Beef Quesadillas Salsa Guacamole (Printable)
Cheesy quesadillas filled with seasoned beef, served alongside fresh salsa and smooth guacamole for a flavorful dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beef Filling
01 - 14 oz ground beef
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 small onion, finely diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 tsp ground cumin
07 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
09 - 1/2 tsp salt
10 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Quesadilla Assembly
11 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
12 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
13 - 8 medium flour tortillas
→ Fresh Salsa
14 - 3 medium tomatoes, diced
15 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
16 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
17 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
18 - Juice of 1 lime
19 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Guacamole
20 - 2 ripe avocados
21 - 1 small tomato, seeded and diced
22 - 1/4 small red onion, finely chopped
23 - 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
24 - Juice of 1 lime
25 - Salt and pepper to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Combine diced tomatoes, red onion, minced jalapeño, chopped cilantro, and lime juice in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate until serving.
02 - Cut avocados in half, remove pits, and scoop flesh into a bowl. Mash with a fork until chunky-smooth. Fold in diced tomato, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Cover surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent browning and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté diced onion until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add ground beef, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, and cook until browned completely, 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
04 - Stir in diced bell pepper, ground cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Continue cooking for 3-4 minutes until peppers have softened. Remove skillet from heat.
05 - Lay out eight flour tortillas on a clean work surface. Distribute half the shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses evenly over four tortillas. Divide the seasoned beef mixture among the cheese-topped tortillas. Sprinkle remaining cheese over beef. Place remaining tortillas on top to complete each quesadilla.
06 - Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Cook each assembled quesadilla for 2-3 minutes per side until tortilla is golden brown and cheese is fully melted. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 1 minute before cutting into wedges.
07 - Arrange quesadilla wedges on serving plates. Accompany with portions of fresh salsa and guacamole on the side. Serve immediately while hot and crispy.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The beef filling gets deeply flavorful from smoked paprika and cumin, creating that restaurant taste you usually have to go out for
- Everything comes together in under 45 minutes, but your guests will think you spent all afternoon cooking
- Homemade salsa and guacamole transform this from a weeknight dinner into something worth gathering around
02 -
- Drain the excess fat from the beef before adding spices, otherwise your quesadillas will become greasy and the tortillas may split
- Don't overload the tortillas with filling, or the cheese won't melt properly and they will be impossible to flip without spilling
- Letting the quesadillas rest for that one minute after cooking makes a huge difference in clean slices
03 -
- If your tortillas are stiff, wrap them in damp paper towels and microwave for 30 seconds before assembling
- Place a second skillet on top of the quesadilla while cooking for even pressure and better cheese melting