30-Minute Beef and Corn Quesadilla
Quick, cheesy quesadilla dinner ready in 30 minutes
Prep 10 min
Cook 15 min
Total 25 min
Serves 6
When time is tight but you want a meal the whole family will love, this beef and corn quesadilla is your go-to. Loaded with seasoned ground beef, sweet corn, and melted cheese, it’s ready in just half an hour.
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Ingredients
- 6 flour tortillas (8-inch size)
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or your favorite melting cheese)
- 3/4 cup fresh cilantro (coriander) (roughly chopped)
- 1 cup corn kernels (frozen thawed or canned drained)
- 500 g ground beef (about 1 lb)
- 1 small red bell pepper (diced)
- 1/2 small onion (finely chopped)
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/4 cup water (65 ml)
- 3 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- to taste salt
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic; cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the diced red bell pepper, tomato paste, water, cumin, onion powder, oregano, paprika, black pepper, and salt. Cook for another 2 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat.
- Warm another 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat.
- Lay one tortilla flat and sprinkle a thin layer of cheese on half of it. Spread a few spoonfuls of the beef mixture on top, then sprinkle with corn kernels and chopped cilantro. Add another layer of cheese, then fold the tortilla over to cover the filling.
- Place the quesadilla in the skillet and press down gently. Cover with a lid and cook for about 3 minutes until the bottom is golden and crispy.
- Carefully flip the quesadilla over, press lightly again, and cook uncovered for another 3 minutes until the other side is crispy and the cheese is melted.
- Transfer to a cutting board, let it cool for a minute, then cut into wedges. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. Serve warm.
Pro tip: Press the quesadilla gently with a spatula while cooking to help it crisp evenly and melt the cheese perfectly.
Nutrition
This recipe works out to about 350 calories per serving. For the full breakdown, protein, carbs, and fat included, save it in the Forkful app: nutrition is calculated automatically from the ingredient list.
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