Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas - These cheesy and savory quesadillas are made with ground beef, black beans, melted cheese, and jalapeños to give each bite big flavor. Try them as an easy lunch with salsa and guacamole for dipping!
Need a simple and family-friendly dish for Cinco de Mayo? Try these Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas! They’re made with easy and filling ingredients, a little spice, and tons of flavor.
Biting into a quesadilla made with ground beef is so satisfying, juicy, and delicious. Seasoned with jalapeños, tomatoes, Mexican seasonings, and black beans, this beefy and comforting meal comes together in under 30 minutes while keeping cleanup and prep hassle-free. As a finishing touch, the quesadillas are glued together with melted cheese and garnished with fresh cilantro.
I serve my beef quesadillas with Fresh Tomato Salsa for dipping, but you could include more options like Guacamole, Mexican Cheese Dip, or Nacho Cheese Dip. Don’t forget a margarita and Spanish Rice on the side to make it extra satisfying!
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Beef Quesadilla Ingredients
This saucy and savory meal is made with simple ingredients while still packing in lots of flavors. When they’re done, you can serve the quesadillas with salsa for dipping and Spanish rice on the side. These are the ingredients you need:
- Ground beef
- Jalapeno
- Tomatoes with green chilis
- Onion and garlic
- Black beans
- Paprika and cumin
- Tortillas
- Shredded cheese
- Cilantro
What’s the Best Cheese for Quesadillas?
I like to use a mix of shredded mozzarella and sharp cheddar in this recipe but you can use any good melting cheese on quesadillas. To enhance the authentic Mexican flavors, swap the mozzarella for Oaxaca or Chihuahua cheese. Some other options that would be delicious are Monterey Jack, Swiss, or provolone.
How to make beef quesadillas
Step 1: Saute the onions in a skillet over medium high heat. Once they’re soft, add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Step 2: Stir in the ground beef and jalapeno and saute until the beef is cooked through.
Step 3: Add the tomatoes, black beans, and spices to the skillet. Stir everything together and remove it from the heat.
Step 4: Assemble the quesadillas by layering the shredded cheese on the tortilla. Add the beef mixture next, and then the cilantro.
Fold the tortilla over and cook in a clean, preheated skillet. Cook until golden brown on both sides, then slice and serve with homemade salsa.
Tips and Substitutions
- Use extra lean ground beef. This will cut down on the grease and help the quesadilla be less messy.
- Use vegetable chopper when chopping onion and jalapeno.
- Do you like spice? Keep the jalapeños’ veins and seeds intact when you add it to the skillet.
- To make the beef less spicy, remove the jalapeños’ veins and seeds to lessen the heat, use half of the pepper instead, or replace it with diced bell peppers.
- Use can also use Taco Seasoning instead of cumin and paprika.
- To make this recipe vegetarian-friendly, replace the ground beef with a plant-based ground beef alternative.
- To prepare the beef mixture ahead of time, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. Either reheat the beef for a few minutes in a skillet or in the microwave before assembling the quesadillas.
- Make as many quesadillas as you can eat (this recipe makes about 4-6 quesadillas), if having leftovers store, meat mixture in the airtight container, inside the fridge. It is yummier to reheat meat mixture and make fresh quesadillas than to reheat already made quesadillas from the night before.
Leftovers
To reheat the meat mixture leftovers, add it to the skillet and cook over medium heat until nice and hot.
This meat mixture is good in more than just quesadillas. Reheat the leftovers for breakfast and serve with eggs or add them into a pasta dish to beef up your dinner. Otherwise, piling them into a fresh taco shells or making nachos are a delicious and easy go-to meals!
What to serve with cheesy beef quesadillas
- Fresh Tomato Salsa
- Avocado Slices
- More Cheese
- Guacamole
- Mexican cream or sour cream
- Mango Avocado Salsa
- Avocado Corn Salsa
More ground beef recipes
- Cheesy Hot Beef Sandwich
- Baked Beef Chimichanga
- Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers
- Quick & Easy Chili
- Hatch Chili Cheese Dip
When YOU make this Cheese Beef Quesadillas, take a picture & tag @munchkintimeblog on Instagram, we would LOVE to see your creation!
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📖 Recipe
Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced or finely chopped
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 jalapeno finely chopped
- 1 10 oz diced tomatoes with green chili I use Rotel Original or use 14 oz diced tomatoes
- 1 14 oz black beans
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- salt & pepper to taste or use 1 teaspoon sea salt + ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 flour tortillas
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese grated
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese grated
- Cilantro
Instructions
- Using a skillet over medium high heat, preheat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Next add onion and saute 2-3 minutes or until onion is softened, stirring few times. Then add garlic and saute for 1 minute, stirring few times.
- After add ground beef with chopped jalapeno and saute for 5 minutes, or until meat is cooked thru, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon.
- Now, add tomatoes, black beans, and spices. Stir and cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Place cheese on the tortilla and add meat fixture and cilantro. Fold tortilla over and cook in the preheated skillet over medium high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook until golden brown color on both sides about 1-2 minutes on both sides.
- Cut into 3 pieces and serve with homemade salsa.
Video
Notes
- Use extra lean ground beef. This will cut down on the grease and help the quesadilla be less messy.
- Use vegetable chopper when chopping onion and jalapeno.
- Make as many quesadillas as you can eat (this recipe makes about 4-6 quesadillas), if having leftovers store, meat mixture in the airtight container, inside the fridge. It is yummier to reheat meat mixture and make fresh quesadillas than to reheat already made quesadillas from the night before.
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Nutrition
Happy Cooking!
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