Melted cheese, crispy tortillas, and tender steak—there’s just so much to love about this steak quesadilla recipe.
It’s our go-to laid-back lunch, and we love serving it as a tasty twist on our classic Taco Tuesdays.
Whether you’re trying to use leftover steak or cook some raw meat you still have on hand, this recipe won’t let you down!
Ready to cook a cheesy madness?
🥩 Type of Steak and Cheese for Quesadilla: Does It Matter?
Well, not really.
Sure, which meat and cheese you use for this recipe will slightly affect the overall flavor and texture of your quesadilla.
But, if you choose the cheese and steak cuts you prefer for this dish, the only result you can expect is for your quesadilla to be better!
For this recipe, I used skirt steak for the meat and a combination of Monterey Jack cheese and cheddar cheese.
I’ve always used this combination when cooking quesadillas, so it’s a tried-and-tested favorite!
🍴Tips to Cook the Best Quesadillas
Wanna nail this dish on your first try? Keep these tips in mind as you cook your cheesy quesadillas!
- Never Overfill Quesadillas: Loading up each tortilla with lots of meat, cheese, and veggies may be tempting. However, using too many fillings may prevent your cheese from melting and make it hard to flip the quesadilla.
- Serve Immediately: Quesadillas are best served hot. So, as much as possible, cook these just before serving to really bring the flavors out.
Press Down on the Tortillas: The key to achieving a golden, crispy browning on both sides of the quesadilla is to press down gently during the final minutes of cooking.
Cheese-crusted Steak Quesadillas with Chipotle Lime Mayo
These crispy, cheesy, and meaty steak quesadillas are the perfect crowd-pleasers. Crispy on the outside and packed with flavorful meat and sauce on the inside!
Ingredients
For the Steak:
- 1 pound of skirt steak
- 1 teaspoon of sea salt
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon of oil (for grilling)
For the Chipotle Lime Mayo:
- 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons of sour cream
- 1 tablespoon of pickled jalapeños, with brine (blended)
- 2 teaspoons of lime juice
- 2 teaspoons of chipotle paste
For the Quesadilla Fillings:
- 1 medium onion (sliced)
- 1/2 green bell pepper (sliced)
- 1 tablespoon of avocado oil (for cooking)
- 1 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 large flour tortillas (burrito size)
For Garnish (Optional):
- 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro (chopped)
- 1 jalapeño (finely chopped)
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- To start, prepare the Chipotle Lime Mayo by mixing the mayonnaise, pickled jalapeños, sour cream, lime juice, and chipotle paste in a small bowl. Put this in the fridge until assembly.
- In another small bowl, create the steak dry rub by combining the salt, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne and paprika. Mix everything well. Season both sides of the skirt steak with the mixture.
- Add about a tablespoon of oil to a griddle or skillet. On high heat, cook each side of the steak for about 3 minutes or until you reach your desired doneness level. Let the steak rest for about 5 minutes, then slice it thinly.
- In the same skillet, sauté the bell peppers and onions over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes or until they’re slightly charred.
- Heat a clean griddle or skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle about ¼ cup of Monterey Jack cheese on the surface. Once the cheese starts to melt or caramelize after about a minute, place a tortilla on top.
- Slightly press on the tortilla so that the cheese sticks to it. Then, flip the tortilla over so that the cheese side of the tortilla faces up.
- On one side of the cheese-covered tortilla, sprinkle about 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese, followed by 1/4 of the steak slices and sautéed veggies. Drizzle some Chipotle Lime Mayo on top.
- Allow the tortilla to cook for about 15 more seconds. Flip the empty side of the tortilla over to the filled side.
- Continue cooking both sides of the folded quesadilla for about 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese inside is melted and each side is crispy. Remove from heat.
- Repeat steps 5 to 9 for all tortillas. Once you’ve assembled all the quesadillas, slice each one into portions and enjoy your meal!
Notes
Image credit to ©jojosbargrill.
Featured image credit to ©madchefkitchenandbar.
