Steak Quesadillas

No ratings yet
Pin RecipeJump to RecipeComments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

These easy steak quesadillas have juicy strips of rib-eye steak, seasoned veggies, and plenty of melted cheese fried between two crispy, golden tortillas. These are great for family dinners and game days!

Hot out of the skillet after my breakfast quesadillas, these steak quesadillas have been on repeat lately. They’re so easy to make and super easy to customize, especially if there’s leftover steak in the fridge. Try these beef enchiladas for another fun Mexican-inspired meal!

Steak quesadillas arranged around bowls of salsa and sour cream on a large serving plate.


 

It might come with the territory of “food blogger”, but I’ve made a hobby out of recreating my favorite restaurant dishes. Whether it’s Chinese takeout in the form of kung pao beef or spicy beef birria like I always order at our Mexican local, I’m obsessed. These cheesy steak quesadillas are my latest Mexican menu item made at home, and boy, are they a winner!

Reasons to Love This Steak Quesadillas Recipe

  • Super easy to make. If you can cook a steak, you can make a steak quesadilla (and even if you can’t, I’ll show you how 😉). It’s SO easy, and I share my simple pan-searing method for cooking steak. I use it to cook everything from tomahawk steak to New York strip steak that comes out ultra-juicy, every time.
  • Big Tex-Mex flavors. I wanted to make a quesadilla that tastes totally restaurant-worthy without the restaurant price tag or fancy ingredients. This recipe delivers. The perfectly cooked steak shines, and every bite is packed with tender seasoned veggies and lots of melty cheese wrapped in crispy tortillas.
  • Make them your own. Use leftover steak, change up the seasonings, swap out the cheese, or even replace the protein. When it comes to homemade quesadillas, the sky’s the limit when it comes to fillings.
Ingredients for steak quesadillas with text labels overlaying each ingredient.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Remember those easy ingredients I mentioned? Well, here they are, along with some ingredient notes and swaps to get you started. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for the printable recipe with the full list, amounts, and details.

  • Steak – I pan-sear ribeye steaks with oil and butter for these quesadillas. Other good options for searing are flank steak or skirt steak (just about any cut you’d use for fajitas). 
  • Olive Oil – Or another cooking oil, like avocado oil or canola.
  • Bell Peppers – Any color. I use yellow peppers, but red, green, or a combination of colored peppers will work here.
  • Shallots – You can also use another mild white or yellow onion.
  • Seasonings – On top of salt and pepper, you’ll need a handful of Mexican spices including chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper. You could also replace the individual spices with fajita seasoning (or even taco seasoning in a pinch).
  • Tortillas – These can be flour or corn tortillas, whichever you prefer.
  • Cheese – I use cheddar cheese slices and shredded Pepper Jack cheese, but you can use any sliced or shredded Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, mozzarella, or any combination of cheese you’d like.

How to Make Steak Quesadillas

Before making the filling and assembling the quesadillas, you’ll need to cook the steak to your liking using the method of your choice. It’s easy! Follow the steps here:

First, Cook the Steak

I follow my ribeye steak recipe. Quesadillas are also great to make with leftover grilled steak or any cooked steak, in which case you can skip the searing step and go straight to slicing.

  • Prep the steak. First, pat the steaks dry with paper towels and let them rest at room temperature.
  • Cook. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet until it’s just smoking. Season the steaks with salt and pepper, and add them to the hot pan. Cook for 2 minutes, flip, and cook the steaks for another minute so that they’re seared on both sides.
  • Baste. Push the steaks to the side and add butter. Once that melts, spoon the butter generously over the steak as it finishes cooking. This takes about 2 minutes for medium-rare (see my quick guide in the recipe card below).
  • Rest. Move the steak from the skillet and onto a plate to rest. Leave it to sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Next, Prepare the Quesadillas

With your steak prepped, all that’s left to do is put together the filling and fry up some delicious steak quesadillas:

  • Prepare the veggies. Slice up your bell pepper and shallots and get them sizzling in a large skillet with a little olive oil. Resist the urge to move the veggies around while they cook for 7-8 minutes, enough to brown. 
  • Finish the filling. Now, add the seasonings and the steak to the pan, and stir everything together while the steak heats through.
  • Assemble the quesadillas. When you’re ready to make your steak quesadillas, wipe out the skillet (or use a fresh skillet) and add more oil over medium-high heat. Once heated, add the first tortilla to the pan. Layer over a slice of cheddar cheese, and top with shredded Pepper Jack. Add the steak and veggies, and cover that with a second tortilla.
  • Cook. Toast the quesadilla for 3-5 minutes per side, pressing the top gently with a spatula. Once browned, move the finished quesadilla to a plate and repeat with the remaining ingredients.
  • Serve. Before serving, slice the cooked quesadillas into quarters. Afterward, bask in the melty strings of cheese while you dunk them in sour cream and salsa! See below for more serving ideas.

How to Flip a Quesadilla

Flipping quesadillas can be tricky. I like to place a plate over the quesadilla and flip the whole skillet. Afterward, it’s easy to slide the quesadilla back into the skillet, mess-free!

Overhead view of steak quesadillas on a sheet of parchment paper next to a bowl of salsa and lime wedges.

