Looking for super cheesy ground beef quesadillas? You’ve come to the right place! Well-seasoned ground beef, lots of ooey gooey cheese and a crispy golden brown exterior make these quesadillas simply irresistible! They’re sure to become a favourite in your home as they are in ours.
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef, I use “extra lean”
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons unsalted beef stock/broth, or low sodium or regular
- 12 ounces shredded cheese blend, a combination of cheddar, Monterey jack and pizza mozzarella (3 cups)
- 6 flour tortillas, about 7 to 8 inches in diameter each
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, to grease pan (about 2 teaspoons of oil per batch)
- Salsa, guacamole and/or sour cream, for serving (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
1Preheat oven to 200 degree Fahrenheit (to keep quesadillas warm while cooking batches).
2Heat 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, stirring occasionally and breaking the ground beef into crumbles (smaller pieces), 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.
3Stir 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.
4Distribute about 8 ounces (or 2 cups) of cheese among all tortillas (on one side of them).
Note: Reserve the remaining 4 ounces (or 1 cup of cheese).
Also, if your tortillas are smaller or larger than the size I used, the quantity you yield may vary.
5Distribute 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.
6To 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.
7Place two quesadillas in the pan. Cook quesadillas for about 2 minutes on one side.
8Carefully 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.
9Repeat process to cook remaining quesadillas.
10Once done, cut each half-moon (quesadilla) in half so you have 12 pieces. Great served with salsa, guacamole and/or sour cream. Enjoy!
Note: If you have any leftovers, properly store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 2 to 4 days, reheating when ready to enjoy.
NOTES
Sub the seasoning/spices with this homemade taco seasoning, if you like.
