It doesn’t get much easier than this cheeseburger quesadilla recipe. You won’t need to get your hands messy making patties or make any crazy sauces. Nope, we’re keeping it simple per usual.
The base recipe is super high in protein and lower calorie, with 245 calories and 24 grams of protein per cheeseburger quesadilla. But I’ve included ideas for making it even lower calorie in the recipe notes below. Once you taste these things, you’ll never want to eat a regular cheeseburger again.
Okay, that’s just crazy talk, but you catch my drift. They’re delicious.
Cheeseburger Quesadilla Ingredients
Like I mentioned above, this is a super simple recipe. I don’t have any ingredient notes that I haven’t included in the recipe itself.
But if you’re actually reading this section and haven’t skipped straight to the recipe (kudos by the way), I’ll emphasize the use of Joseph’s pitas for this recipe. Honestly, any flatbread or tortilla will work but until you’ve tried them for quesadillas, you haven’t fully experienced their greatness.
I buy mine at Walmart. If you have trouble finding them, you can order directly from their website or I’ve linked to them on Amazon in the recipe. They’re also great for low calorie pizzas.
Update: Mission Carb Balance tortillas work great. Check out my black bean and corn quesadillas and bacon ranch ground chicken quesadillas for proof!
For toasting the quesadillas, I used my 11-inch Best Pan on Earth. Okay, that’s not really the name of the pan. I’m just always raving about my $20 pans from Amazon. I’ve had them for over a year now, wash them in the dishwasher, use them daily, and they’re in great shape and cook nearly anything without sticking. If you’ve seen my Instagram stories, you’ve probably seen them make an appearance or two.
So, if you need new pans, check them out. You get three pans for twenty bucks. I’ve got them and every other recommended product or tool on my Amazon list.
And finally, you could use this recipe as a template for so many other fillings. My ground beef cheesesteak skillet, cheeseburger skillet (minus the potatoes or radishes), and topping from bacon cheeseburger fries all come to mind.
Cheeseburger Quesadilla
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Beef 96/4
- 8 oz Shredded Cheddar
- 1/2 C Tbsp 136g Sugar Free Ketchup
- 1/4 C 60g Mustard
- Dill Pickle Chips optional
- 8 Joseph’s Pita Bread
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet and mince to fully cook before stirring in the ketchup and mustard. Set aside.
- Place the pitas on a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Add an ounce of shredded cheddar to each pita. Add the cooked ground beef and pickles to one side before flipping the other side over and pressing down to seal. Cook until golden brown on both sides.
Notes
- Each quesadilla has 6 Smart Points.
- Using fat-free cheddar would reduce the fat and calories. The cheese is there to melt and hold the quesadilla together. So, if you wanted to reduce the amount, just be sure to portion most of the cheddar around the edges.
- The Joseph’s pitas are some of the most macro friendly options you’ll find, but you can use any tortilla or flatbread you’d like.
- For more burger sauce options, check out my healthier copycat recipes for In-N-Out Double-Doubles and Shake Shack SmokeShack.
Kara Wolf
Monday 2nd of January 2023
Why did I underestimate these? They are amazing and so so simple. I add diced onions and cook with the ground beef cause that’s my jam- BUT they are so good as are! New staple.
Shannon Beck
Wednesday 7th of October 2020
These hit the spot when I was craving a burger but didn’t want all the extra calories. Love how the Pita gets crunchy! Made a little extra and had a quick easy lunch option for the week.
Tiffany
Wednesday 22nd of July 2020
I needed a quick dinner and decided to give this a try. It was super quick, easy and surprisingly delicious. I will absolutely be making this again, and not just when we’re in a hurry
Ashley Livingston
Thursday 16th of April 2020
So easy. So good. So filling. I had extra room for it in my macros, so I used deer meat we had on hand. Also used fat free cheese to help balance the fat in the meat! I also added a little bit of crushed red pepper flakes to add a touch of spice to the meat while it was cooking. I contemplated hot sauce but didn’t do it.. lol
SARAH ETTER
Wednesday 15th of April 2020
Everything about this recipe is easy and so delicious! The sweetness and crunch could not be more perfect! I actually subbed the ground beef out for ground venison because we have a lot of venison (my husband hunts and we have a year supply). The thing I loved about this recipe was that I had everything on hand and yet it was super satisfying. Something about pickles and cheese in a pita with the other ingredients just takes it over the top. Anyone can make this and the whole family loved it!