Tips and Variations

  • Rest the steak (a lot). I feel like the #1 thing to remember when cooking steaks is that they love to rest before AND after cooking. Let the raw steak come to room temperature beforehand so it cooks evenly. Then, rest it for 5-10 minutes afterward for tender slices.
  • Season the steak just before cooking. Salting the steak too soon draws out the moisture. Wait to season until just before you add the steak to the skillet.
  • Keep the quesadillas warm. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Place the first quesadilla inside, and switch off the oven. This way, it’ll stay warm while you cook the second (or third, or fourth…) one.
  • For a milder quesadilla, give the cayenne pepper a pass. You can also swap Pepper Jack cheese for mozzarella instead.
  • Use up leftovers. I mentioned it quickly before, but these come out perfectly with leftover steak. Whenever we make steak fajitas, quesadillas are almost guaranteed for dinner the next day! They’re also great to make with leftover chicken fajitas or mushroom fajitas.
A tower of steak quesadillas stacked on a tray.

Serving Suggestions

Steak quesadillas are a great way to change things up on Mexican night. They’re a fun starter if I’m serving tacos, and they’re great as a main paired with sides like fiesta rice or Mexican elote. I love to serve them dipped in homemade salsa, sour cream, or guacamole. Cozy up with a steamy, boozy Mexican coffee for dessert.

Storing and Reheating Quesadillas

  • Refrigerate. We rarely have leftovers! If you find yourself with a quesadilla (or two) to spare, store them airtight in the fridge for 2-3 days.
  • Reheat. The best way to reheat a quesadilla is in a skillet on the stovetop over low heat until it’s warmed through. You can also use the microwave, or reheat individual wedges in the air fryer. 
  • Freeze. These steak quesadillas freeze well. Let them cool completely and pre-freeze the quesadillas on a lined baking sheet. Afterward, store them in a freezer-safe container and freeze them for up to 3 months. You can reheat them in the oven or air fryer straight from frozen, or thaw them overnight in the fridge.
A hand dipping a steak quesadilla into a small bowl of salsa.

Pin this now to find it later

Pin It
No ratings yet

Steak Quesadillas

These steak quesadillas have juicy strips of steak, seasoned veggies, and lots of melted cheese fried between crispy, golden tortillas.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 2 servings

Ingredients 

For the steak:

  • 8 to 10 ounces rib eye steak
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 3 tablespoons butter

For the quesadillas:

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 yellow bell pepper
  • 2 large shallots
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 4 flour tortillas, or corn tortillas
  • 2 slices cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup shredded pepper jack cheese
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email below and we’ll send the recipe straight to your inbox!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Instructions 

Cook the steak:

  • Prep. Let the steak come to room temperature before cooking. Pat dry the steak with paper towels.
  • Season and sear the steak. Heat oil in a large skillet (or a cast iron skillet) over high heat. You should see smoke. Just before cooking, season the steak with salt and pepper to taste. Sear the steak for 2 minutes, then flip and sear for another 2 minutes. Push the steak aside and add butter.
  • Baste the steak. Once the butter is melted, spoon it over the steak and cook for 2 minutes or until it reaches 125ºF for medium rare. For medium it should go to 135ºF, and for well-done 145ºF.
  • Let it rest. Remove the steak from the skillet and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Make the filling:

  • Slice the veggies. Cut the bell pepper in half and remove the seeds. Continue to cut it into strips. Set aside. Peel and slice the shallots.
  • Sauté. Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and shallots and cook them, without moving them around, for 6-8 minutes or until they just catch some color.
  • Add seasoning. Season the veggies with salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper.
  • Combine and cook. Add the steak to the vegetables and cook until the steak is heated through. Transfer to a plate.

Prepare the tortillas and assemble:

  • Cook the tortillas. Heat ½ teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tortilla and swirl it around the skillet so it is coated nicely.
  • Add cheese. Add one slice of cheddar cheese and ¼ cup of pepper jack cheese over the tortilla.
  • Add the filling. Add the prepared steak and veggies over the cheese.
  • Cook. Close the filling with the second tortilla and cook, slightly pressing with a spatula, for 3-5 minutes or until the tortilla is nicely browned. Carefully flip the tortilla and cook on the other side for the same amount of time. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients.
  • Slice and serve. Slice the steak quesadillas into quarters. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Room temp steak. Always bring your steak to room temperature before cooking. This will ensure your steak is cooked perfectly.
  • Seasoning. Season the steak just before cooking. Leaving salt for a prolonged time on the steak will just extract the moisture from the steak, leaving it dry after cooking.
  • Keep them warm. To keep the quesadillas warm during the cooking process, you can preheat your oven to 350ºF. Add in the cooked quesadilla and turn the oven off. This will keep it warm while you are making the second one.
  • How to flip them. Flipping quesadillas is a bit challenging. I usually place a large plate over the quesadilla, then flip the entire skillet. Afterward, I just slide the quesadilla into the skillet.
  • Make it less spicy. If you want a milder quesadilla, skip the cayenne pepper and also use mozzarella cheese instead of pepper jack.
  • Onion options. Shallots can be substituted with onions if you want to.

Nutrition

Calories: 711kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 60g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 160mg | Sodium: 517mg | Potassium: 580mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1378IU | Vitamin C: 111mg | Calcium: 362mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

Did you make a recipe? Leave a rating

Promo image for Diethood 2025 calendar.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating: