Name: Ground beef quesadillas with Spanish rice
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 200 g long-grain white rice (1 cup, rinsed until the water runs mostly clear); 0.5 medium yellow onion (about 75 g, finely diced); 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped); 30 g tomato paste (2 tbsp); 480 ml chicken stock (2 cups, low-sodium); 1 tsp kosher salt; 0.5 tsp ground cumin; 0.25 tsp chili powder; 1 tbsp olive oil; 450 g ground beef (1 lb; 80/20 or 85/15); 0.5 medium yellow onion (about 75 g, finely diced); 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped); 1 tsp chili powder; 1 tsp ground cumin; 0.5 tsp smoked paprika; 0.5 tsp dried oregano; 0.75 tsp kosher salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper (freshly ground); 60 ml water or low-sodium beef stock (1/4 cup); 425 g canned black beans (one 15 oz can, drained and rinsed); 8 flour tortillas (20 cm / 8 in); 300 g shredded melting cheese (3 cups; cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a mix); 30 g unsalted butter (2 tbsp, divided, for the pan); 2 tbsp cilantro (chopped, optional); 1 lime (cut into wedges); salsa, sour cream, or guacamole (for serving, optional)

Ground beef quesadillas with Spanish rice

Prep 20 min Cook 40 min Total 1 hr Servings 4

About this recipe

Crispy quesadillas stuffed with seasoned ground beef, black beans, and tomato Spanish rice under melted cheese — a loaded Mexican-American plate in one pan.

Method

01

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the rinsed rice and cook, stirring often, until the grains turn opaque and smell nutty, 3 to 4 minutes. Do not let them scorch.
02

Add the onion and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook until the paste darkens a shade and smells sweet, about 1 minute.
03

Pour in the chicken stock, salt, cumin, and chili powder. Bring to a boil, then cover, drop to low, and cook undisturbed until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Pull off the heat and let stand covered 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. You will fold about half of this rice into the beef filling; keep the rest warm for the plate if you want an extra scoop beside the quesadillas.
04

While the rice cooks, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and break it up. Cook until no pink remains and browned bits form on the bottom of the pan, 6 to 8 minutes. Spoon off excess fat if more than a thin sheen remains.
05

Add the onion and cook until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the water or stock and scrape up the browned bits. Stir in the black beans and simmer until the liquid mostly cooks off and the mixture looks juicy, not wet, 2 to 3 minutes.
06

Stir about 300 g of the warm Spanish rice into the beef and beans until evenly mixed. The filling should be thick enough to mound on a spoon — if it looks loose, cook 1 to 2 minutes more to drive off steam. Taste and adjust salt. Keep warm.
07

Lay out 4 tortillas. Sprinkle a thin layer of cheese on each, then divide the beef-bean-rice filling evenly, keeping it away from the very edge. Top with more cheese and the remaining tortillas. Press gently so the cheese will glue the layers.
08

Melt about 1/2 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook one quesadilla at a time until the underside is deep golden with toasted spots, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip carefully, add a little more butter if the pan looks dry, and cook until the second side matches and the cheese is fully melted, 2 to 3 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining quesadillas.
09

Rest each quesadilla 1 minute on a board so the cheese sets slightly, then cut into wedges.
10

Serve the wedges with any leftover Spanish rice on the side. Sprinkle with cilantro if using, add lime wedges, and pass salsa, sour cream, or guacamole at the table.

Notes & swaps

Rinse the rice. Surface starch makes the pot gummy; clear water means fluffier grains that hold up inside the tortilla.

Keep the filling thick. Wet filling steams the tortilla and leaks at the edges. The mixture should mound, not pour.

Cheese on both sides of the filling. That glue seals the quesadilla and keeps the rice from spilling when you flip.

Medium heat only. Too hot and the tortilla burns before the center is hot; too low and it steams instead of crisping.

Make ahead: cook the rice and the beef-bean mixture up to 2 days ahead. Reheat the combined filling until steaming before you assemble. Toast quesadillas fresh.

Storage: leftover quesadillas keep 2 days refrigerated. Reheat in a dry skillet over medium heat until the tortilla crisps again. The microwave softens them.

Ground beef: use ground turkey or chicken in the same weight; add 1 tbsp oil if the pan looks dry.

Black beans: use pinto beans, drained and rinsed, in the same weight.

Flour tortillas: corn tortillas work for smaller quesadillas; warm them first so they do not crack, and use less filling.

Chicken stock (rice): use vegetable stock or water plus 1/2 tsp extra salt.

Vegetarian: skip the beef; saute 400 g (14 oz) mushrooms until their liquid cooks off, then season and add the beans and rice. Use vegetable stock in the rice.

No large skillet: bake assembled quesadillas on a sheet at 220C (425F) until deep golden, 8 to 10 minutes, flipping once.

Ground beef quesadillas with Spanish rice

Ingredients

Method

Notes & swaps

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