Looking for super cheesy ground beef quesadillas?
You've come to the right place! Well-seasoned ground beef, lots of ooey gooey cheese and a crispy golden brown exterior make these quesadillas simply irresistible!
They're sure to become a favorites in your home as they are in ours.
Ingredients
½ tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef, I use extra lean ground beef
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons unsalted beef stock/broth, or low sodium or regular
12 ounces shredded cheese blend, divided (about 3 cups. I used a combination of cheddar, Monterey jack and pizza mozzarella)
6 flour tortillas, about 7 to 8 inches in diameter each
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, to grease pan (about 2 teaspoons of oil per batch)
Salsa, guacamole and/or sour cream, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 200 degree Fahrenheit (to keep quesadillas warm while cooking batches).
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan (about a 10-inch or 12-inch pan) over medium heat. Add ground beef, chili powder, chipotle pepper, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper (if using). Cook, breaking the ground beef into small pieces and stirring occasionally, until the ground beef is fully cooked through (the ground beef should no longer be pink and be browned all the way through), about 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste and beef stock/broth and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove beef from the pan and place into a bowl. If there is any excess grease, drain/remove.
Distribute about 8 ounces (or 2 cups) of cheese among all tortillas (on one side of them).
Note: Reserve the remaining 4 ounces of cheese (or 1 cup of cheese).
Distribute ground beef on top of cheese. Then sprinkle remaining 1 cup (or 4 ounces) of cheese on top of ground beef. Fold over each tortilla so it's a half-moon shape.
To cook quesadillas, heat about 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat. Gently swirl the oil around the pan to coat.
Note: If you're using the same pan that you used for cooking the ground beef, just wipe out before greasing and cooking your quesadillas.
Note: Cook the quesadillas in batches, two quesadillas at a time, adding more oil to the pan between batches as necessary.
Place two quesadillas in the pan. Cook quesadillas for about 2 minutes on one side.
Carefully flip quesadillas to the other side and continue to cook for another 2 minutes or until they're golden brown and crispy on the outside and the cheese is melted inside (carefully watch to ensure they don't burn). Transfer cooked quesadillas to a sheet pan and place into your preheated oven to keep warm while you are continuing to cook the remaining quesadillas.
Repeat process to cook remaining quesadillas.
Once done, cut each half-moon (quesadilla) in half so you have 12 pieces. Great served with salsa, guacamole and/or sour cream. Enjoy!
Note: If you have any leftovers, properly store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 2 to 4 days, reheating before serving.
Credit by : girlheartfood.com
Tags
Dinner