These Carne Asada Quesadillas are the best recipe using your leftover meat. Locked in a crispy tortilla, the filling is cheesy and protein-packed with black beans and the carne asada. This is a great meal to put together in 10 minutes with what you have on hand.
If you made my puerco asado and have some leftovers, this is the perfect way to use them up. Quesadillas like the breakfast quesadillas or the cheesy chicken quesadillas are the best way to make a quick lunch for busy days.
This is also a great recipe for the kids' lunches or even your own to bring to work. Giving a little Latino flair to your meal has never tasted so good!
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🥣 Ingredients
Most of the ingredients used for this carne asada quesadillas recipe are easy to swap. Here is what you need:
- Tortillas: You can use plain, whole wheat, or any flavoured ones such as tomato or spinach.
- Carne Asada: I used pork but if you roasted another type of meat, go ahead and use it.
- Fresh cherry tomatoes: chopped peppers would be a great substitute too.
- Black beans: I used them straight from the can, drained but not seasoned. You can use some Mexican beans or Cuban frijoles leftovers too.
- Cheese: I used cheddar but any that melt well would work such as mozzarella, edam ou emmental.
See recipe card for quantities.
In terms of equipment, you don't need much:
- A large bowl: to mix you ingredients
- A cast iron skillet or your regular pan
- A flipping spatula
- A plate? Or enjoy it right away!
🔪 Instructions With Tips
This recipe is quick and easy, with only 2 main steps to put it together. The huge bonus and incentive for me are using the leftovers!
First, in a large bowl, put all the ingredients but the tortillas: washed and sliced tomatoes, grated cheese, carne asada, black beans, and seasoning. Toss well.
TIP: I cut the puerco asada in small pieces as it is nicer when biting in the quesadilla.
Next, in a hot pan, over medium heat, pour some olive oil. Place a quesadilla and fill with half of it with the mix from the bowl. Fold the quesadilla over the filling and allow to cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until it is golden and the cheese starts to melt.
Then, flip the quesadilla over to crisp the other side.
Finally, it is ready to be served! Repeat with the other quesadillas. Enjoy!
TIP: Use a large skillet so you can cook 2 quesadillas a time!
What To Serve With It?
Here are a few suggestions to pair them with:
- Dips: sour cream with some lime juice, guacamole, pico de Gallo salsa
- More finger foods: Crispy Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings, Air Fryer carrot fries, portobello fries and more!
📖 Variations Ideas
There are a few ways to give a twist to this recipe: it can be the ingredients themselves, the dips, or adding some spiciness to it!
- TORTILLA: Pick a tortilla with different flavour like tomato for example!
- BLACK BEANS: Use a medley of beans if you wish!
- TOMATOES: You don't have any fresh ones? Use sun-dried ones or maybe some sun-dried tomato pesto?
- CARNE ASADA: Pork, beef steak, chicken, any delicious marinated meat will do.
Spice it up: chili pepper flakes, jalapeño, sriracha mayonnaise, a hot sauce, or simply some fresh pepper.
Extra things you can include:
- Add a crunch with crispy onions
- Bacon bits
- More cheese, make it a double cheese or triple cheese quesadilla
- Pickles
- What would you add?
💭 FAQ
Since this recipe uses leftover meat, I would say eat it the next day. It will be great for a lunch at work or school!
Using the answer to the question above, I would say no. You can prepare the topping in containers so it is quicker to assemble but the recipe from beginning to end is already pretty quick. Also, you want your quesadilla with that yummy crunch from cooking on the iron skillet or a grill pan.
Your favorite one but also the one that melts well such as cheddar, Edam, or mozzarella.
Two things: keep the heat to medium-low and add a dash of olive oil or a little bit of butter. Keep an eye on it as it can burn quickly but you also want it to give it for your cheese to melt. If you are using a panini press, brush it with the fat of your choice.
More Quesadillas Ideas
📖 Best Carne Asada Quesadillas
Equipment
- 1 Pan
Ingredients
- 4 Quesadillas
- 1 cup Puerco asado chopped
- 1 cup cheese grated
- 1 cup black beans canned, drained
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- First washed and slice the tomatoes.
- In a large bowl, put all the ingredients but the tortillas. Toss well.
- In a hot pan, over medium heat, pour some olive oil. Place a quesadilla and fill half of it with the mix from the bowl.
- Fold the quesadilla over the filling and allow to cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until it is golden and the cheese starts to melt. Flip it.
- It is ready to be served! Repeat with the other quesadillas. Enjoy!
Notes
- Choose a cheese that melts well for better results such as cheddar, Edam, mozzarella.
- For a crispy effect, lightly grease the pan or panini press and place your quesadilla.
- Eat within a day as it is already using leftover meat.
- Serve with a salad or guacamole.
Randy says
This was perfect with our pork roast from Sunday! I added a marinara sauce on the side! Delicious! Thank you for the inspiration!