Open menu
Healthy Recipes 101 LogoHealthy Recipes 101

Chef-tested, nutritionist-approved recipes to make healthy eating easy, tasty, and sustainable

Open main search
Go BackPrint

Beef Quesadilla Recipe

This beef quesadilla recipe turns out a satisfying meal in just 30 minutes. If you're serving just one, it takes only 15 minutes.
  • cook TIME 25 mins
  • prep TIME 5 mins
  • total TIME 30 mins
Course: Main CourseCuisine: Mexican
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 485 kcal
Author: Tuyet Pham, Luna Regina

Ingredients (26)

  • 10 oz 85% lean ground beef
  • 8 6-inch corn tortillas
  • 4 oz onions finely chopped
  • 4 oz red bell peppers chopped
  • 2 oz corn fresh or canned (have to rinse first if using canned)
  • 4 oz cherry tomatoes halved
  • 4 oz cabbage shredded
  • 4 oz iceberg lettuce torn by hand
  • 1 oz baby carrots shaved
  • 2 tbsp olive oil divided
  • 1 tbsp garlic minced
  • 1/2 tbsp Hunt’s tomato paste
  • 3 oz cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1/4 cup unsalted chicken broth
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp unsalted chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  • 1 1/2 tsp brown gravy mix
  • 2 tbsp coriander roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp parsley finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add just 1/2 tbsp olive oil (save the rest to heat the tortillas), and when it’s hot, add 1 tbsp garlic and 4 oz chopped onions to cook. Stir for about 1 minute.

2

Add 1/2 tbsp tomato paste and stir to incorporate. Add 4 oz chopped bell peppers in and stir to cook for 1 minute.

3

Make a space in the middle of the skillet, and add 10 oz ground beef to this space. Break up the meat and stir to cook for about 1 minute, then add the seasonings: paprika, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, pepper (1/2 tsp each), 1 tsp lime juice, and 1 1/2 tsp gravy mix. Stir to incorporate.

4

Pour in 1/4 cup chicken broth and add 2 oz corn. Scrape the bottom to release any bit of flavor sticking. Turn the heat to low and simmer everything for 3 minutes or until the liquid evaporates. Remove the skillet from the heat.

5

Heat a non-stick pan over low heat. Brush a thin layer of oil all over the pan using the remaining oil (1 1/2 tbsp). Place a tortilla into the pan and fill one half of it with 1/8 the amount of cooked beef, cabbage, cheddar, and chopped cilantro. Carefully fold the other half over, gently press for 1 minute, then flip and press for another minute.

6

Repeat with the rest of the tortillas until you have 8 half quesadillas equal in size. Sprinkle parsley on top for decoration. Serve the quesadillas with a quick salad of 4 oz halved cherry tomatoes, 4 oz torn iceberg lettuce, and 1 oz shaved carrots.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 485kcal | Fat 27g | Saturated Fat 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat 1g | Monounsaturated Fat 7g | Cholesterol 69mg | Sodium 581mg | Potassium 392mg | Carbohydrate 41g | Fiber 5g | Sugar 6g | Protein 23g | Vitamin A 2516IU | Vitamin C 61mg | Calcium 198mg | Iron 2mg