These Ground Beef Quesadillas are an explosion of flavor! From the perfectly-seasoned ground beef dotted with crisp corn and a sweet bell pepper to the gooey, melted cheese and finally to the crisp tortillas — every bite is spectacular!
Make these quesadillas on the stovetop OR in the air fryer — instructions are included for both methods.
Quick Tip
Vegetarian? No problem! Save this quesadilla with ground beef for the meat-eaters in your family and try our Black Bean Quesadillas instead!
Ground Beef Quesadillas
Since getting an air fryer, quesadillas and grilled cheese sandwiches have been two of our frequent “go-tos” for lunches or quick dinners. The kids love ’em, I can’t get enough of them, and they’re quick and easy with minimal clean-up! The texture imbued on the tortillas or sandwich bread after air frying is unbeatable — and especially when considering they aren’t being fried in oil.
That said, we also love these cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas in a skillet and directions for both methods are included in this recipe! In fact, I’ll often air fry a couple of these quesadillas while cooking a few more in a skillet– so dinner is ready at the same time for everyone.
Quick Tip
To make healthy Ground Beef Quesadillas, choose extra-lean ground beef or replace the beef with ground turkey or even vegetarian meat substitute. Reduce the amount of cheese and replace the tortillas with low-carb or lighter tortillas.
Ground Beef Quesadilla Ingredients
This recipe for Ground Beef Quesadillas uses everyday ingredients. Included below are a few more in-depth notes on a couple of the ingredients!
- Flour tortillas. We love these unbaked tortillas by TortillaLand® (not sponsored). They have the best flavor and are generally found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store near the cheese. That said, any flour tortillas will work fine.
- Taco seasoning. Seasoning ground beef for quesadillas is done best with a taco seasoning blend. Taco seasoning packets can vary in spice level and even in overall flavor. If you don’t mind spending a couple of extra minutes of prep time, you can always make your own. (I like to make a few homemade taco seasoning “packets” when meal prepping for the week.) Check out my “quick tip” box below!
Quick Tip
For this Ground Beef Quesadilla Recipe, you can make your own taco seasoning blend instead of using a packaged mix, if you prefer. (Homemade always tastes best!) And while you’re at it, make a big batch of this and divide it into packets for convenience next time you need seasoning! Alternatively, you can store the seasoning mix in a larger container and measure out 3 tablespoons to equal one packet.
Here’s my go-to taco seasoning blend (this mix perfectly replaces the store-bought mix in this recipe):
- 1 tablespoon ground chili powder (McCormick® for mild chili powder)
- 1 teaspoon EACH: ground cumin, paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon EACH: onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, fine sea salt, and pepper
How To Make Ground Beef Quesadillas
Here are a few tips for this Ground Beef Quesadilla recipe:
- Spray (with cooking spray) or brush oil on each side of the quesadilla before cooking. This promotes even browning and crisping.
- I use, love, and recommend this Air Fryer (affiliate link). Air fryers do vary a bit from brand to brand, so the timing for quesadillas may need to be slightly tweaked for your specific model. Also keep in mind that after the initial air fry, the machine is warmed up and will cook the next batches a bit faster.
- If you’re air frying the quesadillas, press toothpicks in each corner and/or on the center edge to keep the tortilla from lifting up as it fries. Even with the toothpicks, the tortilla may want to lift up, so press it down to keep the layers together when flipping the quesadilla.
How To Make Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas
- First off, let’s chat cheese. We recommend sharp or extra-sharp Cheddar, which has a richer and more present flavor. Mild or medium Cheddar tends to get muted. In addition to the Cheddar, we like using Monterey Jack as well. The combo of these two cheese are unbeatable!
- The “secret” to the cheesiest quesadillas? Add cheese on either side of the ground beef filling!
- This recipe is aimed at being simple, but the one thing we highly recommend to get ultra gooey cheesy results is grating your own cheese to ensure a nice, even melt. Pre-grated cheese contains preservatives that keep the shreds from clumping together in the bag, but they also keep the cheese from melting smoothly in these quesadillas.
Ground Beef Quesadilla Toppings
While the quesadillas are cooking, assemble any and all toppings you’d like. Here are a few suggestions:
- Chili-lime sauce. This sauce first appeared on these Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls and has been a staple in my home ever since. We are obsessed with this sauce and any excuse I have to use it, I’ll take! This is our favorite sauce for these Ground Beef Quesadillas.
