Grilled Carne Asada Steak Quesadillas
These Carne Asada Steak Quesadillas are made with juicy skirt steak marinated carne asada style, with citrus, spices, and a lot of heat, sandwich between melted cheese and a crispy tortilla.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time10 minutes mins
Marinating Time1 hour hr
Course: Appetizer, Main
Cuisine: Latin American, Mexican Inspired, north american
Keyword: al fresco, bbq recipes, mexican food, Spicy
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 643kcal
- 1 large orange zest and juice
- 2 limes zest and juice
- ¼ cup light beer
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 jalapeno 1 chopped, 2 whole for grilling
- ½ teaspoon cumin ground
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper freshly ground
- 1 lb skirt steak
- 8 medium tortillas 6"-8" diameter
- 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
- 1 onion diced
- 4 sprigs cilantro whole leaves
Place orange zest and juice, lime zest and juice, beer, olive oil, garlic, jalapeno, cumin, salt, and pepper in the container of your blender. Blend for 10-15 seconds until smooth.
Pat beef dry and place in a bowl or food storage bag. Pour the marinade over the beef and massage it in using your hands. Place in the fridge to marinate for 1 hour.
Preheat your barbecue on high heat. Grill the whole jalapenos and the beef for 2-5 minutes per side until strong grill marks have formed and the beef is cooked to your liking (ideally medium-rare).
Place the beef on a wire rack to rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the beef against the grain, and the jalapenos into rings, then set aside for assembly.
Sprinkle one half of a tortilla with cheese, the arrange beef slices on top, followed by onion, jalapeno, and cilantro. Sprinkle with additional cheese, then fold over the empty half and give it a good press to hold it in place.
Heat a cast iron skillet on medium and drizzle it lightly with olive oil. Lay 1-2 quesadillas in the pan and cook for 2-4 minutes per side, flipping once the tortilla is golden brown and crisp, and the cheese is melted. Cool on a wire rack and slice before serving.
Scroll up to view a visual walkthrough of the recipe.
If you like Mexican-inspired flavors, you'll love our Mexican Chicken Wings, Street Corn 3 Ways, or our Philly Cheesesteak Quesadillas.
The best way to slice skirt steak: It’s always best to cut skirt steak against the grain. We cut ours diagonally for maximum tenderness.
Cooking skirt steak on a cast iron skillet: If you don’t have a barbecue grill available, cook the steak in a preheated cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 2-4 minutes per side, until caramelized on the outside, and cooked medium-rare to medium on the inside.
Grilling the quesadillas: We often grill our quesadillas in the summertime to escape the heat of the kitchen. Prepare as directed in the recipe then, grill on the barbecue for 2-4 minutes per side until strong grill marks have formed and the cheese is melted. We recommend using flour tortillas for grilling.
Make it Kid-friendly: Substitute the jalapeño pepper, with chopped green bell pepper or remove altogether, if preferred.
Beef cuts: use flap steak or flank steak if skirt steak is unavailable.
Cheese types: mozzarella or Monterery Jack are the most widely available cheese to use, but if available, look for Chihuahua or Oaxaca cheese.
Beef temperature guide:
Rare: Cool red center. 125°F (52 °C)
Medium Rare: Warm red center. 135°F (57 °C)
Medium: Warm pink center. 145°F (63 °C)
Medium Well: Slightly pink center. 150°F (66 °C)
Well Done: Little or no pink. 160°F (71 °C)
Calories: 643kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 1018mg | Potassium: 665mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 776IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 425mg | Iron: 5mg