This steak and cheese quesadilla recipe is made with tender, delicious chunks of steak, two types of cheese, and roasted hatch chiles, all stuffed into flour tortillas and cooked to gooey, melty perfection.
Quesadillas are great, aren’t they? They’re a basic Mexican classic that you can keep simple or dress up as much as you like. I’m a big fan because I can tailor every quesadilla recipe I make to any occasion. If I know I’ll be serving kids and adults, I’ll keep it simple with just cheese or cheese and kid-friendly meat like chicken. If I’m making quesadillas for a crowd of adults, I’ll do something a little more fancy. Take these steak and cheese quesadillas, for example. I make them with New York strip steak for the ultimate beef flavor, use two cheeses, and then I add roasted Hatch green chiles. It’s so good, and as dressed up as it is, it’s so easy to make!
Steak and Cheese Quesadilla
This quesadilla recipe starts with New York strip steak that I cut into bite size pieces, season to perfection with a zesty blend, and then sear in a cast iron skillet with butter. Then, I combine that with roasted Hatch chiles, Pepper Jack, and sharp cheddar cheese. Finally, I fill tortillas with the mixture, fold them over, and pan-fry them in butter until golden and delicious! It’s a recipe that fills every belly and satisfies every tastebud!
Why You’ll Love This Steak and Cheese Quesadilla
- The tender steak is seasoned perfectly and cooked to perfection and adds a hearty protein to the quesadillas,
- The roasted hatch green chiles add a smoky heat that balances out the richness of the cheeses.
- Both pepper jack cheese and sharp cheddar cheese add a creamy richness to the quesadillas and the flour tortillas provide a soft and pliable base that holds everything together.
Steak and Cheese Quesadilla Ingredients
As loaded as these quesadillas are, they actually only require a few simple ingredients. You can find all of them at your local grocery store in just a few minutes, and then you’re ready to make some of the best quesadillas you’ve ever made!
- Boneless New York strip steaks
- Butter
- Kinder’s Buttery Steakhouse seasoning
- Garlic salt
- Slap Ya Mama seasoning
- Black pepper
- Hatch green chiles
- Pepper jack cheese
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Flour tortilla
- Additional butter for frying quesadillas
How to Make Steak and Cheese Quesadillas
These quesadillas are very easy to make. Even roasting the Hatch chiles is a simple affair. It only takes a few minutes and a few simple steps to go from individual ingredients to zesty quesadillas.
Step 1: Roast the Chiles
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and place rinsed and dried Hatch green chiles on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove the chiles from the oven and use tongs to transfer them to a gallon-sized baggie. Seal and set aside to steam for 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 2: Peel and Chop the Chiles
Remove the steamed chiles from the baggie. Then, remove the stems, peel off the charred skin, and chop the chiles.
Step 3: Cook the Steak
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Then, add the steak and sprinkle with all the seasonings Cook until the steak reaches your desired doneness.
Step 4: Make the Quesadillas
Remove the steak and wipe the pan clean. Then, melt a little butter in the pan over medium-low heat. Add a tortilla and top half of it with both cheeses, the steak, Hatch chiles, and more cheese. Fold in half, flip, and cook the other side until the cheese is melted. Transfer the quesadilla to a plate and repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling ingredients. Slice into three pieces and enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce or salsa.
Recipe Tips
- It’s important to let the chiles steam for at least 10 to 15 minutes so the skin separates from the flesh. This makes them easier to peel.
- Wash your hands and never touch your face when working with hot peppers.
- The Hatch chiles are finished roasting when the skin is bubbly and blackened.
- Flip the steak pieces to sear them on all sides while cooking for the best flavor.
Variations
- You can make these quesadillas with chicken or pork, as well.
- Use your favorite cheese varieties for this recipe.
- For spicier quesadillas, use hotter peppers.
What to Serve with Steak and Cheese Quesadillas
Pair these delicious quesadillas with your favorite dipping sauce or salsa. They also make a great addition to all of your other favorite Mexican dishes for any Mexican-themed party or Taco Tuesday. Try all of your favorites, but you can start with these.
- Salsa
- Pico de Gallo
- Guacamole
- Sour cream
- Taco sauce
- Tacos
- Burritos
- Fajitas
- Enchiladas
- Mexican rice
- Spanish rice
- Cilantro lime rice
- Churros
Recipe FAQ
A combination of Oaxaca and Chihuahua cheeses works well for quesadillas, as does a combination of mozzarella cheese and Monterey Jack cheese. You can also combine any variation of those four cheeses for super melty, cheesy quesadillas.
Mexican restaurants typically use Oaxaca or Chihuahua cheeses or a combination of the two. They may or may not also use Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, and mozzarella cheeses.
You can make the steak up to two days before making the quesadillas. However, the quesadillas themselves should be made when ready to serve them.
Flank and skirt steak are both excellent options for their flavor and texture. If you’re feeling fancy, New York strip steak is an excellent – if luxurious – cut of beef for quesadillas.
The staples of a steak quesadilla are some kind of steak cut, typically skirt or flank steak or New York strip steak, and cheese.
How to Store and Reheat Leftover Steak and Cheese Quesadillas
Refrigerate the quesadillas in an airtight container for up to 4 days. For longer storage, you can freeze them for up to 2 months wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag.
To reheat quesadillas, place them on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes at 350 degrees.
Try This Delicious Steak Quesadilla Recipe Today
This steak and cheese quesadilla is loaded with tender New York strip steak, two kinds of melty cheese, and roasted Hatch chiles to create a fully loaded Mexican classic that everyone loves. With so much flavor and such an easy process, these quesadillas are going to be your new favorite variation. Give them a try!
More Steak Recipes You’ll Love
These Steak Nachos are a quick and easy recipe that can be made with leftover steak of any kind, or ground beef, and chicken as well. A delicious and hearty nacho recipe the whole family will love.
Steak and Cheese Quesadilla
Ingredients
- 2.5-3 pounds boneless New York strip steak cut into small bite size chunks
- 2-3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon Kinder’s Buttery Steakhouse seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon Slap Ya Mama seasoning
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 Hatch green chiles roasted, chopped
- 16 ounce pepper jack cheese shredded
- 16 ounce sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 10 flour tortillas burrito size 10-inch
- Additional butter for frying quesadillas
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450° and place rinsed and dried Hatch chiles on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes, flip over, and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- Remove chiles from the oven and, using tongs, place chiles in a gallon size baggie.
- Seal and let steam for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove stem, and peel off the blistered and charred skin.
- Chop chiles, set aside.
- Steak
- Melt butter in a large cast iron skillet or a large frying pan.
- Add steak and sprinkle with all of the seasonings. Stir.
- Cook until desired doneness is obtained.
- Wipe the frying pan clean, melt a little butter, place a tortilla in the pan, Add both types of shredded cheese over the tortilla. Place steak and hatch chiles one half of the tortilla.
- Fold in half, flip over and cook the other side until the cheese is melty. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Remove each quesadilla from the pan, cut each quesadilla into three pieces, and enjoy with salsa, or your favorite dipping sauce.
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While this sounds delicious, I would have to substitute the steak choice. BUT, I would like to know what Hatch chilies are. I have seen a number of chilies, but not these. What could I sub for those, or where could I find them.
Hi Teri, We buy our at H.E.B. Kroger’s, Stator Bros (in California) all sell Hatch chiles. You can also get canned Hatch chiles from Walmart and quite a few grocery chains. Anaheim peppers can be used if you are unable to find Hatch chiles. I hope you enjoy this recipe if you end up making it. Thank you for the 5-star rating too! 🙂