Copycat Applebee's Quesadilla Burgers

Apr 14 2022

Here's how to make a quesadilla burger to rival Applebee's. Two small cheese quesadillas make up the buns for these amazing burgers.

Ingredients

1 ½
pounds ground beef
1 ½
teaspoons chili powder
1
clove garlic ( finely minced , or about 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder)
Kosher salt (to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
16
street-size flour tortillas
2
tablespoons vegetable oil
1 ½
to 2 cups cheddar jack cheese (shredded, or cheddar, pepper jack, or a Mexican blend)
1
cup pico de gallo salsa (or finely diced tomatoes, plus more for topping)
2
cups shredded lettuce
Optional: guacamole , sour cream, taco sauce

Step 1
Gather the ingredients.
Step 2
Mix the ground beef with the chili powder and garlic or garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper. Shape into 4 burgers and refrigerate until it is time to cook them.
Step 3
Heat the oven to 200 F. If desired, cut the street-size tortillas down to a 4-inch diameter.
Step 4
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Brush one side of a tortilla with vegetable oil or spray with cooking oil spray. Place the tortilla, oiled side down, in the hot skillet. Top the tortilla with shredded cheese and scatter some pico de gallo or diced tomato over the cheese.
Step 5
Oil one side of another tortilla and place it, oiled side up, on the cheese and salsa layer. Once the bottom tortilla is browned, flip to brown the other side. Place the tortilla on a baking sheet and place it in the 200 F oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling ingredients to make 8 mini quesadillas.
Step 6
Fry the burgers for about 5 to 7 minutes on each side, or until the desired doneness is reached.
Step 7
Assemble the burgers in the quesadilla "buns" with shredded lettuce and extra cheese and salsa, if desired.
Step 8
Serve with guacamole, sour cream, and/or taco sauce. Enjoy!