Steak Fajita Quesadillas Recipe

There's no way around it: The cost of steak can really add up, especially if you're feeding your whole family. But if you've got a craving for steak on a limited budget — or maybe you only have a little bit of steak on hand and don't feel like running to the store for more — there's a way to cut corners when it comes to feeding a crowd. According to recipe developer Kate Shungu, these steak quesadillas are quick, delicious, and keep your meat use down while feeding a crowd. "These are a great way to stretch a piece of steak to serve more people. In this case, I took a 1-pound ribeye (which would serve 1-2 people) and made it into quesadillas, which serve 4," she explains. 

It also doesn't hurt that this whole recipe is ready in roughly half an hour. When served with a few easy sides, it's perfect for a weeknight dinner. "I add a simple green salad and some tortilla chips for scooping up any extra pico de gallo," Shungu shares.

Most of the ingredients for these steak fajita quesadillas are likely already in your kitchen. For seasonings and oils, you'll need chile powder, ground cumin, paprika, salt, and olive oil. You'll also need a pound of steak — Shungu suggests ribeye or New York strip as good options. For additional quesadilla fillings, you'll need a bell pepper, a yellow onion, and Colby Jack cheese. Of course, you'll need tortillas to make the quesadillas, as well as pico de gallo and lime slices for serving. One item that might come as a surprise is mayonnaise, a secret ingredient that Shungu explains "makes a perfectly golden and crispy exterior on the tortillas when the quesadillas are heated on the griddle." 

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Place chile powder, cumin, paprika, and ¾ teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Whisk to combine.

Sprinkle spice mixture evenly over the steak.

Place steak on the grill and cook on one side for 4 minutes.

Flip and cook until desired doneness is reached (about another 2 minutes for medium).

Let steak rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.

Add olive oil to a skillet over medium heat.

And peppers and onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until very tender, about 6–8 minutes. Set aside.

Place another skillet or griddle over medium heat.

Meanwhile, spread one side of each tortilla lightly with mayonnaise.

Place 4 tortillas, mayo side-down, in the skillet or on the griddle. (You may need to do this in batches.)

Top each tortilla with 2 tablespoons cheese, then ¼ cup sliced steak, then ¼ cup sauteed peppers and onions.

Top each tortilla with another 3 tablespoons cheese.

Top with the remaining tortillas, mayonnaise side-up.

Let quesadillas cook until the bottom tortilla is golden brown, then carefully flip. Continue cooking until the underside is golden brown and the cheese has melted.

Cut quesadillas into quarters and serve with pico de gallo and lime wedges for squeezing on top.

If you've pulled out all your ingredients and grilled up your steak only to realize you don't have a griddle to cook these steak fajita quesadillas on, don't worry: Shungu assures us that a griddle isn't required. "Just cook the quesadillas in a large skillet, working in batches if necessary," she says. Of course, the larger the skillet the better when it comes to saving time, but even a small skillet will do the job. Just keep in mind that whatever skillet size you use, the number of batches you have to cook will affect the total cooking time. Assume you'll need at least a few minutes per batch to build the quesadillas and allow them to cook sufficiently. 

As you cook each batch, consider placing the finished quesadillas in a warm oven (set to the lowest temperature) to keep them warm while you finish cooking the remaining quesadillas. This way, you can cut and serve them all at the same time — still nice and hot. 

The spices called for in this recipe for steak fajita quesadillas — chile powder, cumin, and paprika — are fairly common and readily available at most grocery stores and online marketplaces (you can even find "starter" spice kits that include all the most common spices). That said, if you're running low on one or two, or you haven't stocked up your pantry yet, there are a few workarounds you can try (especially if you tend to have pre-packaged spice mixes on hand). "If you have fajita seasoning, you can use that in place of the chile powder, cumin, and paprika. In a pinch, you could also use taco seasoning," Shungu says. 

Of course, there's also room to make adjustments to spices or toppings based on your personal preferences. After trying the recipe as written a time or two, feel free add or omit ingredients as desired.