- Cilantro-lime sauce. If you prefer more of a cooling, citrusy sauce, this Cilantro-Lime Sauce is wonderful with these quesadillas.
- Guacamole. Try our favorite homemade Guacamole Recipe or get some at the store for ease/quicker dinner prep. A ripe diced avocado is also a great topping
- Sour cream. Fat-free, light, or regular all work great!
- Salsa. Again, this homemade Salsa is sublime, but store-bought works great too. Pico de gallo is also especially delicious here.
- Fresh lime and/or cilantro. A squeeze of fresh lime and a sprig or two of cilantro make such a great addition to these quesadillas — they add a burst of freshness and acidity.
- Hot sauce. ‘Nuff said!
Storage
Ground Beef Quesadilla Storage/Freezing
These quesadillas store really nicely (uncooked) in the fridge for up to 5 days. We wrap each one individually and put them all in a large airtight freezer bag or container. Cook them straight from the fridge, adding a minute or two on cook time. Once cooked (in a skillet or air fryer), these quesadillas are best enjoyed promptly and don’t store very well.
Want to freeze your Ground Beef Quesadillas? Here’s a wonderful resource that goes into depth about freezing, thawing, and reheating leftovers!
Ground Beef Quesadillas
Ingredients
- 6 flour tortillas (Note 1)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 large onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup chicken stock or broth or water
- 1 packet (1 oz.) taco seasoning (Note 2)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 pound ground beef lean (93/7)
- 1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
- 3 cups sharp Cheddar or Monterey Jack (combo of both is our fave -- Note 3)
- For serving: sour cream, cilantro, salsa, guacamole, lime (more serving suggestions in blog post)
Instructions
- PREP: If using uncooked tortillas, warm them in a skillet according to package directions and set aside. (These tortillas need to be cooked through before assembling quesadillas regardless of what cooking method (skillet or air fryer) is used.) If using already cooked tortillas, no prep is needed. Dice onion and red pepper. Finely chop cilantro. Grate cheese.
- BEEF: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the onion and red pepper, sautéing for 3-5 minutes until golden. Push veggies aside and add ground beef to the center. Sear, crumble, and brown the beef. Drain grease if needed. Reduce heat to medium, then add seasoning mix, tomato paste, water, and garlic. Stir for 1-3 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat, add frozen corn and cilantro, and mix well.
- ASSEMBLY: Divide cheese and meat filling among 6 tortillas. On one side of each tortilla, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cheese, add 1/2 cup ground beef, and top with another 2 tablespoons of cheese. Fold and press together.
- SKILLET: Brush both sides of the quesadillas with oil or use cooking spray. Place 2 quesadillas in a dry non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes until golden and crispy. Uncover, flip, and press lightly with a spatula to seal. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the filling is melted and tortillas are browned. Keep the heat low to ensure the cheese melts before the tortillas brown. Repeat with remaining quesadillas. (Note 4).
- AIR FRYER: Stick toothpicks through the edges of the quesadillas and generously spray both sides with cooking spray. Place 2 quesadillas in the air fryer, ensuring they have space. Cook at 350°F for 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway through until crisp and golden, and the cheese is melted. (Note 6) Press the quesadillas together before flipping to seal the edges. Carefully remove from the air fryer and let cool for a few minutes before cutting and serving. Repeat with the remaining quesadillas. (Note 4)
- SERVE: Once quesadillas are cooked, cut into wedges and serve with guacamole, sour cream, salsa. etc. Enjoy!
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So good and so easy.
So happy these were a hit! Thanks Theresa! 🙂
What size tortillas are we using?
8-inch or larger!
Outstanding meal. I followed the recipe exactly and it did not disappoint. This
was quick and easy to pull together
and I feel had really good flavor.
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Amy! 🙂
These were great! My family really enjoyed them.
I am so happy to hear this! Thanks Gillian! 🙂
Hi! If using the uncooked tortillas (sounds amazing because I’m not a fan of store bought tortillas so frequently make them from scratch), do you cook them before starting the recipe? Or do they cook as you cook the rest of the quesadilla?
You’ll need to cook them first 🙂
I loved this recipe so much . It’s really awesome
So glad you enjoyed! Thanks Chris! 🙂