San Diego-style carne asada quesadilla filled with succulent carne asada meat, melted cheese and topped with 4-ingredient guacamole and pico de gallo. A twist on the classic quesadilla with steak. This is exactly how quesadilla recipes are made at taco shops (taquerias) in San Diego.
More Carne Asada Recipes from the Carne Asada Experts – Carne Asada Fries, Carne Asada Nachos, Carne Asada Platters, Carne Asada Tacos and Street Tacos.
Be sure to check out our “What to Serve with Carne Asada” list too!
roast meat
The base for our carne asada quesadilla is our famous San Diego-style carne asada recipe, carne asada seasoning and cheese quesadilla. Perfected over the last 15 years, our Carne Asada Steak recipe tastes like you ordered it from Alberto’s!
Of course, you can also put in any leftover steak you have on hand.
Ingredients for the quesadilla recipe
- Carne Asada Steak – Flank or skirt steak, red wine vinegar, vegetable oil, lime, orange, coriander, garlic, salt, white pepper, cumin, chili powder, Mexican oregano, and ground cloves.
- flour tortillas – Store-bought or homemade flour tortillas
- Cheese
- favorite toppings
How to… do
Grill the Carne Asada
Marinate the steak for at least two hours. Grill for 6-7 minutes per side, let rest 10 minutes and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Start building the quesadilla
Add a single layer of cheese, followed by the steak cubes and top with some more cheese.
Fold over and cook until cheese is completely melted, about 3-4 minutes on each side.
Add the toppings
Top the carne asada quesadillas with pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream and get going!
Grilled quesadilla
If you are already grilling your carne asada, why not use the already hot grill to grill the quesadilla? You can place the folded quesadilla directly on the grill.
top ideas
The toppings we use in this Mexican Quesadilla recipe are typical of San Diego Mexican food. There are tons of other toppings that would be stunning. Here are some of my favorites:
Restaurant style salsa or hot sauce
Pickled peppers or pickled banana peppers
pickled red onions
Mango pico de gallo
Mexican cream
Shredded lettuce
Mexican pickled carrots
recipe tips
- Play with the proportions until you find your favorite mix. Do you love cheese? Add another cup. Pay attention to the household? Half the amount of steak. Do you love a little warmth? Fill them with hot sauce or salsa. you have the idea
- Avoid pre-shredded bagged cheese, as the coating prevents the cheese from melting properly.
- Serve with a cup of chipotle crema.
Best cheese for quesadillas
Awesome cheese options include: Mexican Cheese Blend, Monterey Jack, Colby, Cheddar, Pepper Jack or even Oaxaca.
Avoid pre-shredded bagged cheese as the coating used prevents the cheese from melting. When making cheese quesadillas, pre-shredded cheese is the complete opposite of what you want.
Side dish ideas
Fully loaded steak quesadillas don’t need a side dish, but if you’re serving them at a party or sharing with friends, you might want to spice up the menu! Here are some ideas for side dishes:
Now grab a Mexican mule, margarita or michelada with chamoy topping and start carne!
Calories: 428kcal
Costs: $10
Make the Carne Asada:
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Place all ingredients (except meat and orange slices) in a large ziploc bag and shake to combine.
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Add the steak and shake to coat evenly.
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Lay the bag flat and place the orange slice directly onto the flesh – half on top and half on the bottom. Refrigerate overnight or at least 2 hours. (*Note 1)
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Remove from the fridge at least an hour before grilling. (*Note 2)
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Preheat the grill to medium-high
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Place the meat directly on the greased grid for 6-8 minutes.
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Turn and grill for another 6-8 minutes until desired doneness is achieved. (*Note 3)
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Leave to rest for 10 minutes before dicing.
Make the quesadilla:
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Preheat a cast iron skillet or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
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Place the tortilla on a flat surface. Place 1/2 cup cheese, 1/4 cup diced steak, and 1/4 cup cheese on one side of tortilla. Fold the tortilla in half, making sure the edges line up.
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Gently add the quesadilla to the pan and cook until the cheese is completely melted, 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove from stove and set aside.
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Repeat until all quesadillas are done.
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Cut each quesadilla in half and top with your favorite toppings.
note 2 Bring the carne asada meat to room temperature by removing it from the refrigerator 30 to 60 minutes before grilling.
note 3 This is the time during which the meat is cooked medium to medium, as this provides the best texture and firmness. We grill our carne asada meat until it has an internal temperature of 155 degrees F. While dormant it reaches 160 degrees F.
Calories: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 18G | Protein: 33G | Fat: 24G | Saturated Fatty Acids: 13G | Polyunsaturated fat: 1G | Monounsaturated fatty acids: 7G | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 1221mg | Potassium: 320mg | Fiber: 1G | Sugar: 2G | Vitamin A: 695IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 494mg | Iron: 3mg