Description
A quick and easy 20-minute weeknight dinner featuring crispy quesadillas filled with seasoned ground beef and melted cheese, served with a creamy salsa dip.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20 fat ratio)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning (or homemade mix)
- 1/4 cup water
- 8 large flour tortillas (10-inch)
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup store-bought medium-chunk salsa
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Dice onion, mince garlic, and measure out all components.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and diced onion, breaking up the beef with a spoon.
- Cook beef and onion for 6-8 minutes until beef is browned and onions are soft. Drain excess grease if necessary.
- Add minced garlic and taco seasoning to the skillet. Stir well.
- Pour in water and simmer for 2 minutes until liquid thickens and coats the meat. Remove from heat.
- While beef cooks, mix salsa, sour cream, cilantro, and lime juice in a small bowl to create the dip.
- Return skillet to medium heat and add a little oil or butter.
- Place one tortilla in the pan. Sprinkle half of the cheese on one half of the tortilla.
- Add a generous scoop of beef mixture on top of the cheese, then top with more cheese.
- Fold the tortilla in half and press down gently with a spatula.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes until the bottom is golden brown and crispy.
- Carefully flip the quesadilla and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the other side is golden and cheese is melted.
- Remove to a plate and repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Cut quesadillas into wedges and serve immediately with salsa dip.
Notes
Do not overcrowd the pan; cook 1-2 quesadillas at a time to ensure crispiness. Use cheese as ‘glue’ by layering it on top of the filling to prevent the quesadilla from falling apart. If making a large batch, keep cooked quesadillas warm in a 200°F oven. For a gluten-free version, use corn tortillas. For a vegetarian version, substitute beef with black beans or refried beans.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 quesadillas per se
- Calories: 580
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 32
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 28
Keywords: quesadillas, ground beef, quick dinner, weeknight meals, family friendly, salsa dip, cheesy, easy recipe, back to school