Simple yet crowd pleasing recipe takes under an hour to make and is great for picky eaters.
If you are wanting to use this in your weekly meal prep, make the filling the day before and simple assemble on cooking day.
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Servings 10
Author loveonaplate
Ingredients
1tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 onionchopped
2clovesfresh garlicminced
2small bell peppersseeded and sliced
1 1/2lb.extra lean ground beef *
1tspcumin
2tspchili powder
1tsponion powder
1/4cupsalsamild, medium or hot
2cupsMonterey Jack cheeseshredded
2cupsSharp Cheddarshredded
Pinchof Sea salt
Pepper to taste
12 large flour tortillas
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°. In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil, onions and garlic; cook until soft, 2-3 minutes. Add ground beef to skillet and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain fat and add 1/3 cup salsa of your choice, Taco seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.
On a non stick sheet pan, or stoneware sheet pan place 8 tortillas around the edges of the pan so that about 1/4 of it hang over the side. The bottom should be completely covered with the tortillas as this is the base or "crust".
Sprinkle 2 cups of cheese in an even layer on top of the tortilla base.
Spread ground beef filling over the cheese, or if using 2 different fillings, place each filling on half of the base. Sprinkle remaining 2 cups of cheese evenly over top of fillings.
Fold each tortilla that is hanging over the edge towards the center. Top with 2 more whole tortillas to keep them in place.
Place a second baking sheet on top of tortillas and weight it down. I used my cast iron frying pan.
Bake until tortillas are beginning to turn crispy, about 20 minutes. Remove baking sheet from on top and continue baking until tortillas are golden and crispy, about 15 minutes more.
Remove from oven, let sit 5 minutes. Place a cutting board or tray on top of sheet pan and invert the entire quesadilla in one big slab.
Cut into rectangles and serve with Lime Crema and, salsa of your choice. A nice selection of hot sauces will add some zip for those who like it spicy.
Notes
*You can substitute ground chicken and ground turkey for the ground beef as well as using a combination of ground beef and ground pork if you like. Shredded Rotisserie chicken and Pork Carnita filling also make excellent options.