Copycat Applebee’s Quesadilla Burger (Better Than the Original)

Name: Quesadilla Burger
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 6 tablespoons avocado oil (divided); 8 6-inch tortillas (fajita size); 8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese ((~2 cups)); 1 lb. ground beef (we used 85/15); 2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon ground black pepper; 8 slices pepper jack cheese; 1 cup shredded lettuce; 1 cup fresh pico de gallo; 8 slices cooked bacon; ½ cup ranch dressing; 3 tablespoons of your favorite salsa; 1 tablespoon taco seasoning (we used homemade but you can use store bought, too)

By Emily Richter

5 from 3 votes

7/27/2026

Jump to Recipe Email Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

I’m a nostalgic eater, and this quesadilla burger really brings me back — straight to college happy hours, when I was always trying to get the best bang for my buck. I love how flavorful the burger patty is here, and once you swap in crispy, cheese-crusted tortillas for a bun, it just hits different. This copycat quesadilla burger is better than the drive-thru original, and I’m sharing exactly how I make it at home.

Recipe Summary: This copycat quesadilla burger swaps the bun for two crispy, cheese-crusted tortillas and layers in a juicy pepper jack burger, crunchy bacon, and a tangy Mexi-ranch sauce. It’s the same combo Applebee’s made famous, but home-cooked and ready in 30 minutes. Perfect for burger night, taco night, or your next summer cookout.

Copycat Applebees quesadilla burger stacked on a plate.

Why You’ll Love This Quesadilla Burger

Better than the drive-thru: The homemade version wins every time — fresh pepper jack that actually melts, real bacon, and none of the fast-food grease.
Customizable for burger night or taco night: This quesadilla burger works for both, so it’s an easy fit for a themed dinner where everyone can build their own.
Ready in 30 minutes: This comes together fast enough for a weeknight, but it still feels like a special occasion.
Built for summer grilling: The whole thing adapts easily to the grill, so it’s just as at home at a cookout as it is on the stovetop (more on that below).

I like to add extra bacon and ranch dressing to mine every time 😋 — that’s my one non-negotiable topping rule for this burger.

Featured Comment

“Made this for my husband, and he loved it! -Alyssa

“This TRULY is better than the original! Love love love that you guys created this copycat recipe.” -Kris

Ingredients for copycat Applebees quesadilla burgers in bowls.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Tortillas: 6-inch, fajita-size flour tortillas. Anything larger will overwhelm your burger patty.
Shredded cheddar cheese: This gets baked right onto the tortillas for that crispy, cheese-crusted crust.
Ground beef: I used 85/15 for the best balance of flavor and juiciness.
Pepper jack cheese: This is the main source of heat in this burger.
Shredded lettuce: For crunch and freshness.
Pico de gallo: Adds brightness between the layers.
Cooked bacon: I always add extra — see my topping rule above.
Ranch dressing: The base of the Mexi-ranch sauce.
Salsa: Use your favorite here — anything will work.
Taco seasoning: I recommend homemade taco seasoning, but store-bought works too.
Avocado oil: For brushing the baking sheets before toasting the tortillas.
Salt and pepper: To season the patties.

try it!

Copycat Crunchwrap Supreme

Looking for more copycat recipes? Skip the drive thru and make my copycat crunchwrap supreme.

get recipe

Pepperjack cheese on top of burger patties in a skillet.

How to Make the Best Quesadilla Burger

The whole trick to a quesadilla burger that holds together — instead of falling apart in your hands — is toasting the tortillas with cheese before you build anything. It took me a few burnt-edge tortillas to figure this out, but here’s why it matters: a raw flour tortilla has no structural integrity once it hits the heat and moisture from a hot patty. It goes soft, then soggy, and the whole burger collapses. Pre-toasting the tortillas with the shredded cheddar creates a light, crisp crust that acts like a bun and actually holds everything together, so don’t skip that step.

From there, it’s just building the patties, melting the pepper jack, and mixing up the Mexi-ranch sauce (ranch, salsa, and taco seasoning). I always cook the patties over high heat so they develop a good sear, and I use my instant-read thermometer to make sure they hit 160ºF for ground beef before I pull them — that’s the one step I never skip, since it’s an easy way to end up with an undercooked or overcooked patty if you’re just eyeballing it. Full step-by-step instructions, exact temperatures, and timing are in the recipe card below.

