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Picadillo-Style Beef Quesadillas

Dinner 🍽️Lunch 🥪Snack 🍿 Tex-Mex 🇺🇸🇲🇽Mexican Halal 🕌Comfort-Food

Picadillo-Style Beef Quesadillas layer seasoned ground beef with warm spices, tangy olive brine, and a hint of sweetness from raisins, all melted together with cheese in crisped flour tortillas. Briny green olives and tender potato give each bite balance and depth, making this a satisfying option for weeknight dinners or a casual weekend lunch.

  • Prep10 mins
  • Cook45 mins
  • Serves12
  • DifficultyMedium
Picadillo-Style Beef Quesadillas
  1. 1

    Put the diced potato in a large pot, cover with salted water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.

  2. 2

    Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cooked potato and brown on all sides for about 3 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

  3. 3

    Add the ground beef to the skillet; cook and stir until browned, crumbly, and no longer pink in the center, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the bell pepper, onion, and garlic; cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain as much fat from the pan as you can.

  4. 4

    Stir in the tomato sauce, water, olive brine, oregano, salt, and pepper until well combined. Add the olives, raisins, and reserved potatoes; stir well. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the picadillo for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  5. 5

    Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and coat it with cooking spray. Place a tortilla in the hot skillet and cook until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

  6. 6

    Spread about 1/4 cup hot picadillo over one half of the hot tortilla. Top with Mexican cheese, then fold the tortilla in half and press down with a spatula. Cook until the cheese melts, about 1 more minute. Repeat to cook the remaining quesadillas.

  7. 7

    Cut each quesadilla into 3 triangles to serve.