Quesadilla Smashed Bacon Cheese Burgers
A juicy smashed beef patty, crispy bacon, melty cheese, and a tangy homemade special sauce are tucked inside a golden, crispy quesadilla shell for a fun twist on burger night.
These easy Smashed Quesadilla Bacon Cheeseburgers are the ultimate mash-up of two comfort food favorites!
If you’ve ever stood in the kitchen torn between tacos and burgers (and who isn’t?)… friend, this recipe was made for you! These Smashed Quesadilla Bacon Cheeseburgers bring all the best parts of a classic diner burger — crispy edges, gooey cheese, smoky bacon, and that irresistible special sauce — wrapped up in a golden, crunchy quesadilla.
It’s fun, a little messy (the best kind of messy!), and guaranteed to make everyone gather around the table asking for seconds. They have been on repeat at this Nest since I made the first one. They are SO good!
Lets grab our aprons and get cooking friends!
Ingredient List
- 1 pound ground beef
- 4 soft taco-sized flour tortillas
- 8 slices cheddar cheese or other favorite sliced cheese.
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning or favorite burger seasoning blend. I like “Cowboy butter” or “Blackstone All-purpose” seasoning.
- ¼ cup bread crumbs
- 8 slices of bacon—cooked and cut in half.
- ½ cup onions, diced and grilled
- 1 large tomato, diced
- 2 cups shredded lettuce — I use iceberg, but any favorite lettuce will work.
- Secret Sauce (See Recipe below) or Thousand Island dressing.
How to Make Quesadilla Smash Burgers
In a medium-sized bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings.
Why add breadcrumbs to the meat mixture? Adding breadcrumbs helps prevent the meat from shrinking during cooking. It also absorbs the fats from the meat, locking the flavor into the patty.
Combine ingredients until well combined. Form meat mixture into 4 individual balls. Flatten slightly and place one ball in the center of each soft taco-sized flour tortilla.
Using your hands and fingertips, press the ground beef out to the edges of the flour tortilla.
Grilling Hamburger Quesadillas
Preheat your griddle to 325° degrees. Whether you are using an indoor electric grill or a large outdoor Blackstone griddle, it will need to be preheated before cooking the burgers. You want to hear that meat sizzle the minute that meat hits the hot griddle.
On the preheated griddle, place each ground beef covered tortilla, meat side down.
Cook for 4–5 minutes until the meat is brown and crispy around the edges. The meat will shrink a bit during cooking. The meat is thin so it won’t take long to cook.
Using a large spatula, flip the quesadilla over and cook until golden brown and crispy.
As the quesadillas finish cooking, cover the top of the burger patties with 2 slices of cheese per quesadilla. Sprinkle one half of each patty with grilled onions. This is totally optional, but I highly recommend adding them! It adds so much flavor to this delicious burger.
Add 2 strips of bacon on one half of the burger on top of the cheese and onions. I recommend cutting each strip of bacon in half so they fit easily on top of the onions.
Assembling Smash Burger Quesadillas
Once the quesadillas are crispy and golden brown, remove them from the griddle and fold them in half.
Now…you can stop here… I mean look at that burger quesadilla! But…if you know me, you know I go “all-in” when it comes to my burgers!
Let’s finish this Quesadilla burger off with a bit of shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and my very special “secret sauce”. The recipe is below.
TIP: If you want to save time, you can use a thousand island salad dressing of your choice and add two tablespoons of buffalo sauce.
I like to cut the quesadilla into thirds for easier serving and eating. However, you can serve them whole or cut them in half. Whatever works best for you and your guests.
Secret Sauce Recipe
In a medium-sized bowl, combine 1 cup of mayonnaise, ½ tablespoon of prepared mustard, 2½ tablespoons Ketchup, 2 Tablespoons Sweet Pickle Relish, and 2 Tablespoons of Franks Buffalo Sauce. Mix to combine. Chill until ready to use. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Recipe Wrap-Up!
This quesadilla burger is the kind of recipe that turns an ordinary meal into something memorable. It comes together quickly. I recommend making the burger mixture ahead of time and storing it in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
I have made this recipe multiple times in the past few weeks. We absolutely LOVE it! I love a good hamburger bun, but I have to say that I’m a fan of the crispy flour tortilla. Less bread means more room for the good stuff. And this smash burger is loaded with the good stuff!
Serve it with fries, or tater tots, a simple salad, or your favorite dipping sauce and watch it disappear fast! (Dipping is mandatory for this dish friends!) I love dipping these triangles into that secret sauce! So tasty!
Other Favorite Burger Recipes
- Easy Tater Tot Burger Bites
- Whiskey Bacon Burger Sliders
- Ultimate Bacon Onion Smash Burgers
- Blue Cheese Bacon Cheese Burger
- Loose Meat Tavern Sandwich Recipe
- Delicious Turkey Burgers from Julia’s Simply Southern
From my kitchen to yours, I hope this playful twist on a classic burger brings plenty of smiles — and maybe even a few happy napkins — to your table. Happy cooking, friends!
Happy Nesting Friends!
Printable Recipe
Quesadilla Smashed Bacon Cheese Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground beef
- 4 Soft taco-sized Flour tortillas
- 8 slices Cheddar cheese
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Al-purpose seasoning salt
- ¼ cup Bread Crumbs
- 8 slices bacon Cooked, and cut in half
- ½ cup onions Diced and grilled
- 1 large tomato diced
- 2 cups Iceberg lettuce Shredded
- 8 tablespoons Secret Sauce
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, bread crumbs, and all-purpose seasoning salt. Mix to combine. Divide into 4 equal portions and shape into balls. Flatten each ball slightly.
- Place a prepared ball of ground beef in the center of each flour tortilla and press it to the edges of each tortilla. Preheat griddle to 325°. Place tortilla meat side down and cook for 4–5 minutes, until the beef is brown and crispy.
- Flip the tortillas over and cook until crispy and golden brown. While the tortilla is cooking, place 2 slices of cheese on each quesadilla on top of the browned ground beef. On one half, sprinkle with sautéed onions and place two slices of bacon per quesadilla on top of the onions.
- Once the quesadilla is crispy and the cheese is melted, remove from the griddle with a spatula and fold each quesadilla in half. Add shredded lettuce, secret sauce, and tomatoes. Cut into quarters and serve immediately with a side of secret sauce for dipping.
