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Juicy Ground Venison Quesadillas with Lime Crema Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 109 reviews

This recipe features juicy ground venison quesadillas packed with flavorful spices, sautéed vegetables, and melty Mexican blend cheese. Served with a tangy lime crema and fresh toppings like pico de gallo and guacamole, these quesadillas offer a perfect balance of savory and zesty flavors for a satisfying meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Venison Filling

  • 1 lb ground venison (or any ground game meat)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 package taco seasoning (Old El Paso recommended)
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 diced poblano pepper (about 1/2-inch dice)
  • 1.5 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Lime Crema

  • 1/4 cup sour cream (full-fat preferred)
  • 1/2 lime, zested and juiced

For Assembly and Serving

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 flour tortillas (8-inch or 10-inch)
  • 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
  • Pico de gallo, guacamole, fresh cilantro, for topping

Instructions

  1. Cook the Vegetables: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced yellow onion and diced poblano pepper, and cook until softened and fragrant, forming a flavorful base for the venison mixture.
  2. Cook the Venison: Add the ground venison to the skillet with the cooked vegetables along with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook thoroughly until the venison is browned and no longer pink, mixing well with the onions and peppers.
  3. Prepare the Lime Crema: While the venison cooks, combine sour cream with lime zest and juice in a small bowl. Stir until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. If needed, add water one teaspoon at a time to reach desired consistency. Season with salt to taste and refrigerate until serving.
  4. Finish the Venison Mixture: Stir in taco seasoning, ground cumin, tomato paste, minced garlic, water, and a splash of lime juice into the browned venison. Cook together for 1-2 minutes to meld flavors, then remove from heat.
  5. Assemble the Quesadillas: Lay one flour tortilla flat. Spoon about ½ cup of the venison mixture onto half of the tortilla and spread evenly. Sprinkle with shredded Mexican blend cheese, then fold the tortilla over to enclose the filling.
  6. Cook and Serve the Quesadillas: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the folded quesadilla until browned on one side, then carefully flip to brown the other side. Remove from skillet once both sides are golden and cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Cut each quesadilla in half, top with lime crema and desired toppings like pico de gallo, guacamole, and fresh cilantro, and serve hot.

Notes

  • Use full-fat sour cream for a richer lime crema texture.
  • If lime crema is too thick, thin with small amounts of water until desired consistency is reached.
  • Ground venison can be substituted with other lean game meats or beef.
  • Adjust spice seasoning to your preference by adding more or less taco seasoning and cumin.
  • For a gluten-free version, substitute flour tortillas with gluten-free tortillas.
  • Ensure the skillet is preheated properly before cooking quesadillas to get a crispy outside.

Keywords: venison quesadilla, ground venison, Mexican recipe, lime crema, taco seasoning, poblano pepper, skillet quesadilla, game meat recipe

Find it online: https://platedbyemma.com/juicy-ground-venison-quesadillas-with-lime-crema-recipe/