The start of building a copycat Applebees quesadilla burger on a plate.

How to Grill Quesadilla Burgers (Summer Variation)

This quesadilla burger recipe is one of my favorite ways to switch things up for a cookout, since the whole build adapts easily to the grill. Set up two zones: a direct-heat zone for the patties and a cooler, indirect zone to keep the tortillas warm without burning them. If I’m cooking everything outside, I crisp the cheese-topped tortillas on a griddle attachment or in a foil packet over the indirect side while the patties finish over direct heat.

I love this format for a cookout because there’s no bun to keep track of, and it turns into an easy build-your-own bar — I’ll set out the patties, toasted tortillas, and all the toppings so everyone can stack their own quesadilla burger exactly how they like it.

Recipe Variations

You can always make variations to this recipe to make it your own. Feel free to substitute ground turkey for the beef, use a different cheese instead of pepper jack, swap in a veggie burger patty, or make it spicier with fresh jalapeño slices. For extra cheesy melt, I’ll sometimes double-stack two thinner patties instead of one — it’s an easy way to get more cheese pull in every bite.

Looking for another cheese-stuffed patty? Try my Juicy Lucy Burgers for even more melt.

Serving Ideas

I highly recommend serving this burger with my Mexican Corn Salad, tortilla chips and salsa or Taco Dip, Queso Fresco Dip, or this Elote Queso. For a quick dip alongside chips, my Cottage Cheese Queso is a great shortcut. And since this burger works just as well for taco night, a Walking Taco bar is a fun pairing for a full spread — this one is even featured in my Cheesy Memorial Day Recipes roundup for a summer cookout.

FAQs

Does Applebee’s still serve the Quesadilla Burger?

Yes — most Applebee’s locations still carry the Quesadilla Burger on their menu. It’s built with two slices of pepper jack cheese, Mexi-ranch sauce, applewood-smoked bacon, and pico, all inside toasted flour tortillas instead of a bun.

What size tortillas should I use for a quesadilla burger?

Stick with 6-inch (fajita/street-taco size) flour tortillas. Anything larger overwhelms the patty and makes the burger hard to hold; anything smaller won’t fully wrap the toppings. I size my burger patties to match — about 5 inches across before cooking, since they’ll shrink slightly as they cook.

What makes the Quesadilla Burger spicy?

The pepper jack cheese is the main source of heat here. If you want it spicier, add fresh jalapeño slices or swap in a spicier salsa; for a milder version, swap the pepper jack for plain cheddar or Monterey Jack.

Can I make this quesadilla burger on the grill?

Yes — grill the patties over direct heat and crisp the cheese-topped tortillas on a griddle attachment or foil packet over indirect heat so they don’t burn while the patties finish. It’s one of my favorite ways to make these for a summer cookout since everything cooks outside at once.

Can I make this ahead or meal prep it?

I recommend cooking the components (patties, toasted tortillas, Mexi-ranch sauce) ahead and assembling right before serving — a fully built quesadilla burger gets soggy if it sits. Store components separately in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat the patties and tortillas in a skillet before building.

What should I serve with quesadilla burgers?

My go-to pairings are Mexican Corn Salad, Elote Queso, or Cottage Cheese Queso with chips. For a full taco-night spread, add a Walking Taco bar alongside it so everyone can build their own plate.

All the fixings for a copycat Applebees quesadilla burger on a plate.

Top Tips for Quesadilla Burgers

Not all taco seasoning is created equal: I love Fit Foodie Finds homemade taco seasoning because the flavor can’t be beat. I like to make a large batch to keep on hand!

Use 6-inch flour tortillas: Corn tortillas will have a difficult time keeping all your quesadilla burger ingredients in place. I recommend flour tortillas, and making sure they’re the 6-inch size for the perfect pairing with your burger patty.

Make it your own: Don’t love pepper jack cheese? Use cheddar! Want to use turkey burgers? Go for it! Make this quesadilla burger your own for the perfect taco night.

How to Store Quesadilla Burgers

I recommend eating your quesadilla burger fresh, but you can absolutely save it for later. To meal prep, I cook the components (patties, toasted tortillas, and Mexi-ranch sauce) ahead and store them separately rather than assembling the whole burger — a fully built quesadilla burger gets soggy if it sits.

Transfer your leftover components (or a fully assembled burger) into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat the patties and tortillas in a skillet before building or re-serving.