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Ready in minutes, these steak quesadillas are stuffed with tender steak, melty cheese, and sauteed veggies - perfect for quick weeknight meals everyone will love!
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Everyone in my house loves quesadillas - whether it's pulled pork, chicken and cheese, or even leftover turkey quesadillas - but nothing beats steak quesadillas!
What really makes this steak quesadilla recipe stand out is the combination of the seasoning and sauce. You get tender slices of perfectly seasoned steak paired with sauteed peppers and onions, all wrapped in a crispy, golden tortilla with melted cheese and garlic butter. It's simple, satisfying, and endlessly craveable!
You can cook the steak from fresh or use leftover steak - either way, it works beautifully. That makes these steak quesadillas a great option for using up extra steak from earlier in the week!
Made the steak quesadillas. These were the best I ever tasted!
Carol via email
Ingredients to Make Steak Quesadillas
| Ingredient | Notes & Substitutions |
|---|---|
| Tortillas | You can use flour or corn tortillas according to your preference. Keep in mind that corn tortillas fall apart more easily. |
| Steak | I prefer to use leftover sliced steak for my quesadillas, but you can cook it from scratch, too. Try my fajita steak (using 1 pound flank steak). You can also use other meats, like chicken, or make it with veggies. |
| Shredded Cheese | For making quesadillas, use a variety of shredded cheese that melts well. I'm using mozzarella, but cheeses such as Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, and Pepper Jack cheese are great choices for steak quesadillas. If you want the ultimate experience, try using Oaxaca or Chihuahua cheese! |
| Garlic Butter Sauce | My garlic butter uses garlic, butter, and parsley for an amazing sauce you will love brushed on these quesadillas. If you don't want to make garlic butter, I recommend using a little bit of melted butter and garlic powder mixed together instead. |
| Steak Seasoning | Use your favorite, but you can't go wrong with my steak rub recipe! It uses paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, sea salt, crushed red pepper, black pepper, and brown sugar. |
| Sauteed Peppers and Onions | A blend of caramelized peppers and onions makes this quesadilla recipe super flavorful. Use bell peppers of any color, plus yellow or white onions, olive oil, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. |
| (Optional) Quesadilla Sauce | This awesome quesadilla sauce uses mayonnaise, sour cream, pickled jalapeno juice, ground cumin, garlic powder, salt, and chili powder. It's optional, but I definitely recommend giving it a try! |
Looking for the instructions? Scroll to the recipe card below!
What pan should I use for quesadillas?
I recommend using a non-stick skillet, such as cast iron, to make quesadillas and avoid having them stick to the pan.
We're also greasing the tortillas with garlic butter, so you don't want the pan to get hot enough to burn the butter.
Cast iron distributes heat evenly, which is part of what makes them perfect for making quesadillas. But, I also love to use a griddle to make them! The flavor is outstanding.
Isabel's Top Tips for Making Steak Quesadillas
- Try using my steak dry rub recipe or this taco seasoning. Both are amazing!
- Garlic butter makes a perfect pairing for pan-frying quesadillas and the taste it adds is incredible, but if you're short on time or ingredients, you can also use olive oil.
- I personally love sauteed peppers and onions for this dish as I feel it makes it similar to a Philly Cheesesteak Quesadilla, but if you want, you can also simply use caramelized onions. These are so tasty, too!
- If you love this recipe, you'll also love my Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls!
Steak for Quesadillas
- Carne Asada recipe
- Reverse Sear Ribeye. Make sure to slice the steak thinly!
- Flank Steak
- Reverse Sear Steak
- Try my Steak Fajitas + Steak Fajita Marinade!
What to Serve with Quesadillas
See my guide on How to Warm Tortillas!
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover steak quesadillas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
You can also freeze cooked steak quesadillas for up to 2 months. Allow them to cool, then tightly wrap them in plastic wrap and store labeled with the date. If you want to freeze individual servings, you can slice the quesadilla and wrap each piece individually to store and easily pull out of the freezer to reheat as you like.
I recommend reheating on the stove over gentle heat to crisp up the exterior again. You can also reheat in the air fryer at a low heat for a few minutes.
Of course, one of the best things about these steak quesadillas is how easy they are to customize. I'd love to hear how you make yours - let me know your favorite variations in the comments!
Steak Quesadillas Recipe
Video
Equipment
- 1 Skillet
Ingredients
Sauteed Peppers and Onions
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 peppers of your choice - sliced, we used green peppers
- 2 medium onions - sliced
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Steak Quesadillas
- Tortillas - flour tortillas work best for quesadillas
- 2 cups steak - sliced
- 2 cups shredded cheese
- garlic butter - brushed over tortillas - about 4 tablespoon total
- 1 Tablespoon parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon steak seasoning
Instructions
- Prepare sauteed peppers and onions by heating a skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add olive oil and allow the pan to heat. Once hot, cook peppers and onions in garlic powder for 5 minutes, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Finish by sauteing until golden brown.
- Mix garlic butter sauce ingredients together: melted butter, chopped parsley (optional), and minced garlic. Spread garlic butter on one side of a tortilla and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Place this side down in a pan over medium-heat. Top with sliced cooked steak, shredded cheese, sauteed peppers and onions, and steak seasoning (use your favorite, or my steak seasoning recipe).
- Cover with a second tortilla. Spread garlic butter and parmesan over this tortilla as well, then carefully flip the quesadilla in the pan.
- Cook 5-8 minutes, until the cheese melts and the tortilla is golden-brown. Serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Nutrition does not include garlic butter sauce.
- If making steak for quesadillas at the same time as the quesadillas, I recommend using my Carne Asada recipe for best taste, or, if you don't have time to marinade the steak, my Reverse Sear Ribeye. Make sure to slice the steak thinly!
- Try using my steak dry rub recipe, or use a bottled steak seasoning such as Santa Maria or Chicago steak seasoning for best results.
- Garlic butter makes a perfect pairing for pan-frying quesadillas and the taste it adds is incredible, but if you're short on time or ingredients, you can also use olive oil.
- I personally love sauteed peppers and onions for this dish as I feel it makes it similar to a Philly Cheesesteak Quesadilla, but if you want, you can also simply use caramelized onions. These are so tasty, too!
Sho says
This doesn't mention garlic powder
Isabel Laessig says
Hi Sho! The garlic powder is mentioned in the step where you cook the onions and peppers. Thank you and enjoy!