Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Chimichurri Steak Quesadillas
Herby chimichurri gives these steak quesadillas a bright, garlicky bite beneath the melted cheese. Soft browned onions sit beside the thin beef slices inside each folded flatbread. Keep some sauce nearby for dipping and enjoy how its tang cuts through the savory filling.
- Prep
- 60 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 80 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 12 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Dinner · Main course
- Cooking method
- Grilling
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: over 30 minutes · Total: over 60 minutes
A few quick notes
1. Reserve dipping sauce first
Spoon half the chimichurri into a separate bowl before coating the raw steak with the remaining sauce.
2. Leave marinade on steak
Keep the coating on the steak when grilling so it contributes its flavor and crust.
3. Slice thinly across the grain
Rest the steak under foil, then slice very thinly against the grain before filling the flatbreads.
Get to know the ingredients
Cheese
Use shredded Monterey Jack, or the explicit Colby or cheddar alternatives, for a filling that melts well.
Onions
Slice the onions before sauteing until they begin to brown and soften for the quesadilla filling.
Parsley
Mince the curly parsley so it blends through the chimichurri with oil, vinegar and the seasonings.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 10 steps completeMake room for Chimichurri Steak Quesadillas
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Warm with reserved chimichurri
Cut the grilled quesadillas and serve warm with the reserved sauce for dipping or spooning over.
A little more help as you go
Press folded flatbread gently
Fill half each flatbread with cheese, onions and steak, then fold and gently press before grilling.
Keep the grill ready
Leave the grill on after cooking the steak so it is ready for the assembled quesadillas.
A few questions you might have
Can I add sauce inside the quesadilla?
Yes, add some reserved chimichurri during filling or save it all for dipping after grilling.
How long can the steak marinate?
Cover and refrigerate the coated steak for at least thirty minutes or up to overnight.
Can I freeze leftovers?
Yes, wrap quesadillas tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag for freezing.
What tells me the quesadillas are ready?
Grill both sides until cheese begins melting and grill marks form before removing and cutting.
Does the steak need to rest before filling?
Yes, keep it covered on a board or plate for its rest before thinly slicing.
Any more cooking tips?
I like to use Monterey Jack cheese because it’s relatively mild in flavor and melts really well which is perfect for quesadillas. You could replace it with some Colby or Cheddar cheese. You can also use any cut of steak for this if you want. I prefer a flank steak for quesadillas, it’s perfect for feeding a crowd and I personally love the tender texture and it has a good chew. Feel free to cook the steak as raw or as well done as you like. It is vital to allow the steaks to rest before slicing into them because cutting into the meat prematurely will lead to loss of juices and that’s where all the flavor is. Quesadillas are great for freezing. I usually (if there are leftovers) wrap them tightly in plastic wrap then place them in a ziploc bag and then freeze them. To thaw, take them out about an hour before serving then I like to either microwave them for a few seconds to get the cheese melty again or place them on a baking sheet and pop them in the oven at 350 for about 10 or 15 minutes until they’re heated through.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: jocooks.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
