Taco Bell Quesarito Copy Cat Recipe
An easy to make beefy, cheesy treat your whole family will love!
Ingredients
For the Cilantro-Lime Rice:
- 2 cups cooked white rice
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
For the beef filling:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1½ tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the Quesarito:
- 8 large burrito size flour tortillas
- 1½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 4 tbsp butter
- ¼ cup sliced pickled Jalapeños, optional
- ½ cup nacho cheese sauce
- ½ cup sour cream
Instructions
Make Cilantro-Lime Rice:
- Cook rice. When rice is cooked add lime juice and cilantro. Use a fork to combine the ingredients and fluff the rice. Cover, set aside and keep warm.
Prepare Beef Filling:
- While the rice is cooking prepare the beef. Cook ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
- Add chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika. Season with salt and pepper and continue cooking until beef is no longer pink and is nicely browned.
- Remove from heat and spoon off any excess fat. Cover, set aside and keep warm.
Make Cheese Quesadillas:
- Heat a large cast iron pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add a tortilla to the dry hot pan.
- Sprinkle tortilla with a layer of cheddar cheese.
- Top with a second flour tortilla and cook until the cheese has melted, about 2 minutes per side. Goal is a soft tortilla that you can easily roll up, not a crunchy tortilla.
- Remove from skillet and set quesadilla aside. Repeat the process with the remaining tortillas and cheddar cheese.
Assemble & Cook Quesaritos:
- Working on a flat surface, top the center of one quesadilla with about a 1/2 cup of Cilantro Lime rice, 1/2 cup of seasoned ground beef, pickled Jalapeño slices, 1/4 cup of nacho cheese sauce and 1/4 cup of sour cream.
- Carefully roll up into a burrito folding in the sides as you roll to keep the filling enclosed in the center. Set seam side down on a platter while you assemble more quesaritos using up the remaining ingredients.
- Reheat the cast iron pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add 2 tablespoons butter.
- When butter has melted add a quesarito seam side down. Cook until filling is heated through and the outside is cooked to a crunchy golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Use a pair of tongs to hold the quesarito together as it cooks.
- Serve immediately. Cut in half and serve with a side of salsa if desired.
Notes
Serving suggestion: Heat extra cheese sauce and serve Quesaritos with a side of nachos; tortilla chips drizzled with cheese sauce. Top nacho's with pickled Jalapeño slices if desired.