These easy Beef Sheet Pan Quesadillas are filled with sauteed vegetables, ground beef and black beans, then layered between two tortillas, four layers of cheese, and baked until crispy and cheesy! They're perfect for weeknight dinners or big parties.
Since getting pregnant, my body has craved iron and calcium like no other. Like, it was an overnight difference of how much dairy I was consuming!
I immediately found a gentle iron pill to take every day (so Tyler wouldn't have to buy me steak all the time haha) and bought two pound bags of Mexican cheese from Walmart.
My solution: quesadillas! We have this nifty crepe pan that I've now converted into a pancake griddle and quesadilla grill as well, and I started making beef and cheese quesadillas for my mid-afternoon snack.
After a while, I got tired of the process (as simple as it was) of making quesadillas every day, so I opted to find a solution that satisfied my cravings and made the most of what little energy I have after a full day's work.
Today's recipe is the brain child of that pregnancy dilemma: 30 Minute Beef Sheet Pan Quesadillas!
Ingredients for beef sheet pan quesadillas
Joseph's Lavash Bread: if you've never heard of this brand, don't worry. It's at most Walmart stores I've been too and it's reasonably priced. I chose this wrap for my quesadillas because it's high in fiber and it's rectangle. Most other sheet pan quesadilla recipes just use regular round white flour tortillas that require you to fold over the edges and use way more than you need, but with this Lavash bread, that problem is fixed! If you can't find the wraps I specified, choose another high fiber tortillas like this brand and just make the shape work.
Lean ground beef: a classic Mexican meat packed with iron and cheap to buy. I always use 93% lean.
Vegetables and aromatics: green peppers, diced green chilis, onions, and garlic round out the traditional Mexican flavors and add a boost of nutrients to these sheet pan quesadillas.
Black beans: the best beans for Mexican food, in my opinion. If you don't love black beans, you can use pinto beans or refried beans instead.
Shredded Mexican cheese: a unique blend of Monterey Jack, Cheddar, and Asadero cheeses all tossed together in one package. I always use the reduced fat!
Cotija cheese: a salty, crumbly, and delicious Mexican cheese that looks like snow. If you can't find any at your local grocery store, queso fresco cheese will also work.
Mexican seasonings: cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and salt will do the trick!
How to make sheet pan quesadillas
The beauty of sheet pan quesadillas, well, sheet pan meals actually, is that you just layer everything on and stick it in the oven. It's so easy!
In this case, we've added an extra step of preparing the meat and veggies on the stove for a boost of flavor, but hey, it's not that much extra work!
After sauteing the veggies and browning the seasoned beef, it's time to put it all together. As shown in the image(s) below, here is the order for preparing your sheet pan quesadillas:
Tortillas: the tortillas I've chosen fit perfectly into a standard 13x18 baking sheet. There should be a little bit on each edge that goes up the side of the baking sheet and a little bit of overlap in the middle.
Mexican cheese: because we want cheese on the bottom and the top!
Skillet mixture: spread the browned beef and seasoned vegetables in an even layer to all four corners of the sheet pan. It might not look like enough at first, but I promise it is!
Black beans: no need to pre-cook the beans, just drain the juices out of the can and spread in an even layer on top of the meat.
Cotija cheese: sprinkle it like snow on top of all that hearty Mexican goodness!
More Mexican cheese: the third layer of delicious "glue" that will hold these sheet pan quesadillas together.
Tortillas: in the image below, you'll notice I trimmed the top tortillas of any excess overhang to fit snugly on top, but this isn't 100% necessary. I noticed during baking that they shrunk just a little bit, which meant that some of the filling was visible and the edges were quite crispy, but if that doesn't matter to you, then just layer on the two full remaining tortillas as normal.
MORE Mexican cheese: the final layer! This cheese will crisp up instead of melting like the inside, but it's still wonderful.
From here, bake the giant quesadilla for 15 minutes or until the top is as crisp as you like it. Once finished, let cool on the pan for 5 minutes before serving, then slice into 12 squares and top with your favorite toppings. Some of my favorite toppings include:
Fresh salsa (store-bought or homemade)
Homemade fruit salsa (you HAVE to try my recipe for Peach Mango Salsa!)
Homemade guacamole
Plain greek yogurt (instead of sour cream)
Your favorite Mexican hot sauce (Chalula is the BOMB)
Chopped cilantro
Lime wedges
Sliced black olives
If you're serving these sheet pan quesadillas for a big crowd, like a party or potluck, you can choose how many servings you want, especially for younger kids. That's the beauty of making one giant quesadilla - you do the work once and split up the results as much as you like!
Why these are the best beef quesadillas
They're easy: it's as simple as preparing the filling, layering with cheese and tortillas, then baking in the oven. No babysitting or flipping required!
They're perfect for feeding a crowd: whether that crowd is your family or a big party, you only have to make one giant quesadilla and let everyone else decide how much they want to eat and what toppings they want!
They're customizable: once the sheet pan quesadillas are done, choose your favorite toppings to add, like homemade guacamole, fresh salsa, pico de gallo, plain greek yogurt, sliced olives, lime wedges, or chopped cilantro!
They're loaded with nutrients: between the high fiber tortillas, the abundance of veggies (including beans), and the lean meat and cheese, you're getting the most out of this tasty Mexican dinner!
They're packed with flavor: these aren't just your ordinary quesadillas. The sauteed vegetables are layered between two soft tortillas and four layers of cheese, tossed with seasoned ground beef, and topped with your favorite toppings. It's a win-win-win!
Pregnant or not, I know you'll love this healthier version of Sheet Pan Quesadillas! The flavor is incredible and the process is so simple.
Be sure to leave a star rating and review below if you try this recipe so other readers know how you liked it! You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see you enjoying my recipe.
Easy 30 Minute Beef Sheet Pan Quesadillas
These easy Beef Sheet Pan Quesadillas are filled with sauteed vegetables, ground beef and black beans, then layered between two tortillas, four layers of cheese, and baked until crispy and cheesy! They're perfect for weeknight dinners or big parties.
1 pkg Joseph's Lavash Bread (4ct.) (or other high-fiber tortilla)
1 lb. 93% lean ground beef
2 green peppers, diced
½ onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz. diced green chilis
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp oregano
½ Tbsp smoked paprika
¾ tsp salt
1 can black beans, drained
3 C reduced fat shredded Mexican-style cheese (divided)
½ C cotija cheese crumbles
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray. Saute the green peppers, onions, and green chilis until soft, about 7-8 minutes. Respray the pan and add ground beef, garlic, cumin, oregano, paprika, and salt, cooking until the beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Place two tortillas on the prepared baking sheet*, allowing one to slightly overlap the other and the edges to cover the sides of the baking sheet. Sprinkle 1 cup of Mexican cheese in an even layer, then add the meat and veggies. Spread the black beans over the meat. Sprinkle on the cotija cheese, then another 1½ cups of Mexican cheese. Press the two remaining tortillas on top of the quesadillas, then sprinkle on the remaining ½ cup of Mexican cheese.
Bake for 15 minutes or until the top is nice and crispy. Allow the sheet pan quesadillas to cool for 5 minutes on the pan, then slice into 12 squares and serve with your favorite toppings.**
Notes
*Refer to the blog post for more detailed step-by-step instructions.
**See blog post for topping ideas.
Nutrition facts are a calculated estimate of 1/12 of the sheet pan, not including any toppings.
I'm a perinatal holistic nutritionist here to help make your motherhood journey joyful and stress-free. Here you'll find recipes to nourish your body throughout all of pregnancy and postpartum, as well as educational articles and resources to empower you as you heal your body and raise a family.
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