The quesarito proves you don't have to choose between a burrito and quesadilla
Best food mashup of all time?
Best food mashup of all time?
Best food mashup of all time?
Burrito or quesadilla? Whether you're at home or at your favorite Mexican joint, the struggle to choose is real. On the one hand, a burrito is stuffed with so much more — meat, cheese, rice beans, you name it. On the other hand, there's nothing quite like a really cheesy dilla. Taco Bell's quesarito taught us that you don't have to choose.
Luckily, making a quesarito is hardly any more difficult than making a quesadilla, or a burrito. Therefore the payoff is huge. First you'll want to get your fixin's ready. Cook some beef with the usual Tex-Mex trifecta of spices (cumin, chili powder, and paprika). Then, fluff some cooked white rice with lime juice and cilantro. Also encouraged, but not required: sour cream and nacho cheese.
Keep the quesadilla, which will ultimately be your burrito's tortilla, simple. Cheddar cheese is all you need in there. But perhaps more importantly, you'll want to cook the quesadilla very lightly. When the cheese has melted, pull it from the pan and get to topping and rolling. Now is not the time for a crispy tortilla. When it's time to load on the toppings, practice some restraint. It'll make the rolling process much easier.
Once assembled, you're technically ready to eat. But if you like a crunchy golden tortilla in your quesadilla , now is the time to make things crispy. Zero judgement if you immediately demolish the quesarito though.
Ingredients
YIELDS: 4
FOR THE BEEF:
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
- kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE CILANTRO-LIME RICE
- 2 c. cooked white rice
- 1 tbsp. lime juice
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro
FOR QUESARITO ASSEMBLY
- 8 large flour tortillas
- 1 1/2 c. shredded Cheddar
- 1 c. Nacho Cheese Sauce
- 1/2 c. sour cream
Directions
PREP TIME: 0:10
TOTAL TIME: 0:40
- Cook beef: Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat then add beef, chili powder, cumin and paprika. Season with salt and pepper and cook until beef is no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Drain fat.
- Make cilantro-lime rice: In a medium bowl, toss together white rice, lime juice and cilantro using a fork. Set aside.
- Make quesadillas: Heat a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add a tortilla and sprinkle cheddar cheese all over. Top with a second flour tortilla and cook until the cheese has melted, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining tortillas and cheddar to make 4 quesadillas.
- Build quesaritos: Working on a cutting board or plate, top the center of one quesadilla with some rice, meat, nacho cheese sauce and sour cream. Roll up into a burrito. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
- Reheat the nonstick pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add two quesaritos and cook until the outside quesadilla is golden and slightly crispy, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Serve immediately.