Steak Quesadilla Recipe (Easy, Cheesy & Crispy!)

This Steak Quesadilla recipe is loaded with juicy seasoned steak, melty cheese, and crispy tortillas. An easy, restaurant-style dinner ready in under 30 minutes!

Looking for what to make with steak quesadillas? Try a delicious Guacamole, Cilantro Lime Rice, or Mexican Rice. If you’d like to make these quesadillas with a different protein, try these Chicken Quesadillas. 

Why This Recipe Works

Delicious steak — I love, love, love steak in any form but in this steak quesadilla recipe, it’s simply to die for. The chipotle marinade tenderizes the steak and gives it a delicious flavor while the veggies and cheese add a delightful taste and texture all on their own. 

So easy — Whether you want to make this beef steak quesadilla recipe from scratch or use any leftover steak you may have, this dinner idea takes no time at all. 

Chipotle marinade — Just a little heat from the chipotles in adobo sauce is all you need in the marinade for this easy steak quesadilla recipe. You can add the chipotles too if you like your quesadillas extra caliente. 

Great for dipping — Salsa, guacamole, sour cream, queso — you name it, these steak and cheese quesadillas will taste delicious when dipped in some of it, all of it — or nothing at all!

Ingredients

Steak —  It probably goes without saying but you can’t really have these steak quesadillas without steak! I use skirt or flank steak but you can use whatever steak you like. 

Adobo sauce — If you’re not sure where to find adobo sauce, you can find it in the ethnic/Mexican food aisle next to the salsa and cans of chiles. You’ll only be using the sauce for this marinade, so you can keep what you don’t use in a container in the fridge until the next use comes around, like my Baked Chipotle Chicken.

Fresh Lime Juice — I always say freshly squeezed citrus juice is best, but if you only have bottled that works too. 

Spices — I use cumin, chili powder, salt, and garlic powder to make the steak quesadilla seasoning — all spices you most likely already have in your spice drawer. 

Red onion and bell peppers — Add these if you like. I’ve also used white onions, zucchini, squash, and poblanos as my quesadilla veggie options.

Mozzarella — Look for fresh mozzarella because it melts and tastes way better than the drier already shredded version. You can shred or finely cube the fresh mozzarella with the rest of the steak quesadilla ingredients.

Monterey jack or cheddar cheese — I also like to freshly grate these cheeses as well as I’ve found they melt so much better. If you have both, great. If not, use whatever cheese you have on hand.

Tortillas — I use flour but you could also use corn tortillas if you prefer.

How to Make Steak Quesadillas

1. First, make the marinade for the steak by combining the adobo sauce, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, salt, and garlic powder together with the steak in a bowl with a lid or a Ziplock bag and set it aside to marinate for at least an hour or up to overnight. 
2. In a skillet large enough to fit a large-size tortilla, add oil. Heat to medium-high and add the onions, peppers, or whatever veggies you are adding to these restaurant-style steak quesadillas. Remove when cooked through and slightly charred. 

3. To the same skillet, turn the heat up and add the steak, leaving excess marinade in the bowl. Cook the steak for a minute or two, until it’s cooked and starts to color. Remove the steak and drain any excess moisture on a plate lined with paper towels. 

4. Time to assemble the quesadillas. Divide the vegetable mixture into one half of each tortilla, then sprinkle over half the cheese, being sure to take it right to the edges. Top with the steak, then the remaining cheese. Season with a little salt, then fold over the other half of the tortilla to seal. 

5. Wipe out the skillet with a piece of paper towel and return it to a medium heat. Add the quesadillas, one at a time, cooking till golden on each side and the cheese inside is melted, flipping halfway through with a plastic spatula.

6. Keep the quesadillas warm while you cook the batch, by putting them on a plate covered in foil. Cut them in half just before serving with sides like sour cream, salsa, and guacamole.

Best Steak for Quesadillas

While I usually use skirt or flank steak for these quesadillas, you can use whatever steak you enjoy. The more tender, the better, however. 

What’s the difference between flank steak vs skirt steak? Skirt steak is a thin cut that comes from underneath the cow. It has a lot of fat and loose grain. This cut works well because it’s very flavorful and cooks relatively fast. Plus, when sliced thin against the grain, those fibers loosen and aren’t as chewy as you might expect. 

A flank steak is also beefy in flavor and also cut from the underside of the cow, near where the skirt steak is cut. It’s less juicy but still very flavorful and has a moderate texture. 

Either work in these steak quesadillas because they are juicy, tender, and thin enough to cook up quickly with a high-heat sear, making two good choices for thin-sliced steak for quesadillas.

FAQs

Expert Tips + Tricks

• Should you have any leftover quesadillas, they will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. However, they will be soggy. I recommend heating them up in a pan again rather than in the microwave, which will only contribute to making these even more soft. 
• To take up the spice level, you can add a couple of the chipotles themselves to the marinade or top with hot sauce before eating.

More Recipes to Try

• Sirloin Steak – steak that tastes like it came straight from a steakhouse.
• Grilled Brazilian Steak & Chicken Kabobs – the ultimate kabob combo for your next backyard cookout.
• Cilantro Lime Marinated Steak with Corn Salsa – get ready for this main course to steal the show!