Beef Quesadillas Salsa Guacamole (Printable Version)
Crispy tortillas filled with savory beef and cheese, served alongside fresh salsa and creamy guacamole.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beef Quesadilla Filling
01 - 14 oz ground beef
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 1 clove garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 tsp ground cumin
06 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
08 - 1/2 tsp salt
09 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
10 - 5.3 oz shredded cheddar cheese
11 - 8 medium flour tortillas
12 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
→ Salsa
13 - 3 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
14 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
15 - 1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced
16 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - Juice of 1 lime
18 - 1/4 tsp salt
→ Guacamole
19 - 2 ripe avocados
20 - 1 small tomato, diced
21 - 2 tbsp red onion, finely chopped
22 - 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
23 - Juice of 1 lime
24 - Salt and pepper to taste
# Directions:
01 - Combine diced tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and salt in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
02 - Mash avocados in a separate bowl. Stir in diced tomato, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
03 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
04 - Add diced red bell pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and black pepper to the beef mixture. Cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, then remove from heat.
05 - Lay out tortillas. Sprinkle shredded cheese over half of each tortilla, spoon beef mixture on top, and add more cheese. Fold tortillas in half to enclose fillings.
06 - Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook quesadillas in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and cheese is melted. Transfer to cutting board and slice into wedges.
07 - Serve quesadilla wedges warm accompanied by fresh salsa and guacamole.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Golden, crispy tortillas with melted cheese that stretches just right—pure comfort food satisfaction.
- The whole meal comes together in under 45 minutes, and the salsa and guacamole taste so fresh you'll forget you made them five minutes ago.
- Four simple components that work beautifully together, each one forgiving enough for a quick weeknight dinner.
02 -
- Don't skip the step of letting the beef brown undisturbed for a minute or two; constant stirring keeps it from getting any color and the filling stays pale and flat-tasting.
- Room-temperature or warm quesadillas are infinitely more pleasant to eat than ones that have cooled completely, so cook them as close to serving time as possible.
03 -
- A slightly lower heat and a little patience will give you golden, crispy quesadillas instead of burnt exteriors and cold, unmelted centers.
- If you're making these for more than two people, prep everything before you start cooking—once the oil is hot and you're in cooking mode, you'll move fast and won't have time to chop.