One of the things I miss the most about San Diego is the Mexican food. California burritos and carne asada quesadillas are two of my favorites! My son, Scott, and I have teamed up to bring you this authentic, taco shop-style carne asada quesadilla recipe that you can make any time you are craving good Mexican food!
So, what's so special about a San Diego-style carne asada quesadilla? Imagine a thin and crispy tortilla loaded with juicy carne asada and gooey melted cheese. So simple, yet so good!
Scott has worked hard on perfecting his San Diego taco shop-style carne asada quesadilla recipe. When I'm missing San Diego-style Mexican food (it's not hard to do in Montana) his carne asada quesadillas are the closest thing to being there. So if you're a San Diego transplant and looking for an authentic recipe, this one is it!
You may be wondering what you need to make one yourself. Believe it or not, you only a few ingredients. Tortillas, flank steak, cheese, lard, and seasoning, that's it!
Scott is pretty specific about the type of cheese and tortillas to use. After trying many cheese varieties, he swears by Tillamook medium cheddar cheese. However, you have to buy the block and shred it yourself (he insists) because it melts much better than pre-shredded cheese. Scott uses a rotary cheese grater to make a quick job of it. And for the tortillas, you'll want to use a Mexican brand if at all possible.
For the seasoning, Scott recommends salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and Serrano powder. Serrano powder you say? Yes, he makes his own by freeze drying and grinding Serranos into a powder. However, you can substitute chili powder.
Finally, you'll need lard to cook both the meat and quesadilla. Just this once, skip the olive oil and see what a difference lard makes. It will take your carne asada quesadilla to the next level, guaranteed!
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😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- If you are looking for an authentic, San Diego taco shop-style carne asada quesadilla recipe, this recipe is all you need!
- Carne asada quesadillas are really easy to prepare and make a quick and delicious option for lunch or dinner in under 30 minutes!
- If you dice the meat and shred the cheese ahead of time, dinner can be ready in a matter of minutes!
🛒 What You Need For This Recipe
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Tortilla: A good quality Mexican flour tortilla, the more authentic the better! We buy the extra large, perfect for making tilapia fish burritos and carne asada burritos. For those with smaller appetites, medium tortillas can be substituted. We don't recommend whole wheat or low-carb tortillas unless you're not going for authentic!
- Meat: The cut of beef you use matters too! For carne asada quesadillas, you have two options, flank steak or skirt steak. We buy ours in bulk and freeze it in smaller portions so we can whip up carne asada quesadillas anytime we want them!
- Cheese: Tillamook medium cheddar cheese is the cheese Scott recommends. If you need to, you can substitute Monterey Jack cheese.
- Seasoning: You have the option of seasoning the meat with my carne asada seasoning which has salt, black pepper, cayenne, chili powder, chipotle pepper, cumin, and more. Or, sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili pepper.
- Lard: If you don't have lard, tallow is an acceptable substitution.
- Optional: Another option is to use my carne asada marinade to marinate the meat first. This delicious marinade is prepared with a mixture of olive oil, orange juice, soy sauce, lime juice, fresh cilantro, onion, garlic, and a few other ingredients.
🥩 How to Make A Carne Asada Quesadilla
Step 1: Shred cheese, then dice flank steak into small pieces. Sprinkle meat with salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and Serrano powder, or use my carne asada seasoning mix.
Pro Tip: If you use my carne asada seasoning, you may need to add a little extra salt. Taste the cooked meat and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Step 2: Heat a medium-sized cast iron skillet. Add seasoned diced meat and 2 teaspoons of lard. Cook on medium-high heat, chopping, scraping, and stirring the meat with a metal spatula until the liquid evaporates. Continue to cook until the meat has crispy brown edges. This should take 5-7 minutes.
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Step 3: When the meat is almost ready, add a teaspoon of lard to a large cast iron skillet (the size of your tortilla). Set the flame to low-medium and once the lard has melted, add your tortilla. Lift the top half up so that it's not touching the pan, then sprinkle the bottom portion with ½ of the cheese. Distribute meat over it, then the remaining cheese. Fold the top half of the tortilla over it.
Step 4: Cover the pan and cook over low-medium heat until the top and bottom layers of cheese have completely melted to seal the quesadilla, this should take around 3-5 minutes. Carefully flip quesadilla over and cook until golden brown on the other side. Slice quesadilla into strips or triangles using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife.
🥕 Serving Suggestions
Carne asada quesadillas are pretty filling on their own, but you can definitely serve them with some creamy guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, and your favorite salsa or hot sauce.
