Description
Sheet pan quesadillas deliver a crowd-pleasing Mexican-inspired feast perfect for family gatherings. Crispy tortillas stuffed with melted cheese, seasoned meat, and colorful vegetables provide a quick, delicious meal you can customize and enjoy without extensive kitchen prep.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2.25 ounces sliced black olives, drained and rinsed
Vegetables and Seasonings:
- 1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1.5 teaspoons chili powder
- 1.5 teaspoons cumin
- 1.5 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 green onions, sliced thin
- 0.5 cup salsa
Dairy and Tortillas:
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 large flour tortillas (burrito size)
- 3 cups Colby and Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- Sour cream to top quesadillas (optional)
Instructions
- Warm the oven to a sizzling 425°F, preparing for a delicious Mexican-inspired feast.
- Grab two expansive sheet pans, lightly misting one with nonstick spray to prevent any unwanted sticking.
- In a large skillet, sauté bell peppers and yellow onion in olive oil, stirring frequently until vegetables become tender and slightly caramelized.
- Introduce ground beef and minced garlic to the vegetable medley, cooking until the meat browns completely and develops rich flavor.
- Carefully drain excess fat from the meat mixture to ensure a crisp, not greasy, final dish.
- Return the skillet to the heat and incorporate chili powder, cumin, paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, black beans, black olives, and salsa, blending the spices and ingredients thoroughly.
- Arrange flour tortillas around the edges of the sprayed sheet pan, allowing them to overlap and hang slightly over the pan’s rim, creating a rustic circular foundation.
- Position an additional tortilla in the center to complete the base layer.
- Distribute the seasoned meat mixture evenly across the tortilla landscape.
- Generously sprinkle cheese over the meat, then garnish with sliced green onions for a fresh, vibrant touch.
- Crown the creation with a final tortilla to seal the quesadilla.
- Carefully fold the hanging tortilla edges towards the center, creating a neat, compact package.
- Place the second sheet pan on top to secure the edges and prevent unraveling during baking.
- Bake for 20 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the edges to crisp.
- Remove the top pan and continue baking for an additional 5 minutes to achieve golden-brown perfection.
- Let the quesadilla rest briefly before slicing, allowing the filling to set.
- Serve with a dollop of cool sour cream for a creamy contrast to the spicy filling.
Notes
- Maximize flavor by sautéing bell peppers and onions before adding ground beef to develop rich, deep taste profiles.
- Layer tortillas strategically around sheet pan edges to create a sealed, enclosed quesadilla that prevents filling from spilling out during baking.
- Customize heat levels by adjusting spice quantities like chili powder and cumin, letting each cook personalize the quesadilla’s intensity.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg