Beef Quesadillas Salsa Guacamole (Printable)
Tender beef and melted cheese in crispy tortillas served with fresh salsa and creamy guacamole.
# What You Need:
→ Beef Quesadillas
01 - 14 oz beef sirloin or flank steak, thinly sliced
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
04 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 1 tsp ground cumin
06 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
08 - 1/2 tsp salt
09 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
10 - 4 large flour tortillas
11 - 7 oz shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
→ Salsa
12 - 3 medium tomatoes, diced
13 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
14 - 1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced
15 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
16 - Juice of 1 lime
17 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Guacamole
18 - 2 ripe avocados
19 - 1 small tomato, diced
20 - 2 tbsp red onion, finely chopped
21 - 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
22 - Juice of 1 lime
23 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# Steps:
01 - Combine diced tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix gently and set aside.
02 - Mash avocados in a bowl. Stir in diced tomato, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and bell peppers for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add sliced beef along with cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until beef is browned and cooked through. Remove from heat.
04 - Lay out flour tortillas. Spread half the cheese over one side of each tortilla, top with beef mixture, then sprinkle remaining cheese. Fold tortillas in half to enclose filling.
05 - Wipe skillet clean and heat over medium heat. Cook each folded tortilla for 2 to 3 minutes per side, pressing gently, until golden and cheese is melted.
06 - Slice quesadillas into wedges and serve immediately with salsa and guacamole on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The beef gets tender and deeply seasoned while the cheese turns into golden, gooey pockets of richness.
- Everything comes together in under 40 minutes, but tastes like you've been cooking all day.
- Fresh salsa and guacamole transform simple quesadillas into something that feels restaurant-worthy.
02 -
- Cold tortillas will crack when you fold them—warm them slightly in the pan or wrapped in a damp towel so they become pliable.
- Overcrowding the skillet drops the temperature and makes quesadillas soft instead of crispy, so cook them one or two at a time.
- If the cheese isn't melting fast enough, cover the skillet with a lid for the last minute of cooking to trap the heat.
03 -
- Slice the beef against the grain and as thin as you can manage—a sharp knife makes this easier and the result is noticeably more tender.
- Don't let the cooked quesadillas sit more than a minute or two before slicing; they'll stay crispy if served immediately while the cheese is still warm.