Ground Beef Quesadillas (with Black Beans)

Spicy Mexican ground beef quesadilla recipe with black beans, avocado, and cheese.

Who doesn’t love a good, hearty quesadilla? Learn how to make an easy ground beef quesadilla recipe with lots of beans, creamy avocado, and cheese.

Trying new Mexican recipes has become quite a “hobby” lately, I bought some books, searched the internet and I try one recipe or another every other week or so. Have a look at this soothing Mexican Chicken Soup, these amazing Tostadas, or the Tres Leches Cake. And not to mention the tacos. My son is a fan and keeps wishing me to make tacos.

Ingredients

Ground beef:

• I normally use lean ground beef, but I have made this black bean quesadillas recipe with ground turkey as well.

Spices:

• To spice the filling I used a mixture of dried oregano, sweet paprika powder, cayenne pepper, ground cumin, and ground coriander. (Amazon affiliate links)
• If available, I suppose you could use about one heaped tablespoon taco seasoning as well, I have seen many recipes using taco seasoning for this purpose. (Amazon affiliate link)

Tomato sauce:

• I use tomato paste and water for the ground beef quesadilla recipe most of the time. However, if I happen to have an open salsa jar or bottle in the fridge, I would definitely use that, about 4 tablespoons salsa of choice instead of tomato paste and water.

Tortillas:

• The tortillas available here are rather large, about 24-26 cm/ 9.4-10.2 inches diameter.
• If your tortillas are smaller you will need more than four for all the filling.

Cheese:

• I used Gouda cheese for my black bean quesadillas recipe, but Cheddar will do just as well.
• If available, you could definitely use a more authentic Mexican cheese for the ground beef quesadillas. However, Mexican cheese is not available in Germany.

Herbs:

• When it comes to the herbs, fresh coriander would be the best, most genuine option. But again, fresh coriander is tricky to get around here, so I often replace it with parsley.
• Chives are nice as well, I use them often enough for quesadillas or tacos, I love the extra onion flavor.

How to make ground beef quesadillas?

• Cook the meat, onions, and garlic making sure to break all the lumps while the meat is cooking. Add the spices, tomato paste, and water, stir well. Let cook shortly.
• Only add the chopped avocado and fresh herbs after removing the pan from the heat.

• Brush a non-stick pan with some olive oil. Place one tortilla in the hot pan. Sprinkle half of the tortilla with some of the cheese. Cover this half with a little of the beef mixture, add some more cheese on top and fold the other tortilla half over the filling.
• Turn the tortilla carefully using a spatula. Fry it on the other side as well. The quesadillas should be golden on both sides and the cheese should be melting by now.
• Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

How to serve?

• Definitely with some lime wedges and sour cream on the side. Greek yogurt would also be an option, it makes the meal livelier, more refreshing.
• I always have some tomatoes on the side or a nice tomato or corn salsa.
• You could make this corn tomato salsa and maybe leave out the avocado, as the quesadillas already contain some avocado.
• A cold beer on the side makes the ground beef quesadillas even better.

More Mexican food?

Spicy Mexican Chicken Soup – With avocado and chickpeas, there is nothing more comforting than a bowl of good chicken soup.

Mexican Bean Salad with Corn – A spicy bean salad or salsa with black beans, corn, chickpeas, and lots of herbs, a perfect side dish for any summer barbecue. 

Salsa Verde Chicken – A simple recipe for salsa verde chicken or Pollo en salsa verde, only 3 ingredients but so much flavor.

Tres Leches Cake – Mexican Desserts – Incredibly moist Mexican dessert recipe – tres leches or three milk Mexican cake.