Ground beef sheet pan quesadillas cut into squares on a baking sheet and served with salsa, avocado, and lime.

Most quesadilla recipes are designed to make a few quesadillas, but not this one! Sheet pan quesadillas allow you to make a whole bunch all at once, which is perfect for feeding hungry kids (and grown-ups)! Easy, fun, and family-friendly, these sheet pan quesadillas are a must-have in your weeknight cooking repertoire.

Ground beef quesadillas stacked on a white plate.

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Why should I make sheet pan quesadillas?

Itโ€™s tough to find meals kids enjoy that are both healthy and easy to prepare. Thankfully, quesadillas fit the bill perfectly. Whether theyโ€™re chicken quesadillas or beef, kids love the hands-on experience of eating this cheesy meal.

Sheet pan quesadillas take this traditional dinner favorite up a notch because theyโ€™re so darn easy to make! You can whip up a batch thatโ€™s large enough to serve the entire family with only 15 minutes of prep time. The best part is, theyโ€™re cheesy, crispy, and 100% delicious, meaning your entire family is bound to love them.

How do you keep quesadillas from falling apart?

The great thing about sheet pan quesadillas is that you don’t have to worry about them falling apart when you flip them. But there are still a few steps you can take to make sure they don’t fall apart when you remove them from the sheet pan:

  1. Use the right tortilla. For these sheet pan quesadillas, flour tortillas hold together better than corn. Larger burrito-size tortillas are also bestโ€”you can fold them over the filling more easily, so everything is sealed inside the tortilla. 
  2. Don’t skimp on the cheese. The cheese acts like glue to stick the tortilla to the ground beef and salsa mixture.

Wholefully Protip

Feel free to switch it up a bit and use ground turkey in place of the ground beef in this recipe!

Quesadilla squares and salsa served on a baking sheet, family-style.

Do I grease the pan for sheet pan quesadillas?

Yes! You want your baking sheet greased before you put down your layer of tortillas. This will prevent melted cheese and salsa from sticking to the tray. It also prevents your tortilla from sticking to the pan.

What is the best melting cheese for quesadillas?

You can use any cheese you have on hand to make sheet pan quesadillasโ€”but there are a few that have that extra melty factor that holds your quesadillas together! Iโ€™ve found that Mexican cheese blends, Monterey jack, pepper jack, and shredded cheddar cheese are the best melting cheeses for this recipe. They have the perfect combination of flavor and meltiness for quesadillas.

Wholefully Protip

This is a really simple recipe, but you can easily adapt it to fit your family’s tastes. Try adding bell pepper and black beans, or spices like ground cumin, cilantro, or taco seasoning for a slightly different flavor.

How do I make sheet pan quesadillas?

The best weeknight dinners are simple, and these sheet pan quesadillas are no exception. Itโ€™ll take 15 minutes of hands-on prep work to get your quesadillas in the oven, which frees up plenty of time for all those other weeknight things begging for your attention.

First, let’s make the ground beef filling:

Collage of four simple steps to make ground beef filling for quesadillas. A text overlay reads, "How to Make Ground Beef Filling."

  1. Prepare by preheating your oven to 425ยฐF, greasing a large baking sheet, and heating oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  2. Cook your chopped onion in the skillet until itโ€™s soft, add the ground beef, and cook until brown. Remove the skillet from the heat and drain away the grease.
  3. Add the spices and salsa to the beef and onion mixture.
  4. Stir until thoroughly mixed, then set aside.

Now, add the filling to your tortillas, fold, and bake:

Collage of six easy steps to assemble a sheet pan quesadilla. A text overlay reads, "How to Make Sheet Pan Quesadillas."

 

  1. Arrange six of your tortillas so they cover the bottom of the baking sheet. There will be some overlap and the edges of the tortillas should hang over the edge of the pan by five to six inches.
  2. Spread the beef mixture over the tortillas and top with the shredded cheese.
  3. Place the final tortilla in the center of the pan. Fold the overhanging tortillas so they cover the beef and cheese mixture, completely encasing the filling in tortillas.
  4. Brush the top of the tortillas with avocado oil and place another baking sheet on top of the quesadillas. This will prevent them from opening while theyโ€™re cooking.
  5. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the top tray and return to the oven for another five so the tops of the quesadillas can become golden and crispy.
  6. Remove the cooked quesadillas from the oven, allow to cool slightly, then cut them into squares for easy serving.

What should I serve these ground beef quesadillas with?

Quesadillas are best served with some type of yummy dipping sauce. You can use salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream, avocado, or any dipping sauce you like!

Wholefully Protip

You can really taste the salsa in this recipe, so use the one your family likes the best! If you donโ€™t have a favorite yet, try making easy homemade salsa for a super fresh flavor.

A sheet pan quesadilla dinner made with ground beef is served with salsa, avocado, lime, and cilantro.

How do I reheat the leftovers?

Stash the leftovers in the fridge. They can be reheated in a skillet for 2-3 minutes per side, or warmed in a toaster oven.

We also love quesadillas for school lunches! My kid doesn’t mind them cold, but you can also reheat them and send them for lunch in a Thermos container.

Want more quick and easy ground beef recipes? Try these!

 
Ground beef sheet pan quesadillas cut into squares on a baking sheet and served with salsa, avocado, and lime.

Ground Beef Sheet Pan Quesadillas

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ground beef sheet pan quesadillas are an easy, fun, kid-friendly weeknight meal! Healthy, simple, delicious, and 100% family approved!

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 cup salsa
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 7 burrito-sized flour tortillas
  • 2 1/2 cups shredded cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large skillet, warm oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
  2. Add the ground beef, and cook until browned and cooked through (about 6-7 minutes), crumbling the meat as it cooks. Once the beef is fully cooked, remove it from the heat and drain the grease from the skillet.
  3. Add salsa, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and salt to the beef, and stir until everything is combined. Set aside.
  4. Grease a rimmed baking sheet, then arrange 6 of the tortillas so they cover the bottom of the baking sheet, but also hang over the sides of the sheet pan at least 5-6 inches.
  5. Spread the beef mixture evenly over the tortillas, leaving room on the edges to fold the tortillas over to cover the beef.
  6. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the beef mixture.
  7. Place the last tortilla in the center of the quesadilla, then fold the 6 bottom tortillas over so that everything is encased in tortillas.
  8. Brush the top of the sheet pan quesadilla with more avocado oil, then set another baking sheet on top of the tortillas to keep them from opening while baking.
  9. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, then remove the second baking sheet. Bake an additional 5 minutes, or until the top of the quesadilla is browned.
  10. Cut into squares, then serve with avocado, more salsa, and sour cream!

Notes

  • Shredded cheddar, pepper jack, or Mexican cheese blends all work great for this recipe!
  • You can use ground turkey in place of ground beef.ย 
  • Feel free to use your favorite salsa, it adds a lot of flavor so use one you like!
  • Large burrito-sized tortillas work best for this recipe, as theyโ€™re easier to fold and cover the inside of the quesadilla. Flour is also preferred because they donโ€™t tear as easily when folding as corn tortillas do.ย 

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1453Total Fat: 77gSaturated Fat: 33gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 35gCholesterol: 221mgSodium: 3212mgCarbohydrates: 114gFiber: 18gSugar: 12gProtein: 79g

At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.

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