If you do want to serve a side dish or two on the side to have a Mexican feast, I recommend this Instant pot Mexican rice, elote in a cup (Mexican street corn), and don't forget everyone's favorite, spicy Mexican pickled carrots!
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
Most carne asada quesadillas have diced carne asada meat and shredded cheese. Sometimes other ingredients like diced tomatoes and pepper are also added.
Carne asada means "grilled meat" in Spanish. Fajitas, on the other hand describes a popular Mexican dish that's prepared with grilled strips of beef, chicken, and shrimp, mixed with strips of bell pepper and onions.
A quesadilla can be prepared with two tortillas, with the cheese sandwiched in between, or with one tortilla folded over the cheese. Whatever method you use, make sure to brown both sides of the tortilla!
To ensure your quesadilla is nice and crispy, you'll want to cook it using lard and a cast-iron skillet.
It is best to reheat a carne asada quesadilla in a cast-iron pan or a skillet. Using a microwave will cause the quesadilla to be soft and soggy.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- The nutrition info is for an extra large quesadilla. If you use a smaller sized tortilla, you'll use less meat and cheese, which will significantly reduce the calories.
- You can also use leftover smoked carne asada to make your carne asada quesadilla. It may not be San Diego style, but it will still be delicious!
- Although carne asada quesadillas are best fresh, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
🫔 Related Recipes
If you enjoy this carne asada quesadilla recipe, be sure to try these other yummy Mexican dishes too!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
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📖 Recipe
San Diego Style Carne Asada Quesadilla
Equipment
- 1 cheese shredder
- 1 medium cast iron skillet
- 1 large cast iron skillet (the size of the tortillas you use)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces flank or skirt steak (finely diced)
- 1½ teaspoon carne asada seasoning (recipe)
- 1 tablespoon lard (divided)
- 1 large flour tortilla
- 6 ounces freshly shredded medium cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Shred cheese, then dice flank steak into small pieces. Sprinkle meat with salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and Serrano powder, or use my carne asada seasoning.
- Heat a medium-sized cast iron skillet. Add seasoned diced meat and 2 teaspoons of lard. Cook on medium-high heat, chopping, scraping, and stirring the meat with a metal spatula until the liquid evaporates. Continue to cook until the meat has crispy brown edges. This should take 5-7 minutes.
- When the meat is almost ready, add a teaspoon of lard to a large cast iron skillet (the size of your tortilla). Set the flame to low-medium and once the lard has melted, add your tortilla. Lift the top half up so that it's not touching the pan, then sprinkle the bottom portion with ½ of the cheese. Distribute meat over it, then the remaining cheese. Fold the top half of the tortilla over it.
- Cover the pan and cook over low-medium heat until the top and bottom layers of cheese have completely melted to seal the quesadilla, this should take around 3-5 minutes. Carefully flip quesadilla over and cook until golden brown on the other side. Slice quesadilla into strips or triangles using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife.
Notes
- The nutrition info is for an extra large quesadilla. If you use a smaller sized tortilla, you'll use less meat and cheese, which will significantly reduce the calories.
- If you use my carne asada seasoning, you may need to add a little extra salt. Taste the cooked meat and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- You can also use leftover smoked carne asada to make your carne asada quesadilla. It may not be San Diego style, but it will still be delicious!
- Although carne asada quesadillas are best fresh, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat leftovers in a cast-iron pan. I don't recommend using a microwave. Doing so will cause the quesadilla to be soft and soggy.
Kelly Methey says
This recipe is so flavorful and delicious! As someone that grew up with San Diego Mexican food, I can say you nailed it! I loved every bite! You and Scotty make a great team! Keep up the good work and the great recipes.
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks Kelly! It means a lot having the stamp of approval from a San Diego native!
Hungry4Hucks says
Ohhhhhhh, the memories! Please tell Scott he nailed it! I spent some time in San Diego years ago and there was a Roberto's and a Cotijas not far from me. I loved those places. I love your Mexican food recipes, it always takes me back to great time in life. San Diego style Mexican food cant be beat!!!
Hilda Sterner says
So happy to hear that as someone who's tried San Diego Mexican food, you give it your approval. I will pass on the message to Scott! Thanks for the review!
Victoria Hanson says
Excellent, quick and easy recipe!! We loved this. I made it less hot for my hubs who is sensitive to spicy food. I added a little chipotle pepper for me. Juicy, delish dish!
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you so much, Vicki, I'm happy to hear that it was enjoyed by you both. 😘