Steak Quesadillas (Printable Version)
Juicy seared steak and melted cheese folded into golden crispy tortillas with fresh veggies for a satisfying Tex-Mex meal.
# Ingredient List:
→ Meats
01 - 10 oz flank steak or sirloin, thinly sliced
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
03 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
05 - 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional)
→ Dairy
06 - 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend or cheddar
→ Spices & Marinade
07 - 1 tbsp olive oil
08 - 1 tsp ground cumin
09 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
10 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
11 - 1/2 tsp salt
12 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
13 - Juice of 1 lime
→ Tortillas
14 - 4 large flour tortillas (10 in)
→ For Serving
15 - Salsa
16 - Sour cream
17 - Guacamole
# Step-by-Step Instructions:
01 - In a mixing bowl, toss the sliced steak with olive oil, ground cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and lime juice until evenly coated. Let marinate for 10 minutes at room temperature.
02 - Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Sear the marinated steak slices for 2 minutes per side until nicely browned but still tender. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
03 - In the same pan, sauté the sliced onion and bell pepper along with the jalapeño if using. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the vegetables are softened and lightly charred. Remove from the pan and set aside with the steak.
04 - Wipe the skillet clean and return it to medium heat. Lay a flour tortilla flat in the pan. Sprinkle a quarter of the shredded cheese over one half of the tortilla, then layer on a portion of the seared steak, sautéed vegetables, and fresh cilantro. Fold the tortilla over to enclose the filling.
05 - Cook the folded quesadilla for 2 to 3 minutes per side, pressing down lightly with a spatula, until the tortilla is golden brown and crispy and the cheese is fully melted.
06 - Remove the finished quesadilla and repeat the assembly and cooking process with the remaining tortillas, steak, vegetables, cheese, and cilantro.
07 - Allow each quesadilla to rest for 1 to 2 minutes before slicing into wedges. Serve immediately with salsa, sour cream, and guacamole on the side.
# Tips from hearthlykitchen:
01 -
- The spice rub on the steak comes together in minutes but tastes like you spent hours marinating.
- Everything cooks in one pan, which means cleanup is almost nonexistent.
- You can easily double or triple the batch for a crowd and nobody will believe how simple it was.
02 -
- Do not crowd the pan when searing the steak or it will steam instead of browning, and you will lose that gorgeous crust.
- Wiping the pan between the vegetable step and the quesadilla step prevents burnt bits from sticking to your tortilla.
03 -
- Press the quesadilla gently with your spatula while it cooks and the cheese will fuse the layers together into one cohesive pocket.
- A light brush of oil on the outside of the tortilla gives you an extra crispy golden finish that dry tortillas never achieve.