Roasted Sweet Potato and Steak Quesadillas with Southwest Crema and Tomato Salsa

These quesadillas are packed with flavor: roasted sweet potatoes, tender green peppers and seasoned ground beef, all held together by a gooey blend of cheddar and mozzarella. The combination of sweet, savory and spicy makes every bite irresistible.

Top them with a bright tomato salsa and a creamy Southwest-spiced lime crema for the ultimate finish. Whether for lunch or dinner, this recipe is sure to become a favorite.

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Ingredients

2 unit Flour TortillasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Cheddar CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ground BeefView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Sweet PotatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Long Green PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Mozzarella CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon (tsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C) with rack in top position. Wash and dry produce. Peel and dice sweet potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Toss on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper. Roast on top rack, tossing halfway, until browned and tender, 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2. While sweet potatoes roast, core, deseed and dice green pepper. Halve, peel and dice onion; mince a few pieces until you have 1 tablespoon (2 tablespoons for 4 servings). Dice tomatoes. Finely chop cilantro. Quarter lime. Reserve ½ teaspoon Southwest Spice Blend in a small bowl for step 4 (you’ll use the rest in the next step).
3. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add green pepper and diced onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5-7 minutes. Once sweet potatoes are done, add to pan along with remaining Southwest Spice Blend. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Turn off heat.
4. In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, cilantro, minced onion, a squeeze of lime juice and a large drizzle of olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. To bowl with reserved Southwest Spice Blend, add sour cream, a squeeze of lime juice and a pinch of salt. Stir in water 1 teaspoon at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.
5. Place tortillas on a clean work surface. In a second small bowl, combine cheddar and mozzarella. Sprinkle half the cheese mixture onto one half of each tortilla. Top with veggies, then sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture. Fold tortillas in half to create quesadillas.
6. Wash out pan used for veggies. Heat a drizzle of oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add quesadillas and cook until tortillas are golden brown and cheese melts, 2-4 minutes per side. (Depending on pan size, work in batches.) Cut quesadillas into wedges and divide between plates. Top with salsa and Southwest crema. Serve with remaining lime wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of cheese?

Yes, you can substitute cheddar and mozzarella with Monterey Jack, pepper jack or a Mexican blend. The key is using cheeses that melt well.

How do I make this recipe vegetarian?

Simply omit the ground beef and add extra roasted sweet potatoes or black beans for protein. You can also add more vegetables like corn or bell peppers.

Can I prepare the components ahead of time?

Absolutely! Roast the sweet potatoes and cook the pepper-onion mixture up to 2 days in advance. Store them separately in the fridge. Assemble and cook quesadillas just before serving.