What goes good inside a quesadilla?

A quesadilla's only necessary filling ingredient is a creamy cheese that will melt well. A good quesadilla should also include seasoning, vegetables, and protein. The key is to slice and dice your filling ingredients into small, bite-sized pieces and pre-cook them before they’re layered onto the tortilla shell.

How to add flavor to ground turkey?

Ground turkey can be kind of flavorless and mild on its own. Start with salt, then add a pinch of ground black pepper and any dried herbs and spices that will complement your main dish. Garlic powder, Italian seasoning blend, and chili powder are common choices.

Do you cook ground turkey the same as ground beef?

Yes, ground turkey and ground beef are cooked in similar ways. Both are crumbly meats that can be cooked on the stovetop in a frying pan or skillet until they’re cooked through. Ground beef will produce more fat than ground turkey, which should be drained off before it’s added to a main dish.

How can I make it so very lean meat, such as ground turkey, doesn't become dry when I cook it?

First, cook the lean ground turkey in olive oil or butter and stop cooking the meat as soon as it’s cooked through. Cook at a low heat, covered, to trap any steam produced while the ground turkey is cooking. Lastly, add moisture-rich ingredients to the ground turkey, such as sauces, vegetables, and broth.

Sheet Pan Ground Turkey Quesadilla

Cooked ground turkey quesadilla cut into squares, on a cutting board, with two small bowls of salsa and guacamole.

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Whip up a baked Sheet Pan Ground Turkey Quesadilla with just a handful of ingredients and minimal prep time. Layers of melty cheese, fajita-seasoned ground turkey, peppers, and onions are sandwiched between extra-large tortilla shells and then baked in the oven, saving you loads of hands-on cooking time!

Author: Katie
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 6-12 servings 1x
Category: lunch, dinner
Method: baking
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

Scale

(8) 10" flour tortillas
1 pound ground turkey
4 large bell peppers - sliced
1 yellow onion - sliced
(1) 15-ounce can black beans - drained and rinsed
4 tablespoons fajita seasoning blend
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
3 tablespoons olive oil - divided

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Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425°F, grease one 13x18" baking sheet with one tablespoon of olive oil, and set aside a second 13x18" baking sheet.
Place two tortillas on the long sides of the greased baking sheet, using a total of four tortillas. The tortillas will overlap where they meet in the center, and half the tortilla should hang over the edge of the baking sheet.
Place a tortilla in the middle of the short sides of the baking sheet, using a total of two tortillas. Half of the tortilla should hang over the edge of the baking sheet.
Place a single tortilla in the center of the baking sheet, covering the remaining open space in the center of the pan.
Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced peppers and onions to the pan and cook until soft, about 5-7 minutes.
Remove the cooked peppers and onions from the pan and set them aside. Add the ground turkey to the frying pan and cook the turkey until no pink remains, about 5 minutes.
Return the peppers and onions to the pan with the ground turkey. Add the black beans and mix until well combined.
Sprinkle the fajita seasoning over the ground turkey mixture. Mix until the turkey, peppers, onions, and beans are fully coated in the seasoning, then remove the quesadilla filling from the heat.
Cover the prepared tortilla shells in a layer of shredded cheese.
Top the cheese with the ground turkey and pepper mixture.
Place the remaining tortilla shell in the center of the ground turkey mixture, on top of the filling ingredients.
Fold the overhanging tortilla shells towards the center of the sheet pan, overlapping them as you go. Start with the tortillas on the short sides of the pan and finish with the tortillas on the long sides.
Lightly brush the remaining tablespoon of olive oil on the tops of the tortilla shells, then place the second sheet pan on top of the quesadilla to weigh it down.
Transfer both baking sheets to the oven and bake the ground turkey quesadilla for 20 minutes, then remove the top baking sheet and continue baking the quesadilla for an additional 5 minutes. When finished, remove from the oven and let it cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing into squares.
Top with your favorite quesadilla toppings, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

This recipe yields 12 cut squares. A serving size is 1-2 squares, depending on how hungry you are!
See the photos in the blog post above for further clarification on how to layer, overlap, and fold the tortilla shells.
Sheet pan quesadilla recipes require two 13x18” rimmed baking sheets, also known as half pans. One baking sheet will hold the turkey quesadilla, and the second baking sheet will be placed on top of the prepared quesadilla to weigh it down while it’s baking.
The nutrition information shown below is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice.

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 300
Sugar: 3.4 g
Sodium: 816.1 mg
Fat: 12.3 g
Carbohydrates: 29.6 g
Fiber: 4.2 g
Protein: 18 g
Cholesterol: 37.7 mg

Find it online: https://sugarandsnappeas.com/ground-turkey-quesadilla-sheet-pan/