Cheesy Gluten Free Quesadillas
These cheesy gluten free quesadillas are stuffed with your choice of beef or chicken, plus veggies, tons of spices, Mexican cheese and served alongside my homemade cilantro lime crema. An easy and family favorite dinner recipe!
There are few things I love more than a high protein, cheesy, Mexican, meal prep and freezer friendly dinner (hi crispy beef tacos). These gluten free quesadillas are exactly that and packed with so much flavor! I love making a batch to have on hand throughout the week or make a double batch and freeze for later!
We have a ground beef filling that is similar to the one found in my gluten free beef tacos, but with a few twists and extra cheese as is always necessary for a quesadilla! You can put so many different things in a quesadilla, but I like sticking with meat, some veggies and cheese! Similar ingredients and flavors to my Mexican beef and rice skillet! Chipotle sadly doesn’t have gluten free quesadillas or tortillas for their burritos, so making them at home is the best alternative!
These are great with a side of my Spanish rice or cauliflower spanish rice if you want to get in more veggies. If you love this recipe, try my ground beef taco bowls next!
Tips before we get started
- You can use any kind of gluten free tortilla you like here, but I like the ones from Mission because they have a texture that is most similar to flour tortillas and they hold their shape really well! I usually find them at Target but many other grocery stores or even Amazon carry them.
- You can use any kind of ground meat here! I opted for beef, but you can use chicken, turkey or even a plant-based ground if you prefer.
- If you’re in a pinch, you can opt to use a store bought taco seasoning packet instead of the spices listed in the recipe. Just saves a little bit of time!
How to make gluten free quesadillas
Heat a large skillet over medium heat with the oil. Once hot, add in the diced onion and bell pepper and saute for about 5 minutes. Add in the ground beef and saute until cooked through.
Add in the all of the spices, salt, water and corn. Mix well to combine, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the mixture has thickened.
Stir in the cilantro. Remove from the heat. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat and add the oil.
To one half of a tortilla, add about 2 tablespoons of cheese. spoon in the beef filling, then top with about 2 or so tablespoons of cheese. Fold in half.
Fry in the skillet for about 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crispy. Cut the tortilla in half and serve with pico de gallo and my homemade cilantro lime crema. Enjoy!
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How to store and freeze
These gluten free quesadillas store well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Be sure to let them cool on a wire rack before transferring to a container so they don’t get soggy. I like to reheat them in my air fryer so they get crispy, but you can also reheat on the stove with a touch of oil until warm through the center.
To freeze, allow the quesadillas to cool completely, then transfer to a freezer safe bag or container and freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat right from frozen either in your oven at 400 or air fryer at 380 until warm and crispy.
Frequently asked questions
Is it best to make a quesadilla in the oven or a pan?
I prefer to pan fry these gluten free quesadillas! I think they crisp up a bit better and you can ensure the tortillas don’t fold up mid way through cooking. If you prefer to make these without any oil, you can try air frying them as well which gets them nice and crisp.
Is a quesadilla folded or two tortillas?
Traditionally, a quesadilla is one tortilla that you fold in half. However, you can absolutely cover one tortilla fully and place another tortilla on top and cook it that way. I just find that using the folding method helps seal in the filling a bit better since it has at least one enclosed side.
What is a good filling for quesadillas?
What I love about quesadillas is how versatile they are. You can add any meat you like or opt for a vegetarian version and use beans instead. You can try chorizo, refried beans, avocado etc. Try my sweet potato quesadillas for a vegan option!
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Cheesy Gluten Free Quesadilla
by: claire cary
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ cup diced white onion
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 pound ground beef can use chicken or turkey instead
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 teapsoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 cup corn
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 8 gluten free tortillas I like the ones from Mission
- 2 cups shredded mexican cheese
- 1 tablespoon oil for frying
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat with the oil.
- Once hot, add in the diced onion and bell pepper and saute for about 5 minutes.
- Add in the ground beef and saute until cooked through.
- Add in the all of the spices, salt, water and corn. Mix well to combine, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the mixture has thickened.
- Stir in the cilantro. Remove from the heat.
- Heat a medium skillet over medium heat and add the oil.
- To one half of a tortilla, add about 2 tablespoons of cheese. spoon in the beef filling, then top with about 2 or so tablespoons of cheese. Fold in half.
- Fry in the skillet for about 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crispy.
- Cut the tortilla in half and serve with pico de gallo and my homemade cilantro lime crema. Enjoy!
Notes
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