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Carne Asada Quesadilla (San Diego-Style)

Carne Asada Quesadilla (San Diego-Style)

San Diego-style Carne Asada Quesadilla stuffed with juicy 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 they make quesadilla recipes at San Diego taco shops (taquerias).

More Carne Asada Recipes, from the Carne Asada Experts – Carne Asada Fries, Carne Asada Nachos, Carne Asada Platter, Carne Asada Tacos, and Street Tacos.

Also check out our “what to serve with carne asada” list!

Carne Asada

The base for our carne asada quesadilla is our famous San Diego-style Carne Asada recipe, Carne Asada Seasoning and rocking Cheese Quesadilla. Our carne asada steak recipe has been perfected over the last 15 years and tastes like you ordered it from Alberto’s!

Of course you can always sub in any leftover steak you have on hand.

Sliced Carne Asada Steak

Quesadilla Recipe Ingredients

  • Carne Asada Steak – Flank or Skirt Steak, Red Wine Vinegar, Vegetable Oil, Lime, Orange, Cilantro, Garlic, Salt, White pepper, Cumin, Chili Powder, Mexican Oregano and Ground Cloves.
  • Flour Tortillas – Store bought or homemade flour tortillas
  • Cheese 
  • Favorite Toppings

Flour tortilla, cheese and steak.

How To Make

Grill the Carne Asada

Marinate the steak for a minimum of two hours. Grill for 6-7 minutes per side, let rest for 10 minutes and dice into bite size chunks.

Start Building The Quesadilla

Add a single layer of cheese followed by the diced steak and top off with a little bit more cheese.

Fold over and cook for about 3-4 minutes per side, until the cheese is melted through out. 

Side by side photos showing how to make a quesadilla.

Side by side photos showing how to make a quesadilla.

Add the Toppings

Top the carne asada quesadillas with pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream and get to grubbing!

Grilled Quesadilla

If you’re already grilling your carne asada, why not use the already hot grill to grill up the quesadilla? You can put the folded quesadilla directly on the grill. 

Topping Ideas

The topping we use in this Mexican quesadilla recipe are typical for San-Diego Mexican food. There are a ton of other toppings that would be killer. Here are a few of my favorites:

Restaurant Style Salsa or Hot Sauce
Pickled Peppers or Pickled Banana Peppers
Pickled Red Onions
Mango Pico de Gallo
Mexican Crema
Shredded Lettuce
Mexican Pickled Carrots

Close up photo of flour tortilla stuffed with steak and cheese.

Recipe Tips

  • Play with the proportions until you figure out your favorite mix. Love cheese? Add in another cup. Watching the budget? Half the amount of steak. Love a little heat? Load em up with hot sauce or salsa. You get the idea.
  • Avoid pre-shredded bagged cheese as the coating prohibits the cheese from melting properly. 
  • Serve with a cup of Chipotle Crema.

Best Cheese For Quesadillas

Fantastic cheese options include: Mexican cheese blend, monterey jack, colby, cheddar, pepper jack or even Oaxaca. 

Avoid pre-shredded bagged cheese as the coating used prohibits the cheese from melting. When you’re making cheese quesadillas, pre-shredded cheese is the antithesis of what you’re going for.

Sliced carne asada quesadilla topped with guacamole and pico de gallo.

Side Dish Ideas

Fully loaded steak quesadillas don’t need a side dish, but if you’re serving them at a party or splitting them with friends, you may want to beef up the menu! Here are some side dish ideas:

More Delicious Mexican Recipes

Now grab a Mexican Mule, Margarita,or Michelada rimmed with Chamoy and start on the carne!

Carne asada quesadilla topped with guacamole and pico de gallo.

Carne Asada Quesadilla

San Diego-style Carne Asada Quesadilla stuffed with juicy carne asada meat, melted cheese and topped with 4 ingredient guacamole and Pico de Gallo.  This is exactly how they make quesadilla recipes at San Diego taco shops (taquerias).
Rate this Recipe
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Marinating: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Cinco De Mayo Recipes, Quesadilla Recipes
Servings: 8 Quesadillas
Calories: 428kcal
Author: Darcey Olson
Cost: $10

Ingredients

Carne Asada:

  • 1 lb flank or skirt steak
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • tbsp orange juice
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
  • ½ tbsp minced garlic
  • ½ tbsp garlic salt
  • tsp white pepper
  • tsp cumin
  • tsp chili powder
  • tsp oregano
  • 1 pinch ground cloves

Quesadilla:

Optional Toppings:

Instructions
 

Make the Carne Asada:

  • Add all the ingredients (except the meat and orange slices) to a large Ziploc bag and shake to combine.
  • Add the steak and shake to evenly coat.
  • Lay the bag flat and add the orange slice directly to the meat - half on top and half on bottom. Refrigerate overnight or at least 2 hours. (*Note 1)
  • Before grilling, remove from the refrigerator up to an hour in advance. (*Note 2)
  • Pre-heat grill to medium-high
  • Place meat directly on greased grate for 6-8 minutes.
  • Flip and grill for an additional 6-8 minutes, until your desired doneness is reached. (*Note 3)
  • Let rest for 10 minutes before dicing.

Make the Quesadilla:

  • Pre-heat a cast iron skillet or non-stick skillet over medium heat.
  • Place the tortilla on a flat surface. Add 1/2 cup of cheese, 1/4 cup diced steak and 1/4 cup cheese, to one side of the tortilla. Fold the tortilla in half ensuring the edges line up.
  • Carefully transfer the quesadilla to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until the cheese is melted throughout. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  • Repeat until all the quesadillas have been cooked.
  • Slice each quesadilla in half and top with your favorite toppings.

Notes

Note 1. Let the carne asada marinade for a minimum of two hours, preferably up to 24 hours.
Note 2. Bring the carne asada meat to room temp by removing it from the refrigerator 30 minutes - 60 minutes before grilling.
Note 3. This time range is to cook the meat medium to medium-well as this makes for the best texture and firmness. We grill our carne asada meat until it has an internal temperature of 155 degrees F.  While it rests it reaches 160 degrees F.

Nutrition

Calories: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 1221mg | Potassium: 320mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 695IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 494mg | Iron: 3mg
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