Cheesy ground beef quesadillas are a great way to use leftover Cuban Picadillo. In fact, you can turn almost any leftovers into a quesadilla.
And these ground beef quesadillas are easy to make, needing just three ingredients: tortillas, cheese, and picadillo. I like to make a quick pico de gallo or guacamole to top the quesadillas, but a little sour cream will work just fine too.
Leftovers Make Great Quesadillas
I love to raid the fridge and throw an impromptu quesadilla party with any leftovers I find. We’ll take out some sour cream, cheese, tortillas, last night’s restaurant leftovers, or any bits and pieces from previous dinners. My son will usually keep the quesadilla production going, handing out little triangles of cheesy goodness as he goes along.
Actually, I can’t think of a time that I intentionally made a filling for quesadillas. Leftovers are so easy to use that I usually wait until I have something in hand to throw together into a quesadilla. I used leftover Cuban Picadillo for these cheesy ground beef quesadillas, but you can use any protein, veggie, or bean you have on hand. It’s delicious with leftover grilled meat and veggies, chicken fricassee, or ropa vieja (shredded beef).
Now about the cheese… I like to use Colby Jack cheese, but cheddar or mozzarella works well too. You can also use a mix of cheeses. It all depends on what you have on hand. Because the beauty of quesadillas is convenience and invention.
How To Make Ground Beef Quesadillas
The key to making a good quesadilla is to make sure to layer the cheese. If you use cheese on only one side, the tortillas won’t stick together. Also, using a little butter instead of oil gives it a next-level taste.
I usually assemble the quesadilla with one layer of cheese, a protein, a veggie (onions and red bell peppers are great), and then top with a second layer of cheese. If I’m feeling fancy, I may add a few spices or sauce between the layers. Then, I add a little butter to a heated sauté pan and add the quesadilla and cook slowly to make sure the cheese melts and the crust doesn’t burn.
You can also make these quesadillas in a panini press, making sure to butter the tortilla before putting it on the press. It’s really so easy to make and share.
So, the next time you find your fridge filled with a lot of little leftovers containers, throw a quesadilla party.
Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas Are Easy To Make With Leftover Picadillo
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 24
- Total Time: 34 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
I love making these cheesy beef quesadillas with leftover Cuban picadillo and Colby Jack cheese. They are quick and easy to make and disappear quickly!
Ingredients
8 Flour Tortillas (6 inch diameter)
1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
1 cup leftover Cuban picadillo meat
2 pats of butter
Serve with salsa and sour cream
Instructions
Preheat a saute pan over medium heat. While it heats up, prepare the quesadillas.
On top of one tortilla layer 2 tablespoon cup of cheese, ¼ cup of picadillo meat and top with another 2 tablespoons of cheese. Top with another tortilla.
Add about a ¼ pat of butter to the pan and place on quesadilla. Lower the heat to low and cook minutes on each side. Repeat for the other quesadillas.
Serve with salsa and sour cream.
Notes
I like my quesadillas on the cheesy side. But if you want to cut down on calories, you can use 1 cup of cheese instead of two. this way, you’re only adding 1/4 cup of cheese per quesadilla. One serving makes a great lunch, but half a quesadilla makes for a great snack.
Keywords: cheesy ground beef quesadillas, ground beef quesadilla recipe, cuban quesadilla recipe, ground beef quesadilla
