Korean Beef Quesadilla Recipe

This Korean Beef Quesadilla Recipe is filled with a sweet and mildly spicy ground beef filling! A tasty twist on a beef quesadilla recipe that kids and adults will love!

When appetizers are so good that they turn into dinner, you know that everyone is going to want the recipe! Also be sure to check out our Puff Pastry Pizza Pockets and these Bacon Ranch Chicken Crescent Rolls, that can both be served for apps or for dinner!

Korean Beef Quesadillas on plate

A Ground Beef Quesadilla Recipe With A Twist!

We’re big fans of quesadillas in my house. Any ingredients that we can take and stuff into a couple flour tortillas with some sort of cheese…quesadillas.

The kids always seem to like the basics – chicken and cheese quesadillas, which we do love too. Shredded chicken and cheddar cheese quesadillas that they can dip into guacamole and salsa. And for the little guy, sour cream. I swear the quesadilla is just like a spoon for him to get that sour cream into his mouth.

I like the chicken and cheese quesadillas too…but Christie and I like to add caramelized onions or peppers, or both. But just one bite of this Korean Beef Quesadilla Recipe and you’re going to be sold. Sweet Korean flavored beef, mozzarella cheese and scallions. So simple and so delicious!

Hot To Make Korean Beef Quesadillas

To make the Korean beef filling, start by browning the ground beef in a large skillet. Make the sauce by combining brown sugar, soy sauce, fresh ginger, sesame seeds and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Korean Beef Quesadillas - beef filling

If you want to stop right there…serve that over rice and you have one of my kids favorite dinners. I’m telling you, no like, this beef filling is so delicious, it’s really a whole meal in itself. Add some steamed broccoli on the side and dinner is done!

But we’re taking it one step further today, so grab yourself a couple of tortillas and get your pan ready! Wipe out the same skillet you made the beef in (or grab another clean skillet) and heat it up again with another coating of cooking spray.

Place in one of the flour tortillas and then add an even layer of the beef. Next cover the beef with a good amount of shredded mozzarella and scallions.

Korean Beef Quesadillas in skillet

Place another tortilla on top and press down with a large dinner plate. Check the bottom with a spatula after a few minutes to see if it’s brown. If it is – it’s time to flip. Spray the top of the tortilla before flipping so it also gets crispy and brown.

Cook on the second side until it gets just as brown and crispy as the first side. Slide it out to a cutting board to cool while you make the other three quesadillas. These Korean Beef Quesadillas are a favorite family dinner in my house but they’d also make awesome appetizers cut up into smaller wedges.

Korean Beef Quesadillas featured

Can I Make These Beef Quesadilla Recipe With Ground Turkey Or Chicken Instead?

Definitely! Both ground chicken or ground turkey would work just fine in this recipe. It’s totally up to you and what you have one hand.

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Korean Beef Quesadillas

  • Author: Dan
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x

These super flavorful beef and cheese quesadillas can be served as appetizers or a fun dinner!

Scale

Ingredients

  • 8 large flour tortillas
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella
  • 6 scallions, chopped

Instructions

  1. Brown the beef in a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray.
  2. While the meat is browning, make the sauce by adding the brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, sesame seeds, ginger and red pepper flakes to a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
  3. Drain any drippings from the pan if needed, then pour the sauce to the skillet, stir and cook for 5 minutes over low heat.
  4. In a clean skillet, add another coating of cooking spray and lay one tortilla down in the center of the skillet. Add an even layer of beef (about 3/4 cup) then cover with 3/4 c. mozzarella and then 2 T. scallions.
  5. Top with another tortilla and press down with a dinner plate.
  6. After 3 minutes check the bottom tortilla to see if its browned. If it is then flip over to the other side and cook another 3 minutes until brown.
  7. Transfer to a cutting board to cool while you make the other 3 quesadillas. Cut each quesadillas into fourths and serve. You’ll have 8 large wedges, but you can also cut those in half and have 16 wedges for appetizers.
  • Category: Appetizers
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: American

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21 Responses
  1. Lokness @ The Missing Lowness

    Wow, these quesadillas are nicely browned! That gooey mozzarella must go really well with the sweet and savory Korean beef. Trying this for sure next week!

    1. Dan

      The beef filling is based on a popular recipe called “Korean Beef” It’s sweet and spicy like many Korean beef recipes.

  2. Karyl @ Karyl's Kulinary Krusade

    Yum, I love that you’re using ground beef instead of regular steak. Wonderful twist!

    1. Dan

      No, it’s actually not a typo just an old recipe that calculated the information for the entire recipe, not a serving. I don’t have the nurtrional information for you, sorry about that!

  3. Julie

    Can I get a bit of clarification about the sauce please. Where does the sauce go after you cook it, it doesn’t say in the instructions. Do you pour it over the cooked mince or spread it on a tortilla ? If it goes over the mince, could you cook it together with the mince for more flavour ? Thanks.

      1. Julie

        Thank you, yes I saw Step 3, that’s where my question arose. After Step 3 where does the sauce go after you cook it, it doesn’t say in the instructions. Do you pour it over the cooked mince or spread it on a tortilla ? If it goes over the mince, could you cook it together with the mince for more flavour ? Thanks.

        1. Dan

          The sauce reduces in the skillet when you cook it for 5 minutes, then you add the beef and sauce to a tortilla to start making the quesadillas.

          1. Julie

            Thank you so much. As you can probably tell I’m not a confident cook but I’m learning all the time.






  4. D.

    Just curious, are you aware that cooking spray can ruin non stick skillets…Might want to check into that before you advise folks to spray away before they throw away.

    1. Dan

      I am aware, yes. The cooking spray we use is a natural oil based spray, so it’s just oil without any additives. I actually haven’t advised anyone to use a non-stick skillet, the instructions say a “large” skillet, not a large non-stick skillet. So even though that is what we have pictured you are free to use your own skillet!

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