Easy Cheeseburger Quesadillas (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ For the tangy special sauce

01 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
02 - 1/3 cup ketchup
03 - 2 tablespoons pickle juice
04 - 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
05 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
06 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ For the cheeseburger quesadillas

07 - 1 pound ground beef (80/20 works best)
08 - 4 flour tortillas (8-inch size)
09 - 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
10 - 24 dill pickle chips (optional, but highly recommended)

→ For the crisp wedge salads

11 - 1 head iceberg lettuce, cored and quartered into wedges
12 - 8 cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
13 - 1 shallot, finely diced

# Instructions:

01 - Grab a small mixing bowl and whisk together the mayo, ketchup, pickle juice, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper—about half a teaspoon of salt and a quarter teaspoon of pepper works perfectly. Set this aside while you work on everything else.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add your ground beef. Break it up as it cooks, letting it brown nicely for about 6 to 8 minutes until fully cooked. Drain off any excess grease, then set the beef aside.
03 - Wipe out the skillet you just used and give it a light coating of nonstick spray. Place it back on the stove over medium heat.
04 - Lay one tortilla flat in the warmed skillet. Sprinkle half a cup of cheese on one side of the tortilla, then add a quarter of your cooked beef on top. Layer on some pickle chips if you're using them, then top everything with another half cup of cheese. Fold the tortilla in half and let it cook for about 2 minutes until the bottom turns golden and the cheese starts melting.
05 - Carefully flip your quesadilla over and cook the other side until it's golden brown and all that cheese is perfectly melted. Move it to a plate and cover to keep warm while you repeat the process with the remaining three tortillas.
06 - Cut each finished quesadilla in half, then stack two halves on each serving plate.
07 - Place one lettuce wedge on each plate alongside the quesadillas. Scatter the chopped shallots and quartered cherry tomatoes over the lettuce. Drizzle that delicious special sauce over both the quesadillas and the salad, and put extra sauce on the table for anyone who wants more.

# Notes:

01 - For the juiciest flavor, use 80/20 ground beef instead of leaner options. Just make sure to drain it well on paper towels after cooking to avoid greasy quesadillas.
02 - The pickle chips are totally optional—skip them if you're not a fan, but they really complete the authentic cheeseburger taste. Claussen Kosher Dill Pickle Chips work wonderfully here.
03 - Feel free to swap the iceberg lettuce for romaine, Bibb, Boston, leaf lettuce, or little gem if you prefer.
04 - This recipe yields 4 hearty quesadillas (each made with a single tortilla and about a quarter pound of beef) plus 4 wedge salads.
05 - Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days when stored in a covered container.
06 - You can make the special sauce up to 3 days ahead and keep it refrigerated until you're ready to use it.
07 - Consider making a double batch of the special sauce—it's fantastic on reubens, sandwiches, and regular garden salads throughout the week.

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