Copycat Applebee’s Quesadilla Burger

Total Time Prep: 15 min. Cook: 20 min.
Yield 4 servings
Test Kitchen Approved
This mouthwatering copycat Applebee's quesadilla burger combines juicy beef with layers of cheese, bacon, spicy ranch dressing and fresh pico de gallo. The homemade version is just as good as the restaurant version—or dare we say better?

Ingredients

  • 1-1/3 pounds ground beef
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 4 slices pepper jack cheese
  • 8 street taco or taco flour tortillas
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 4 cooked bacon strips, halved
  • 4 lettuce leaves
  • 1/2 cup chipotle ranch salad dressing
  • 1/2 cup pico de gallo

Directions

  1. Shape ground beef into four 5-in.-wide patties. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add burgers; cook until a thermometer reads 160°, 4-6 minutes on each side. Remove from heat; top with pepper jack cheese. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, place tortillas on a griddle. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheddar cheese on each tortilla. Cook over low heat until cheese is melted, 1-2 minutes; remove from heat. Top half the tortillas with burgers, bacon, lettuce, ranch dressing and pico de gallo; top with remaining tortillas, cheese side down.

Nutrition Facts

1 burger: 925 calories, 67g fat (27g saturated fat), 189mg cholesterol, 1640mg sodium, 23g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 3g fiber), 53g protein.

My niece fell in love with the quesadilla burger from Applebee's and challenged me to make it at home. She says this copycat Applebee's quesadilla burger recipe is pretty darn close to the real thing! —James Schend, Taste of Home Deputy Editor
Recipe Creator

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