Ground Beef Quesadilla with Cheese
Ground Beef Quesadilla with Cheese is an easy and flavorful meal made with seasoned ground beef and melted cheese folded inside a flour tortilla and cooked until golden. The combination of savory beef, melted cheese, and a lightly crisp tortilla makes it hard to resist. It’s quick to prepare and perfect for lunch, a casual dinner, picnics, or parties. Don’t forget to watch the video to see how easy it is to make this delicious quesadilla at home.
Quesadilla
A quesadilla is a Mexican dish made with a tortilla filled with cheese and other ingredients, then cooked on a griddle or skillet. Think of it almost like a sandwich—you can change the filling depending on what you enjoy. This version is my ground beef quesadilla, made with seasoned beef, cheese, and flour tortillas.
📺 Watch Me Make This Recipe
Ingredients for Ground Beef Quesadilla
- Ground beef – I like to use ground chuck because it has plenty of flavor. You can also use ground lamb for a different variation.
- Mozzarella and Cheddar cheese – I like using a combination of both. You can also use Gouda, Monterey Jack, or another good melting cheese. Besides adding flavor, the melted cheese helps hold the filling together when you flip the quesadilla.
- Spices – A simple blend of cumin, black pepper, red chili powder, and oregano seasons the ground beef.
- Onion – I usually use red onion, but yellow onion works well too.
- Bell pepper – Green bell pepper works particularly well here and adds flavor and a little texture.
- Black olives – Add a savory, slightly salty flavor to the filling.
- Salt – Enhances the flavor of the beef and other ingredients.
- Flour tortillas – I prefer flour tortillas because they’re flexible, easy to work with, and hold the beef and cheese filling well.
How to Make Ground Beef Quesadilla
- Add the ground beef to a pan and cook until browned.
- Add the onion and cook until translucent.
- Add the bell pepper, olive oil, and remaining ingredients except the cheese and black olives.
- If the beef mixture looks too dry, add ¼ to ½ cup boiling water and continue cooking until the flavors come together.
- Remove from the heat and assemble the quesadillas.
- On one half of each tortilla, add a layer of cheese, followed by the seasoned ground beef, black olives, and another layer of cheese.
- Fold the tortilla over the filling. Cook on a lightly greased pan or griddle until golden, then flip and cook the other side.
- Serve hot with guacamole or your favorite salsa.
What Cheese Is Best for Quesadillas?
For a melty, gooey ground beef quesadilla, I like using Cheddar and Mozzarella together, although Mozzarella alone also works well. We often change the cheese depending on what we have at home.
Other good options include Monterey Jack, Havarti, Provolone, and Gouda. You can also experiment with your favorite cheese to make the quesadilla your own.
What Type of Tortilla Is Best for Ground Beef Quesadillas?
I prefer flour tortillas for ground beef quesadillas because they’re soft, flexible, and easy to fold and flip on the griddle. Corn tortillas can also be used, but they tend to be less flexible and may break more easily when folded.
How to Store Ground Beef Quesadillas
Store leftover ground beef quesadillas in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Place them in an airtight container or a Ziploc bag, removing as much air as possible before sealing.
For longer storage, freeze the cooked quesadillas. Place them on a baking sheet and freeze for about 2 hours, then transfer them to a freezer bag. They can be frozen for up to 2 months.
To reheat from frozen, microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, or place in a preheated oven at 350°F/180°C until heated through. For a crispier tortilla, I prefer reheating them in the oven.
What to Serve with Ground Beef Quesadillas
Serve ground beef quesadillas with chickpea salad, salsa, or guacamole. They also taste great with Greek yogurt or a cheese sauce.
Can I Bake the Quesadillas?
Yes. You can bake these ground beef quesadillas instead of cooking them on the stovetop. Assemble the quesadillas and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F/180°C until the tortillas are lightly golden and the cheese has melted.
More Ground Beef Recipes
Ground Beef Quesadilla with Cheese
Ingredients
- ½ lb ground beef
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste
- ¼ cup chopped bell pepper
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 onion cut into thin slices
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 ½ cup shredded mozzarella
- ½ cup sliced black olives
- 4 flour tortillas
Instructions
- In a hot pan, add the beef and cook until it releases all the water. Brown the ground beef and then add the onion and cook until the onion is translucent.
