Why You’ll Love This Recipe
The steak at Chipotle is my favorite fast food choice. On busy weeknights, when I’m on the run, I often stop for a steak quesadilla with peppers and onions.
My only real complaint about the quesadillas at Chipotle is that they have too much cheese and not enough meat!
So, when I make this Chipotle copycat recipe at home, I make sure that it’s exactly the way I like it, with extra steak, healthy fajita veggies, and the perfect amount of melty cheese.
I like to cook the marinated steak in a cast iron skillet, but you can cook it outside on your grill or flat-top griddle if you like. The flavors get better the longer your marinate the meat, so plan ahead if you can!
Ingredients In A Steak Quesadilla
Here’s what you need to make a meaty quesadilla that will rival anything you could order at Chipotle:
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Steak: For the very best steak quesadillas, I like to marinate a sirloin steak with lots of delicious marbling. You can also make this recipe with skirt steak, ribeye, strip steak, or any other cut that you enjoy.
- Olive Oil: To add moisture to our marinade.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic adds so much savory flavor.
- Chipotles in Adobo: In this marinade, we’ll just be using a small amount of the sauce from a can of chipotles. You can freeze the rest of the peppers with their sauce and use them later to make recipes like my Fish Tacos, Chicken Tinga, or Texas Chili.
- Spices: Along with salt, use chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, and smoked paprika.
- Lime Juice: Use juice from a fresh lime to add flavor to the marinade. The acidity will also help to tenderize the steak.
- Cheese: Use freshly shredded cheese from a block if at all possible. Cheddar or Monterey Jack work well here.
- Peppers and Onions: I love adding these tasty veggies to my quesadillas! Slice them thinly so that they cook quickly in the skillet.
- Flour Tortillas: Look for large flour tortillas, at least 10 inches wide.
How To Make Steak Quesadillas
1: Mix the Marinade ingredients in a large ziptop bag.
2: Add the Steak, and flip it around to coat it with the marinade.
3: Marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes, and up to 24 hours for more flavor.
4: Cook Peppers & Onions with olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Remove from the pan and wipe it clean.
5: Cook the Steak in the skillet over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes per side, or longer if you prefer.
6: Rest for 5 minutes, then slice the cooked steak into thin strips, against the grain.
7: Cut the steak strips into bite-sized cubes.
8: Assemble the quesadilla in a clean skillet over medium heat. Add meat, veggies, and cheese to half of each tortilla.
9: Fold the tortilla in half over the filling.
10: Cook for 2 minutes per side, until crispy and golden brown. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Tip!
Because these are so packed with steak, each quesadilla can be two servings. If you’re extra hungry, serve each person their own rather than cutting them in half!
Recipe Tips
- Use a cast iron skillet. A heavy, well-seasoned cast iron skillet is the best tool for searing steak on the stovetop. This type of pan can be heated to a high heat and will hold that heat evenly during the cooking process.
- Wash the pan in between items. After cooking the peppers and onions, and again after cooking the steak, add a little bit of water to the hot pan and then carefully wipe it with a paper towel before cooking the next thing.
- Marinating time. 30 minutes is the minimum amount of time that the steak will need to soak up all of the delicious flavor from the marinade. If you have extra time, let it go longer, for up to 24 hours.
- Resting is important. After cooking, allow the meat to rest for 5-10 minutes before you cut into it. This way, the steak will stay moist and juicy.
- Try it with Chicken! Use my Chipotle Chicken recipe to create the most delicious marinated chicken, then cut it into pieces and use it in your quesadillas.
Storing Tips
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
If you’re meal prepping, cook the steak and veggies and keep them in separate containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Then you can use it all week to create steak quesadillas, steak fajitas, or chipotle steak fajita bowls.
What To Put on Steak Quesadillas
Enjoy these quesadillas just as they are, or make some fresh, homemade salsas to add to them!
Toppings like fresh cilantro, my easy guacamole, pico de gallo, salsa ranchera, and a dollop of sour cream will take your steak quesadillas to the next level!
For extra heat, add sliced jalapeños or your favorite hot sauce.
