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carne asada quesadillas on a plate topped with sour cream, cilantro and onions.
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5 from 1 vote

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
Cook Time10 minutes
Marinating Time1 hour
Course: Appetizer, Main
Cuisine: Latin American, Mexican Inspired, north american
Keyword: al fresco, bbq recipes, mexican food, Spicy
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 643kcal

Ingredients

  • 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

Instructions

  • 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.

Notes

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)

Nutrition

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