- Add the green bell pepper and cook for two minutes, then add the olive oil and the rest of the ingredients (except the cheeses and olives).
- Stir every few minutes to avoid burning the beef. Cook on medium heat until the beef is fully cooked.
- If you find the mixture dry, add a quarter of a cup of boiling water and let it cook until the water evaporates.
- Add cheddar cheese and mozzarella on one half of the tortilla, add the beef on top, and then add a few olives. Top with both cheeses. Flip the bare half of the tortilla over the filling and press it down gently.
- Oil the skillet or a flat pan, place the filled tortilla on the hot griddle. Cook until the cheese melts and the bottom of the tortilla is golden and crisp. Flip and cook the other side.
- Place the quesadilla on a cutting board and cut it into three or two wedges.
- Serve with sourcream, guacamole, salad, or salsa.
Notes
- You can use ground lamb instead of ground beef if preferred.
What a great idea! It’s almost like a hamburger inside of a quesadilla…and I love me a good hamburger! I have no idea why I’ve never put ground beef in a quesadilla before. You’re making me hungry now, Muna…
To me it tastes better than burger 🙂 .. I’m glad that I made you hungry, now you know how I feel when I visit your blog and see mouth watering clicks of your food!
Such a quick easy and delicious looking dinner. Just what everyone seems to be looking for!
Thanks Chris, hope you give it a try!
I just had some quesadilla for dinner yesterday. I love it. This ground beef quesadilla of yours looks out of this world. I’d like to just take a bite of it right now. :p
Wish I can send you some 🙂
I wish my hubby ate cheese…these quesadillas look really delicious, Muna.
Thanks Angie 🙂
This quesadilla looks delish! I love all those great spices and flavors you add to them!
These look lovely. I like the fact you can put them in your lunchbox
Thanks Alison 🙂
I love anything with cheese…and beef! Wow! This quesadilla looks really yummy!
Thanks Nagi, it tasted really good, I will add more cheese for hubby next time though 🙂
I make the cheese ones all the time. Never thought to add hamburger. Next time we will be kicking it up anotch with this recipe.
Hey Lisa, I’m sure you’ll love this version, it’s delicious and tastes like a cheesy beef burger 🙂
This recipe sounds great , I’m always looking for quick and easy recipes to make and this fits the bill. I can make the beef on this weekend!
Thanks for your kind words, and thanks for stopping over! I hope you like my recipe 🙂
Love that you used homemade tortillas! Yum city!!
Hey Karly! Homemade tortillas always taste better 🙂
You make all the food that I really, really love. This is an amazing idea, and clicks are mouthwatering. YUM!!!
Thanks for your kind words Sandra, you are so sweet 🙂
I made this the other day and it was fantastic!
I’m glad you liked it 🙂
This sounds delicious. I will be making these with ground turkey.
Thank you, Tara! They will taste so good with ground turkey too 😊
This looks absolutely delicious, this is perfection. I would really love to try his one, it looks easy to make.
It is really easy to prepare and it’s a perfect dinner too. Thanks for your comment 😃
Wow, I haven’t had this for a while. It would be great to make it again. homemade tortillas are great!
Nothing beats homemade tortillas 😊, Hope you enjoy my recipe!
These sound so good. I normally make them with cheese and bacon and a few other things. Must try your version.
Bacon and cheese sound great too 😊. Thanks, Melanie!
We love Mexican food and we love a good quesadilla, for sure. That looks delish!
Thank you so much Lynndee! 😊
This looks like a recipe my family would love. Looking forward to making it for them.
I hope they like it and please let me know what they thought 😊
This looks so good! Sadly, I don’t eat beef 😞 Can I make it with any other meat?
You can replace beef with chicken, turkey, or even mushrooms, it will still taste good, I promise!
Ground beef quesadilla cheese looks delicious. I need to try it.
Please do, it was an amazing dinner 😊
Do you use whole onions?
Hi Jim, I have used whole onion!