Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas

Hamburger meat, cheddar, havarti, and a little spinach tucked into flour tortillas. Fast weeknight dinner or snack.

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Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas
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15 min Prep Time
30 min Cook Time
45 min Total Time
4 Servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup roughly chopped spinach or baby kale
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro (optional)
  • 4 teaspoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
  • 1 cup shredded havarti
  • Guacamole, sour cream, salsa, and lime wedges, to serve

Instructions

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the beef, breaking it up, until crumbly, about 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and carefully wipe out the skillet.
  2. Return the skillet to medium heat and add the oil. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and sauté about 3 minutes until it starts to soften.
  3. Add the tomato paste, spinach, garlic, and chili powder. Stir about 1 minute until the spinach wilts.
  4. Return the beef to the skillet and stir until blended. Stir in cilantro if using. Turn the mixture into a bowl. Wash and dry the skillet (or use a clean one).
  5. Combine the cheddar and havarti. Place the skillet over medium heat and add 1/2 teaspoon butter. Lay a tortilla in the pan.
  6. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese over half the tortilla, add 1/8 of the beef mixture, then another 2 tablespoons cheese. Fold the bare half over the filling.
  7. Cover and cook about 2 minutes until the bottom is golden and the cheese starts to melt. Flip and cook uncovered 2–3 minutes until the cheese is melted and the underside is browned.
  8. Rest 1 minute, then cut into 2 or 3 wedges. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Serve with guacamole, salsa, sour cream, and lime wedges.

Notes

Drain the beef well so the tortillas brown instead of steaming. Leftovers keep 2 days; reheat in a 325°F oven about 5 minutes or in a skillet, not the microwave. Pork or turkey works in place of beef. A Mexican cheese blend is fine instead of cheddar and havarti.