Description
Loaded Sheet Pan Quesadillas are an easy, crowd-pleasing meal perfect for family dinners or parties. Ground beef, black beans, veggies, and cheese are combined and baked on a sheet pan for a crispy, cheesy quesadilla that’s simple to slice and serve. This recipe is ideal for feeding a group with minimal effort and maximum flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Quesadillas
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 yellow onion, cored and chopped
- 1 red pepper, cored and chopped
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (5-ounce) can mild green chiles
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup water
- Cooking spray
- 10 medium (10-inch) flour tortillas
- 16 ounces grated cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
For Serving
- Salsa
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350˚F and position a rack in the center for even baking.
- Prepare the filling: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned, about 4-5 minutes. Add the chopped onion, red pepper, black beans, and green chiles. Cook for another 5-6 minutes until veggies soften but don’t brown.
- Season the filling: Stir in taco seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper, and 1/4 cup water. Cook until the water evaporates and the seasoning evenly coats the mixture, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Assemble the quesadilla: Spray a 9 x 13-inch sheet pan with cooking spray. Lay 2 tortillas slightly overlapping in the center and then arrange 6 more tortillas overlapping around the edge, draping over the pan edges. Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese over the tortillas, then spread the beef mixture evenly to the edges, and sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
- Top and fold: Place 2 more tortillas in the center and fold the edges of the overhanging tortillas over the filling to cover. If there are gaps, patch with extra tortilla pieces. Lightly spray the top with cooking spray.
- Prepare for baking: Cover with foil and place a second, slightly smaller sheet pan or baking dish on top to weigh it down.
- Bake the quesadilla: Bake in the preheated 350˚F oven for 20 minutes. Remove the top pan and foil, increase the temperature to 400˚F, and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until the tortillas are very crispy and golden.
- Rest and slice: Allow the quesadilla to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing to let it set. Use a sharp knife and a bench scraper or pizza cutter to slice into approximately 15 rectangular pieces about 3 x 5 inches each.
- Serve: Serve warm with salsa, sour cream, and guacamole. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 4-5 days and reheat in a 350˚F oven for 8-10 minutes to retain crispiness.
Notes
- Leftover quesadillas reheat best in the oven to keep them crispy.
- If you prefer, substitute ground turkey or chicken for a leaner protein.
- To patch holes in the top tortilla layer, use torn pieces of an additional tortilla to avoid gaps.
- If desired, customize toppings with jalapeños, chopped cilantro, or hot sauce.
- Ensure the filling is well cooked and seasoned before assembly for best flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 large quesadilla piece (approximately 1/15th of recipe)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 540mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
