Steak Quesadillas
These steak quesadillas are everything you want in a quick weeknight meal — a savory, well-seasoned seared steak sliced thin and tucked inside a crispy, golden flour tortilla with melted Mexican cheese and caramelized peppers and onions. The whole thing comes together in about 35 minutes using just one skillet, and the result tastes like something you'd order at a restaurant. With the right technique (a proper sear, resting the steak before slicing, and not overstuffing the tortilla), these come out perfectly crispy on the outside and gooey and satisfying on the inside every single time.
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet (10–12 inch) - Highly recommended for best sear on steak
- Large nonstick skillet or griddle pan - Alternative to cast iron for crisping quesadillas
- Instant-read meat thermometer - For checking steak doneness
- Sharp chef's knife - For slicing steak thin against the grain
- Cutting board - Preferably large
- Tongs - For flipping steak and handling quesadillas
- Flexible spatula - Wide pancake turner style, for flipping assembled quesadillas
- Mixing bowl or plate - For seasoning the steak
- Aluminum foil - For tenting the steak while it rests
- Pizza Cutter - Optional, for clean slicing of finished quesadillas
Ingredients
For the Steak
- 1 lb flank steak or skirt steak - 450g, sliced thin against the grain after resting
- 1 tsp olive oil - 5ml, for cooking the steak
Steak Seasoning
- 1 tsp chili powder - 3g
- ½ tsp garlic powder - 1.5g
- ½ tsp onion powder - 1.5g
- ½ tsp ground cumin - 1.5g
- ½ tsp salt - 3g, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper - 0.5g
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika - 0.5g
For the Peppers and Onions
- 1 medium green bell pepper - thinly sliced
- 1 medium red bell pepper - thinly sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion - thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp olive oil - 15ml, for sautéing vegetables
For the Quesadillas
- 4 large flour tortillas - 10-inch / 25cm burrito-size
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend - 225g, Monterey Jack, cheddar, asadero, and queso quesadilla
- 2 tbsp butter or neutral oil - 30ml, for crisping the tortillas
For Serving
- fresh cilantro - roughly chopped, optional garnish
- lime wedges - for serving
- sour cream - for serving
- guacamole - for serving
- salsa - for serving
Instructions
- Pat the steak dry with paper towels, then mix together the chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Rub the seasoning evenly all over both sides of the steak and let it rest at room temperature for at least 10 minutes.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, then add the sliced green and red bell peppers and yellow onion. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly caramelized, then transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking, then lay the steak flat and sear undisturbed for 3–4 minutes per side until a crust forms. Cook to 130–135°F (54–57°C) for medium-rare or 140–145°F (60–63°C) for medium using an instant-read thermometer.
- Remove the steak from the skillet, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Then slice very thin (about ¼ inch / 6mm) against the grain and season with a little extra salt if needed.
- Lay a flour tortilla flat and sprinkle ¼ cup (28g) shredded cheese over one half, then top with 3–4 oz (85–113g) sliced steak, a spoonful of peppers and onions, and another ¼ cup (28g) of cheese. Fold the empty half over to form a half-moon and press gently to seal. Repeat with the remaining 3 tortillas.
- Melt ½ tablespoon butter in the cleaned skillet over medium heat, add one quesadilla, and cook for 2–3 minutes per side undisturbed until deeply golden and crispy. Transfer to a cutting board, rest for 1 minute, then repeat with the remaining quesadillas adding fresh butter between each.
- Cut each quesadilla into 3 wedges using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, garnish with fresh cilantro if using, and squeeze lime over the top. Serve immediately with sour cream, guacamole, and salsa on the side.
Notes
- Always rest the steak for at least 5 minutes before slicing — this prevents the juices from running out and keeps the meat moist inside the quesadilla.
- Slice the steak thin (about ¼ inch / 6mm) and always cut against the grain for the most tender result. Look for the direction the muscle fibers run and slice perpendicular to them.
- Do not overfill the tortilla — an overstuffed quesadilla won't seal properly and will fall apart when flipped. About 3–4 oz of steak and a modest spoonful of peppers per quesadilla is the sweet spot.
- Adding cheese on both the bottom and top of the filling helps it act as a binder, keeping the filling in place and preventing it from sliding out when you slice.
- Butter gives the tortilla a richer, more golden crust than oil alone. A mix of butter and a small amount of neutral oil raises the smoke point while keeping the flavor.
- For best results, cook quesadillas one at a time and wipe the skillet between each one to avoid burnt butter affecting flavor or color.
- Best cuts for this recipe: flank steak, skirt steak, or ribeye (trimmed). Avoid tougher cuts like chuck or round steak as they require longer cooking and will be chewy.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes per side, or in an air fryer at 350°F (175°C) for 3–4 minutes. Avoid the microwave — it makes the tortilla rubbery.
- All components (steak, peppers, onions, shredded cheese) can be prepped up to 3 days ahead and stored separately in the fridge. Assembly and cooking takes under 10 minutes from there.
- For a spicy kick, add chipotle peppers in adobo to the seasoning rub, or use pepper jack cheese instead of the standard Mexican blend.
Nutrition
Serving: 1QuesadillaCalories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 34gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 780mgPotassium: 420mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 25IUVitamin C: 55mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 20mg
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