Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas
These Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas are made with a homemade spice mix, two different cheeses and bulked out with black beans and red pepper. Better still, they’re SO easy to make!
Author: Dontgobaconmyheart/Photo credit to dontgobaconmyheart.co.uk
Ingredients
- 6 8" Flour Tortillas
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil, or as needed
- Beef
- 1lb / 500g Lean Ground Beef
- ½ cup / 125ml Water or Low Sodium Beef Stock
- 1 heaped tbsp Tomato Puree (Tomato Paste in US)
- 2 tsp each: Paprika, Cumin
- 1 tsp each: Garlic Powder, Oregano, Salt
- ½ tsp each: Onion Powder, Cayenne Pepper, Cornstarch/Cornflour (see notes)
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
- Olive Oil, as needed
- Fillings
- 1.5 cups / 150g Monterey Jack, shredded
- 1.5 cups / 150g Cheddar, shredded
- 1 small Red Pepper (bell pepper), finely diced
- 1 small White Onion, finely diced
- ½ can Black Beans, rinsed
- 1 cup Pickled Jalapenos, sliced (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine 2 tsp paprika & cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, oregano & salt, ½ tsp onion powder & cayenne pepper and ¼ tsp black pepper. Place to one side.
- Add a drizzle of olive oil to a pan over medium heat and add your onion and red pepper. Fry until softened, then scrape to the outside of the pan. Add in your beef and break up with a wooden spoon. Once browned, incorporate your onion/pepper, then mix in your spices.
- Add 1 heaped tbsp tomato puree/paste and fry with the beef for a few mins. Deglaze the pan with ½ cup water/low sodium beef stock, then stir in ½ tsp cornstarch/cornflour (or 2-3 tbsp liquid and no cornstarch/cornflour). Add ½ can black beans and allow to simmer and reduce for 5mins, stirring occasionally.
- Once fully reduced (beef should be juicy, with no liquid in pan) take off heat and pour into a bowl. Allow the beef to rest until it stops steaming (important).
- Meanwhile, wipe out pan with a paper towel.
- Brush one side of each of your tortilla wraps and place one oil side down in the pan with the heat off. Sprinkle over ¼ cup of cheese, then around ½ cup beef (or ⅙th of the mixture) top with a few jalapenos (optional) then finish with another ¼ cup of cheese. Fold over and repeat with another one next to it. Switch on heat a medium and fry for a few mins each side, or until golden and hollow to tap.
