CHEESY GROUND BEEF QUESADILLAS

Looking for super Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas? You’ve come to the right place! Well seasoned ground beef, lots of ooey gooey cheese and a crispy golden brown exterior make these quesadillas simply irresistible! They’re sure to become a favourite in your home as they are in ours.
Hey friends, if you’re looking for an easy quesadilla recipe, you’ve come to the right place!

If you know me and you follow Girl Heart Food you know that I’m a HUGE fan of quesadillas. One of the reasons is, like grilled cheese sandwiches, quesadillas are a method of getting more cheese in my pie hole, lol.

Seriously, though, hubby and I enjoy quesadillas on the regular. They’re super easy to whip up, you can put as little or as much as you want in ’em and they always taste amazing.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef (I used ‘extra lean’)
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder (or to taste, optional)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoon unsalted beef stock
  • 12 ounces shredded cheese blend (about 3 cups (or combination of cheddar, Monterey jack and pizza mozzarella))
  • 6 flour tortillas (mine were about 7 to 8 inches in diametre)
  • cooking spray or oil (to grease pan)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 200 degree Fahrenheit (to keep quesadillas warm while cooking batches).
  • In a pan (I used non stick) on medium heat add olive oil.
  • When shimmering, add ground beef, chili powder, chipotle powder, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper powder (if using). Heat until cooked through, breaking into crumbles with a wooden spoon, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and stock and cook 1 to 2 minutes more.
  • Remove beef from pan into a bowl. If there is any excess grease drain/remove.
  • Distribute about 8 ounces (or 2 cups) of cheese among all tortillas  (on one side of them).Note: Reserve the remaining 4 ounces (or 1 cup of cheese).Also, if your tortillas are smaller or larger than the size I used, the quantity you yield will vary.
  • Distribute ground beef on top of cheese.  Then, sprinkle remaining 1 cup (or 4 ounces) of cheese on top of ground beef. Fold tortilla over so you have a half moon shape.
  • Working in batches (about 2 quesadillas per batch), spray cooking spray into pan and cook quesadillas (on medium low heat) for about 2 minutes per side until golden brown and cheese is melted (carefully turning and watching to ensure they don’t burn). While continuing batches, place cooked quesadillas on a baking sheet in preheated oven to keep warm.Cut each half moon in half. Serve with salsa, guacamole and/or sour cream. Enjoy!