Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground beef (95% lean)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup prepared salsa (mild, medium, or hot based on your preference)
- 1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup frozen corn, defrosted and well drained
- 8 small flour tortillas (6 to 7-inch diameter)
- 3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and grab a baking sheet.
- Cook the beef: Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking it into 3/4-inch crumbles and stirring occasionally. Pour off any drippings, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Make the filling: Add the salsa, black beans, and corn to the cooked beef. Stir and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until the mixture thickens and is heated through.
- Assemble the quesadillas: Spray your baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange 4 tortillas on the baking sheet, overlapping slightly if needed. Sprinkle half of the cheese evenly over these tortillas. Spoon the beef mixture evenly on top of the cheese, then sprinkle the remaining cheese over the beef. Top with the remaining 4 tortillas. Give the top tortillas a light spray with cooking spray.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until the quesadillas are lightly browned and the edges are crisp.
- Serve: Remove from the oven, let cool for a minute, then cut into wedges and serve.
Notes
- Make sure to drain the beans and corn really well – excess moisture can make your quesadillas soggy
- Don’t skip spraying the top tortillas with cooking spray – this is what helps them get golden and crispy
- Let the beef mixture cool slightly before assembling to prevent the tortillas from getting soggy
- For extra crispy quesadillas, flip them halfway through baking time
- Watch them closely in the last few minutes – they can go from perfectly golden to too dark pretty quickly
- Let them rest for 1-2 minutes before cutting for cleaner slices
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 19 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Oven‑baked
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 quesadilla
- Calories: 465 kcal
- Sodium: 1,072 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 3.3 g
- Protein: 39 g
- Cholesterol: 97 mg