Mexican
Steak Fajita Quesadillas
Flank steak is cooked to medium, rested, and sliced, then tucked into tortillas with peppers, onion, and cheddar. The quesadillas toast in the same skillet until the cheese melts.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 18 min
- Total
- 33 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Thin slices of flank cook to medium in a few minutes and stay tender if you slice across the grain.
- A rest of 3 minutes before slicing keeps the juices in the steak instead of on the board.
- Peppers and onion cook in the steak drippings while the meat rests, so the clock stays short.
- Toasting the tortillas in a dry-ish skillet melts the cheddar and crisps the outside.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Season the flank steak with the chili powder, cumin, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- 2
Heat 1 tbsp of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the steak to medium, until the center reads 145°F, about 4 minutes per side depending on thickness.
- 3
Move the steak to a plate and rest 3 minutes. Slice it thinly across the grain.
- 4
Add the remaining oil to the skillet. Cook the bell peppers and onion until softened and spotted brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds. Squeeze the lime over the vegetables.
- 5
Lay out the flour tortillas. On one half of each, add cheddar, steak, peppers, and onion, then more cheddar. Fold the tortillas closed.
- 6
Wipe the skillet if it looks wet. Toast the quesadillas over medium heat until the tortillas are browned and the cheddar melts, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Work in batches.
- 7
Cut into wedges and serve.
Pro tips
- Medium is 145°F in the center of the steak. If you want it less pink, keep cooking, but do not call a lower temperature medium.
- Slice across the grain. Long fibers make flank chewy even when it is cooked correctly.
- Do not overload the tortillas or the cheese will not hold the filling when you flip.
Easy substitutions
- Flank steak
- Skirt steak, still cooked to medium at 145°F
- Cheddar cheese
- Monterey Jack
- Flour tortillas
- Large corn tortillas
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days.
Reheating
Re-crisp in a dry skillet over medium heat until the steak is hot, about 165°F in the center of the wedge. A microwave softens the tortilla.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 624
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
Moderate · Stovetop · High Protein
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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