Carne Asada Quesadilla

San Diego-style Carne Asada Quesadilla stuffed with juicy carne asada marinade 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).

Course Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Quesadilla

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 25

Marinating 2

Total Time 2 50

Servings 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
1½ tsp white pepper
1½ tsp cumin
1½ tsp chili powder
1½ tsp oregano
1 pinch ground cloves

Quesadilla:

8 flour tortilla, soft taco size
6 cups shredded cheese

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