Steak Quesadilla Recipe
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This Steak Quesadilla recipe combines slices of mouthwatering steak, melted cheese, and tender veggies, all nestled in a crispy tortilla. They’re the ultimate easy weeknight dinner or snack the whole family will love.
The Best Steak Quesadilla Recipe
This simple steak quesadillas recipe creates a flavorful fiesta on your plate. Flour tortillas are loaded with juicy strips of perfectly seasoned steak, shredded cheese and tender peppers and onions. They’re cooked until the tortillas are deliciously crispy and golden brown and the cheese is nice and gooey.
Serve these with any of your favorite toppings or sides like this Easy White Queso Dip or this Corn and Black Bean Salsa. While they make an awesome easy lunch or dinner, cutting the quesadillas into wedges makes them a perfect sharable appetizer as well. Invite some friends over and serve them with these Spicy Mango Margaritas!
Why We Love This Recipe
- Simple ingredients: Though the ingredient lists looks lengthy, these are all basic ingredients that you can pick up from any grocery store.
- Delicious flavors: The tender steak strips are loaded with amazing flavors from the perfect combination of seasonings.
- Versatile recipe: You easily customize these quesadillas according to your personal preferences.
Ingredients
- Olive oil, divided
- Smoked paprika
- Chili powder
- Ground cumin
- Salt, divided
- Black pepper
- Sirloin steak
- Onion, sliced
- Fresh garlic cloves, minced (or garlic powder)
- Green bell pepper, cored and sliced
- Adobo sauce
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Tortillas
- Butter, for cooking
- Lime juice to serve
For the full recipe and instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to Make Steak Quesadillas
Step 1. Mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil, smoked paprika, chili powder, ground cumin, ½ tsp salt, black pepper, and adobo sauce in a bowl.
Step 2. Then, add the steak and toss to coat. Cover it with plastic wrap and marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Step 3. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a skillet and place it over medium heat. Add sliced green bell pepper and sliced onion, then add ½ teaspoon of salt. Sauté for 8 minutes, stirring regularly until soft.
Step 4. Once the onion is translucent, add minced garlic and stir for about a minute. Remove from heat.
Step 5. Cook the steak in an iron-cast skillet over medium heat. Sear it on both sides for 2-3 minutes or until it reaches the the doneness you prefer. Most people prefer medium, which has an internal temperature of around 140 degrees F on a meat thermometer.
Step 6. Once cooked, allow the steak to rest for a few minutes. This helps retain juices and ensures a juicy and tender filling for your quesadillas. Then slice it into thin strips against the grain.
Step 7. Assemble the quesadillas by adding shredded cheese, sauteed veggies, and strips of steak to the flour tortillas.
Step 8. Add a little bit of butter into a preheated large skillet or griddle. Place the filled tortilla in the pan.
Step 9. Carefully fold the tortilla in half. Cook one half until it’s golden brown. Flip it and cook the other half of the tortilla until it’s golden brown as well and the cheese is melted. This usually takes 2-3 minutes per side.
Step 10. Squeeze a little lime juice into the steak mixture (optional) and serve with your favorite toppings, such as salsa, guacamole, sour cream, or chopped cilantro.
Easy Variations
- Seasonings: If you don’t have the individual spices, you can use a store bought packet of fajita or taco seasoning to season the steak. You can even use your favorite steak seasoning if that’s what you have on hand.
- Steak: You can use whatever you can find on sale at the grocery store. Ribeye or a NY strip are both great steaks for quesadillas. Flank steak and skirt steak also work, but you’ll only want to cook them to medium or medium rare to make sure they stay tender.
- Chicken: You can use this recipe with chicken to make chicken quesadillas too. You’ll just want to adjust the cooking time to make sure the chicken is cooked through.
- Cheese: We used mozzarella, but you can use other melty cheeses like cheddar, Monterey Jack cheese, or a Mexican blend.
- Tortillas: You can use regular or low carb flour tortillas for this recipe. We use the 10 inch tortillas for dinner size portions. You can make smaller portions by using the 6-inch taco size tortillas.
Tips for Making Delicious Steak Quesadillas
- You’ll want to slightly undercook the steak based on your preference. The steak will continue to cook when you cook the tortilla om the griddle or skillet.
- If you have a little extra time, shred your own cheese. Pre-packaged shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking agents that can prevent the cheese from melting smoothly.
- These quesadillas are loaded with steak, cheese and veggies. To help keep all the ingredients together, press down on the quesadilla with a spatula while they’re cooking.
What To Serve With Steak Quesadillas
- Spanish rice
- Cilantro lime rice
- Refried beans
- Black beans
- Mexican street corn
- Chips & guacamole
- French fries
- Salad
Steak and Cheese Quesadilla FAQS
Store leftover quesadillas in an airtight container or zip-top storage in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe, zip-top bag. To reheat, just add the thawed quesadillas to a large skillet over medium heat until warm.
You can, but sliced steak means more surface area coming in contact with the skillet. That can cause your steak to easily overcook and become tough. For the best results, cook steak first, then slice.
Absolutely…these taste delicious made with leftover steak. If you grilled steaks the night before, feel free to use them. Slice them and warm them up a little in the skillet before adding them to the tortillas.
More Mexican Inspired Recipes
If you liked this easy quesadilla recipe, you may want to try these Mexican inspired recipes too!
- Taco Stuffed Peppers
- Easy Mexican Cornbread
- Taco Charcuterie Board
- Ground Beef Taco Dip
- Seven Layer Dip Cups
Steak Quesadilla
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp salt divided
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp adobo sauce
- 1 lb sirloin steak
- 1 green pepper cored and sliced
- 1 onion sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 8 tortillas
- 2 tbsp butter for cooking
- Lime juice to serve optional
Instructions
- Mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil, smoked paprika, chili powder, ground cumin, ½ tsp salt, black pepper, and adobo sauce in a bowl.3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp chili powder, ½ tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, 2 tbsp adobo sauce
- Then, add the steak and toss to coat. Cover it with plastic wrap and marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.1 lb sirloin steak
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a skillet and place it over medium heat. Add sliced green bell pepper and sliced onion, then add ½ teaspoon of salt. Sauté for 8 minutes, stirring regularly until soft.3 tbsp olive oil, 1 green pepper, 1 onion, 1 tsp salt
- Once the onion is translucent, add minced garlic and stir for about a minute. Remove from heat.3 garlic cloves
- Cook the steak in an iron-cast skillet over medium heat. Sear it on both sides for 2-3 minutes or until it reaches the the doneness you prefer. Most people prefer medium, which has an internal temperature of around 140 degrees F on a meat thermometer.
- Once cooked, allow the steak to rest for a few minutes. This helps retain juices and ensures a juicy and tender filling for your quesadillas. Then slice it into thin strips against the grain.
- Assemble the quesadillas by adding shredded cheese, sauteed veggies, and strips of steak to the flour tortillas.2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, 8 tortillas
- Add a little bit of butter into a preheated large skillet or griddle. Place the filled tortilla in the pan.2 tbsp butter
- Carefully fold the tortilla in half. Cook one half until it’s golden brown. Flip it and cook the other half of the tortilla until it’s golden brown as well and the cheese is melted. This usually takes 2-3 minutes per side.
- Squeeze lime juice over the steak and veggies (optional), then serve with your favorite toppings, such as salsa, guacamole, sour cream, or chopped cilantro.Lime juice to serve
Notes
Nutrition
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