Taco Quesadillas

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Tex-Mex, Mexican

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 55

Servings:

Calories: 678kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

Taco Quesadillas are so delicious and easy to make. We absolutely love our ground beef taco meat, but you can certainly go with your favorite taco seasoning packet to speed things up even more. Remember to keep the tacos you have prepared warm in a low-temperature oven as you continue to make them all.

Print Recipe

Equipment

Large skillet, preferably non-stick

Ingredients

For the Taco Meat

2 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion chopped
1 jalapeño cored and seeded, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 lb ground beef 85% lean
2 tomatoes chopped, Romas work well
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin ground
1½ teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper ground
1 cup beer

For the Quesadilla Tacos

¼ cup vegetable oil
8 flour tortillas fajita or soft-taco size
3 cups cheddar cheese shredded, or Mexican blend
sour cream for garnish
homemade salsa for garnish

Instructions

Make the Taco Meat (Can be done in advance)

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onion and peppers and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 cup onion, 1 jalapeño, 2 cloves garlic
Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Spoon off excess rendered grease and safely discard.
1 lb ground beef
Stir in the chopped tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper, with the heat still on. Cook, stirring frequently, for another 5 minutes, until the tomatoes have begun to break down somewhat.
2 tomatoes, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1½ teaspoon Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
Slowly pour in the beer and cook until the mixture thickens a bit and most of the liquid is gone. Don't let it get too dry. If it looks dry, add a little more beer. Set aside.
1 cup beer

Make the Taco Quesadillas

In a large skillet, preferably non-stick, heat 3 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
¼ cup vegetable oil
Once the oil is shimmering, carefully lay a tortilla into the skillet flat. On one side of the tortilla, add a small handful of the cheese. Spoon on enough of the taco meat to cover the cheese. Add another handful of cheese on top of the meat. Use a couple of forks to pull the other side of the tortilla over the meat and cheese.
8 flour tortillas, 3 cups cheddar cheese
Cook until starting to brown on the bottom. Carefully use the forks (and a spatula, if you prefer) to flip the taco quesadilla over. Cook until both sides are nicely browned and slightly crispy all over. Place the taco on a baking pan lined with a baking rack and keep warm in a low-temp oven. Continue this process until all the meat has been used, adding more oil when needed. Serve warm with sour cream and salsa on the side.
sour cream, homemade salsa

Video

Notes

NOTE: Watch the video in the recipe card for visual guidance.

A packet of your favorite taco seasoning can be used with the ground beef, no problem.

Ground turkey or chicken can be substituted for beef. To make it even healthier, fry them briefly in your air-fryer until lightly browned. You can also bake them in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. They won't be as crisp as the skillet version, but they'll still be delicious.

The taco meat can be doubled or tripled and easily frozen for up to 2 months. The cooked taco meat will keep in the fridge for 5 to 6 days.

Nutrition