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Cheesy Quesarito (Taco Bell Copycat)

This Cheesy Quesarito (Taco Bell copycat) features seasoned ground beef, Spanish rice, nacho cheese, shredded cheese, and chipotle sauce, all wrapped in a cheese‑filled tortilla and toasted to perfection.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Taco Meat:
  • 1  lb ground beef
  • ¼  cup water
  • 1  Tbsp taco seasoning
For the Spanish Rice:
  • 2  Tbsp olive oil
  • ¼  cup finely chopped onion
  • 1½  cups uncooked long‑grain white rice
  • 2  cups chicken broth
  • 1  cup chunky salsa
  • 1  tsp garlic salt
  • 1  tsp ground cumin
For the Chipotle Sauce:
  • ½  cup sour cream
  • 2  tsp chipotle sauce from adobo can
  • 1  tsp chili powder
  • ½  tsp sugar
  • ½  tsp salt
  • ½  tsp ground cumin
  • ½  tsp paprika
  • ¼  tsp garlic powder
  • ¼  tsp onion powder
  • For Assembling the Quesaritos:
  • 8 burrito‑sized flour tortillas
  • 1  cup nacho cheese sauce
  • 2  cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
  • ½  cup sour cream
  • 1  Tbsp olive oil for toasting

Method
 

Prepare the Taco Meat:
  1. In a skillet over medium‑high heat, brown the ground beef and crumble until no pink remains. Add taco seasoning and water, stir well, and simmer for 3‑5 minutes until thickened.
Cook the Spanish Rice:
  1. In another large skillet, heat olive oil and sauté onion until translucent (~5 minutes). Stir in rice and toast until light golden. Pour in chicken broth and salsa, then season with garlic salt and cumin. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer ~20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed.
Make the Chipotle Sauce:
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, chipotle sauce, chili powder, sugar, salt, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder until smooth. Set aside.
Assemble the Quesaritos:
  1. Warm the tortillas (wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave ~30 seconds) to make them pliable.
  2. On 4 of the tortillas, spread ~2‑3 tablespoons of nacho cheese sauce, then sprinkle shredded Mexican cheese blend. Top each with the remaining 4 tortillas to form a cheesy quesadilla‑style base.
  3. On each quesadilla stack, layer taco meat, Spanish rice, a drizzle of chipotle sauce, and a spoonful of sour cream. Fold in sides and roll tightly like a burrito.
Toast & Serve:
  1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium‑high heat. Place each rolled quesarito seam‑side down and cook ~2‑3 minutes per side until the exterior is golden and crisp. Serve immediately.

Notes

Use freshly shredded cheese for best melt—avoid pre‑shredded to prevent grainy texture.
Don’t overfill the tortillas—too much filling makes rolling difficult and causes leakage.
Start with warm tortillas; cold ones crack when rolling.