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A quesadilla cut up and stacked on a plate with salsa, sour cream, and guacamole on top.

Ground Beef Quesadillas

Easy, cheesy, and delicious! These beef quesadillas are a crowd pleaser and come together fast. This is a recipe that is very easy to double and freeze for later. 

Yield: 8 1x
Prep: 10Cook: 5Total: 15 minutes
Units:
Scale:

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1/2 medium sized yellow onion
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup frozen or canned corn, drained
  • 1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 2 tablespoons butter (Dairy-Free Option: cooking spray or olive oil)
  • 16 (soft taco-sized) tortillas (Gluten-Free Option: Use corn tortillas or gluten-free tortillas)
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

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Instructions

Make the Beef Filling:

  1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion until it begins to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the ground beef, cumin, and salt. Break up and cook the beef until it is no longer pink. Drain off the excess grease. 
  2. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the corn, black beans, and salsa. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside. (Freezing instructions begin here.)

Make the Quesadillas:

  1. Preheat another skillet or griddle to medium-low heat. 
  2. Add a little softened butter (or brush on olive oil) to the outside of a tortilla. Place the tortilla on the skillet and spread about 2 tablespoons of cheese and a heaping 1/2 cup of beef mixture over it. Top with another 2 tablespoons of cheese and then another tortilla. Add a little more butter to the top of another tortilla. 
  3. Cook for 4-6 minutes, turning once, until the tortilla is browned and a bit firm.
  4. Repeat Steps 2-3 until all quesadillas are done. Cut into triangles. Serve with guacamole, salsa, sour cream, and other Mexican Toppings

Freeze for Later:

Place cooked and cooled beef filling in an airtight freezer bag or container. In a separate bag, freeze the cheese. In yet another bag, freeze the tortillas. Freeze all the bags together as a kit. 

To Prepare:

Let all the ingredients thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Follow the cooking instructions as directed. 


Notes/Tips

Dairy-Free Option: Use cooking spray or olive oil in place of the butter. Omit the cheese. You can add in smashed avocado in place of the cheese to add richness.

Gluten-Free Option: Use corn tortillas or gluten-free tortillas.

© Author: Polly Conner
Cuisine: Mexican Method: Stove Top