Sweet Savory Beef Quesadillas (Printable)
Tender beef with melty cheeses and a sweet hint, folded into crisp tortillas for a quick Tex-Mex meal.
# Ingredient List:
→ Beef Filling
01 - 10 oz flank steak or sirloin, thinly sliced
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1/2 tsp salt
04 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
05 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
06 - 2 tbsp brown sugar or honey
07 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
→ Additional Fillings
10 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
11 - 1/2 cup sweet corn kernels, canned or fresh, drained
12 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
13 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
→ Tortillas
14 - 4 large flour tortillas
→ Serving
15 - Sour cream, for serving (optional)
16 - Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
17 - Lime wedges (optional)
# How to Make:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced beef, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring to coat evenly.
02 - Add brown sugar (or honey), soy sauce, minced garlic, and red onion to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until the beef is browned and the onions are soft, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
03 - Wipe the skillet clean and place it over medium heat. Lay one flour tortilla flat in the skillet. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella and cheddar cheeses evenly over one half of the tortilla.
04 - Distribute the beef mixture, sliced red bell pepper, and corn kernels over the cheese. Fold the empty half of the tortilla over the filling to enclose it.
05 - Cook the quesadilla for 2-3 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until the tortilla is golden brown and the cheese is fully melted.
06 - Remove the first quesadilla and keep warm. Repeat the assembly and cooking process with the remaining tortillas, beef mixture, and cheeses.
07 - Cut each quesadilla into wedges. Serve warm alongside sour cream, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges as desired.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- The brown sugar and soy sauce combo creates a sticky caramelized crust on the beef that is downright addictive.
- Everything cooks in one skillet, meaning cleanup is almost nonexistent.
02 -
- Overcrowding the skillet with too much beef at once will steam it instead of searing, so cook in batches if needed.
- Letting the assembled quesadilla rest for one minute before slicing keeps the filling from spilling everywhere.
03 -
- Freeze the flank steak for twenty minutes before slicing and you will get paper thin strips with almost no effort.
- Mix the two cheeses together before assembling so every bite has both stretch and sharpness in equal measure.