Made with some pretty humble ingredients, these cheesy tuna quesadillas take a simple can of tuna up a notch and turn it into something extra special! Made in under 30 minutes, this tuna quesadilla recipe is sure to be a favourite for your next taco Tuesday!
If you’ve been following along for a little bit, you know how we love canned fish recipes and we love quesadilla recipes.
So, something awesome was bound to happen …
Cheesy tuna quesadillas!
These quesadillas are a delicious collision of all the yummy things.
It’s like tuna salad meets tuna melt meets cheesy quesadillas.
Whatever it is, it’s freaking awesome!
When I started to dream up these seafood quesadillas (because I’m pretty much always thinking about food), I was thinking, “What goes with tuna melt or tuna salad?”
Then it came to me. Like I always do, I have a big pickle and side of potato chips with my sandwich. So, instead of having a pickle or chips on the side of the tuna quesadillas, I put them inside!
Man, oh man. Talk about good.
Just try them for yourself and you’ll see just how yummy they are!
Why We Love This Tuna Quesadilla Recipe
- These tuna quesadillas are made with some pretty simple pantry and fridge items.
- This recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes.
- They taste so freaking good!
How to Make Tuna Quesadillas
Full details are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:
In a bowl, mix the tuna quesadilla filling ingredients together.
Distribute half of both cheeses on top of one half of each tortilla.
Top the cheese with the tuna salad mixture.
Then, top with more cheese and, yay, potato chips for crunch!
Fold over each tortilla so it’s a half-moon shape.
Now it’s just a matter of cooking the tuna quesadillas (in batches) in a greased pan until the outside gets all crispy, golden and delicious and the cheese is melted inside.
Once the quesadillas are cooked, you can cut them in half.
Invite some friends over, or not; I mean, I guess it really depends on how hungry you are, right?!
I just love that little cheese skirt on the exterior of the quesadillas. As the cheese melts, some of it seeps into the pan and gets all crispy and delicious. Oh the little things!
Best Canned Tuna To Use
For this tuna quesadilla recipe, use a quality canned tuna packed in water, not oil.
You can use either a chunk or flaked canned tuna. If you use a chunk tuna, just break up the tuna a bit when preparing your quesadilla filling.
Tips for Making This Recipe
- You don’t have to add the potato chips to these tuna quesadillas, but I just love the flavour and texture they add. You want something crunchy, like a kettle chip, versus a more delicate potato chip.
- The potato chips are crispiest when the quesadillas are enjoyed as they are made.
- I used a combo of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese in these quesadillas, but you could use all of one or the other if you prefer.
- Ensure your canned tuna is drained well so it doesn’t make things soggy.
- I didn’t use a whole lot of mayo to bind the quesadilla filling, but if you’d like to use another tablespoon, go for it.
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Sides to Serve With These Quesadillas
- Potato chips (potato chips in these tuna melt quesadillas and potato chips alongside; delicious, right?)
- French fries
- Simple side salad
- Corn and black bean and quinoa salad
Quesadilla Dipping Sauces
Enjoy these tuna quesadillas as they are or serve with any of these dipping sauces:
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Hot sauce
- Tzatziki (this isn’t a traditional quesadilla dipping sauce, but it pairs lovely with these tuna quesadillas)
More Easy Quesadilla Recipes
- Ground Beef Quesadillas
- Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas
- Ground Turkey Quesadillas
- Black Bean Quesadillas
- Refried Bean Quesadillas
If you make these cheesy tuna quesadillas, be sure to leave a comment below!
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Tuna Quesadillas (like a cheesy tuna melt!)
Ingredients
- 2 (6 ounce) cans of flaked tuna in water , drained well (about two (170 gram) cans)
- ⅓ cup chopped kosher dill pickle (chopped small) (about 1 small to medium pickle)
- 3 tablespoons mayo
- pinch salt
- pinch freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (or use green onion)
- ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1.5 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 6 ounces)
- 1.5 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)
- 40 grams kettle salt & vinegar chips (about 1 small bag)
- 6 flour tortillas (each about 7 to 8 inches in diameter)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil , for pan frying the quesadillas
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. This is used to keep your quesadillas warm while you are pan frying your batches.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix tuna with kosher dill pickle, mayo, salt, black pepper, chives, and cayenne pepper until well combined.
- Distribute ½ of both Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese over top of one half of each tortilla.
- Top cheese with tuna mixture (about ⅓ cup per tortilla).
- Top tuna mixture with remaining cheese and distribute potato chips over top (crush any larger potato chips if needed).
- Fold over each tortilla so it's a half-moon shape.Note: If your tortillas differ from the size used here, the quantity of quesadillas you yield may vary.
- To cook quesadillas, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat and gently swirl around to coat.Note: Cook the quesadillas in batches, two quesadillas at a time, adding more oil to the pan between batches.
- Place two quesadillas in the pan. Cook quesadillas for 2 minutes on one side.
- Carefully flip the quesadillas to the other side and continue to cook for another 2 minutes or until they're golden brown and crispy on the outside and the cheese has melted inside (carefully watch to ensure they don't burn). Once done, transfer the quesadillas to a sheet pan and place into your preheated oven to keep warm while you are continuing to cook the remaining quesadillas.
- Repeat process to cook remaining quesadillas.
- Once done, cut each tortilla in half so you end up with 12 pieces. Serve with your favourite dipping sauce or enjoy as is!
Nutrition estimate (if provided) is based on 1 Serving.
Nutrition information (if provided) is provided as a courtesy and should be considered an estimate only. Ingredients can vary and Girl Heart Food makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are guidelines only.
