas at a time, adding more oil to the pan between batches as necessary.

7. Place two quesadillas in the pan. Cook quesadillas for about 2 minutes on one side.

8. Carefully flip quesadillas to the other side and continue to cook for another 2 minutes or until they're golden brown and crispy on the outside and the cheese is melted inside (carefully watch to ensure they don't burn). Transfer cooked quesadillas to a sheet pan and place into your preheated oven to keep warm while you are continuing to cook the remaining quesadillas.

9. Repeat process to cook remaining quesadillas.

10. Once done, cut each half-moon (quesadilla) in half so you have 12 pieces. Great served with salsa, guacamole and/or sour cream. Enjoy!