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Cheesy Beef Quesadillas

Cheesy beef quesadillas with seasoned ground beef and melty cheese are cooked in a single skillet for a fast weeknight dinner. Crispy, golden tortillas are pan-fried until the cheese fully melts inside each folded sandwich.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cheesy Beef Quesadillas
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 taco seasoning packet
  • 2 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
  • 6 large flour tortillas
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 sour cream for serving
  • 1 salsa for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the beef filling
  1. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it apart as it cooks for about 6–8 minutes, until no longer pink.
  2. Stir in the taco seasoning and 2–3 tablespoons of water, then simmer until thickened for about 2 minutes, so the mixture clings together.
Assemble and pan-fry
  1. Lay a tortilla flat and sprinkle half with shredded Mexican blend cheese, leaving a slight border around the edge.
  2. Add the beef filling over the cheese and top with more shredded Mexican blend cheese.
  3. Fold the tortilla in half over the filling and press down gently to help it seal.
  4. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then cook the quesadilla for 2–3 minutes per side, until golden and the cheese is melted.
  5. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling until all quesadillas are cooked through and browned.
Serve
  1. Slice into wedges and serve warm with sour cream and salsa.

Notes

For extra melty results, keep heat at medium so the tortilla crisps without burning before the cheese melts. Store leftover quesadillas in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet over medium-low until warmed through. Freezing is best only for the cooked beef filling (up to 2 months); fully assembled quesadillas may lose crispness after thawing. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese and swap butter for a light butter substitute.