Steak Quesadillas (Printable)
Grilled steak and melted cheese in crispy golden tortillas with sautéed peppers and onions.
# What You'll Need:
→ Steak and Seasoning
01 - 12 oz flank steak or sirloin, trimmed
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp chili powder
04 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
05 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Vegetables
06 - 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
07 - 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
08 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced (optional)
→ Cheese and Tortillas
09 - 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (about 7 oz)
10 - 4 large (10-inch) flour tortillas
→ For Serving
11 - Sour cream
12 - Salsa
13 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
14 - Lime wedges
# How-to Steps:
01 - Preheat a grill pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Rub the steak with olive oil, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper on both sides. Sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare, or adjust to your preferred doneness.
02 - Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Slice thinly against the grain.
03 - In the same pan, add the sliced bell pepper, onion, and jalapeño. Sauté over medium-high heat until softened and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
04 - Lay each tortilla flat. On one half, layer the sliced steak, sautéed vegetables, and shredded cheese. Fold the tortilla in half to enclose the filling.
05 - Wipe the pan clean and return it to medium heat. Cook each quesadilla for 2 to 3 minutes per side, pressing down gently with a spatula, until the tortilla is golden brown and the cheese is fully melted.
06 - Transfer the cooked quesadillas to a cutting board and slice each into wedges. Serve immediately with sour cream, salsa, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges on the side.
# Expert Pointers:
01 -
- The spice rub on the steak creates a crust that tastes like you spent hours when it really took thirty seconds.
- Everything cooks in one pan, which means cleanup is almost nonexistent and that alone is worth celebrating.
- The combination of melted cheese and golden tortilla crunch is the kind of texture contrast that makes people close their eyes on the first bite.
02 -
- Skipping the rest time on the steak means all those juices end up on your cutting board instead of inside the quesadilla where they belong.
- Do not overstuff the tortillas or they will burst open in the pan and make a mess that is technically delicious but definitely not pretty.
03 -
- Press the quesadilla gently with your spatula while it cooks and the cheese will glue everything together so the flip is clean and confident.
- A light wipe of the pan between quesadillas prevents burnt bits from the previous one sticking to the next tortilla.