Or, focus on side dishes and make some other Chipotle restaurant favorites, like cilantro lime rice and pinto beans.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Steak Quesadilla
Equipment
- Large Cast Iron Skillet
- Gallon sized ziptop bag
- cutting board
- sharp knife
Ingredients
For the Steak Marinade:
- 12 ounces (320 g) sirloin, ribeye, skirt, or flank steak
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) adobo sauce from canned chipotle in adobo
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Quesadilla:
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- 1 medium red onion sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 large flour tortillas
- ¾ cup (85 g) shredded cheese cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Mexican blend
- Sour cream for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the marinade: Whisk garlic, adobo sauce, olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and salt in a ziptop bag.
- Marinate steak: Place steak into the bag, seal, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Prepare vegetables: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced bell pepper and onion, sauté until lightly charred but still crunchy (about 3-4 minutes). Season with salt. Remove vegetables from skillet and wipe clean.
- Cook steak: Remove steak from the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking. Add a tablespoon of olive oil or avocado oil to the skillet over medium-high heat. Sear steak for about 3 minutes per side, or until a nice crust forms and the internal temperature reaches 125-135°F (52-57°C) for medium-rare to medium. Transfer steak to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes. Cut into small cubes.
- Assemble quesadillas: Wipe the skillet again and place over medium heat. Lay one tortilla flat in the skillet, add a third of the sautéed vegetables on one side, then a third of the steak cubes, and sprinkle with ¼ cup cheese. Fold tortilla in half over the filling.
- Cook quesadillas: Cook until the tortilla is crisp and cheese has melted, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with the other tortillas and remaining ingredients. Remove quesadillas, cut each into two pieces, and serve warm with sour cream.
Notes:
- Use a cast iron skillet. A heavy, well-seasoned cast iron skillet is the best tool for searing steak on the stovetop. This type of pan can be heated to a high heat and will hold that heat evenly during the cooking process.
- Wash the pan in between items. After cooking the peppers and onions, and again after cooking the steak, add a little bit of water to the hot pan and then carefully wipe it with a paper towel before cooking the next thing.
- Marinating time. 30 minutes is the minimum amount of time that the steak will need to soak up all of the delicious flavor from the marinade. If you have extra time, let it go longer, for up to 24 hours.
- Resting is important. After cooking, allow the meat to rest for 5-10 minutes before you cut into it. This way, the steak will stay moist and juicy.
- Serving Size: This recipe makes 3 quesadillas. Serve each person a half quesadilla if you’re also including side dishes. Otherwise, you can plan on one quesadilla per person.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Steak Quesadilla FAQs
What is the best cheese for quesadillas?
Chipotle uses white cheddar cheese on all of its dishes, but you can get more creative if you like! Any type of melty cheese will work, including Monterey Jack, Colby, or shredded Mexican blend cheese.
What’s the best steak cut for quesadillas?
Since we’re marinating the steak and cutting the steak into small pieces, any cut will technically work. I enjoy making this recipe with sirloin steak. You might like to try it with a budget-friendly flank steak or skirt steak as well.
How to Reheat Steak Quesadillas?
The key to reheating a quesadilla is to warm it all the way through without overcooking the steak inside. Your best option will be to add a serving to a skillet with a little bit of oil or butter and cook it over medium heat until the tortilla is crispy again and the cheese is melty.
The microwave can be used, but the end result will be a bit soft. Because of the way microwaves cook food, the steak may end up overcooking before the outside of the quesadilla gets warm.
If you have an air fryer, reheat your quesadilla at around 350°F/180°C for 2-4 minutes, just until heated through.
How do you know when steak is done?
The instructions for this recipe will talk you through cooking your steak to medium rare, but you can cook it to whatever doneness you prefer. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature, according to this chart:
- Rare: 125°F/52°C
- Medium rare: 135°F/57°C
- Medium: 145°F/63°C
- Medium well: 155°F/68°C
More Chipotle Copycat Recipes
Skip the takeout line and make a delicious Chipotle Steak Quesadilla at home! Pin the recipe for later too, it will make the perfect dinner for Cinco de Mayo!
Mary says
Can you use beef shaved steak?
Diana says
Hi Mary! Yes, you can use beef shaved steak it should work great for quesadillas. Just cook it quickly so it stays tender. Hope you enjoy it!
John says
Quick and supper delish. We used thin sliced tri-tip leftovers. This is definitely a keeper!
Diana says
Sounds like a great way to use up leftovers, John! Glad it was a hit and thanks for sharing!