Beef Quesadillas with Salsa (Printable)
Crispy tortillas filled with spiced beef, cheese, fresh salsa, and creamy guacamole for a vibrant meal.
# What You Need:
→ Beef Quesadillas
01 - 14 oz ground beef
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 tsp ground cumin
07 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 tsp chili powder (optional)
09 - 1/2 tsp salt
10 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
11 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
12 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
13 - 8 medium flour tortillas
→ Salsa
14 - 3 ripe tomatoes, diced
15 - 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
16 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
17 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
18 - Juice of 1 lime
19 - 1/2 tsp salt
→ Guacamole
20 - 2 ripe avocados
21 - 1 small tomato, finely diced
22 - 2 tbsp red onion, finely chopped
23 - 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
24 - Juice of 1 lime
25 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Combine diced tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and salt in a bowl. Mix well and set aside to allow flavors to meld.
02 - Halve and pit avocados. Scoop flesh into a bowl and mash with a fork. Stir in tomato, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic until softened, about 2 minutes. Add red bell pepper and cook 2 more minutes. Add ground beef, breaking it apart, and cook until browned. Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2 additional minutes then remove from heat.
04 - Lay out tortillas. Spread approximately one eighth of the beef mixture on half of each tortilla. Sprinkle cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese over the beef. Fold tortillas in half to enclose the filling.
05 - Heat a clean skillet or griddle over medium heat. Cook each quesadilla for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining quesadillas.
06 - Cut quesadillas into wedges and serve hot with salsa and guacamole on the side.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The whole meal comes together in under 45 minutes, which means weeknight dinners feel like celebrations.
- That exact moment when you bite through the crispy exterior and hit melted cheese and seasoned beef is pure comfort on a plate.
- You control the heat and toppings, so everyone at your table gets exactly what they want.
02 -
- Heat control is everything—too high and your tortillas char before the cheese melts, too low and they turn rubbery instead of crispy.
- Don't overwork the avocado when mashing it, and add the lime juice right away to slow browning if you're making guac ahead of time.
- The beef mixture needs to cool slightly before assembly so it doesn't soften the tortillas and make them harder to fold.
03 -
- If your tortillas are cold or dry, warm them briefly in a skillet before filling—they'll be more pliable and less likely to crack.
- Don't overfill your quesadillas or the filling will bulge out the sides when the cheese melts; about 1/8 of the beef per quesadilla is the sweet spot.