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    Home » Handheld Bites » Tuna Quesadillas (like a cheesy tuna melt!)

    Tuna Quesadillas (like a cheesy tuna melt!)

    April 5, 2021 By Dawn - Girl Heart Food 6 Comments

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    Stack of seven cheesy tuna quesadillas.

    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!

    Stack of seven cheesy tuna quesadillas.

    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 ol’ 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 ’em for yourself and you’ll see just how yummy they are!

    Why We Love This Tuna Quesadilla Recipe

    • Made with some pretty simple pantry and fridge items
    • 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.

    Tuna quesadilla filling in a white bowl and a spoon dunked into the filling.

    Then, distribute half of both cheeses on top of one half of each tortilla.

    Shredded cheese on one half of a flour tortilla.

    Top the cheese with the tuna salad mixture.

    Shredded cheese and canned tuna mixture on one half of a flour tortilla.

    Then, top with more cheese and, yay, potato chips for crunch!

    Shredded cheese, canned tuna mixture and potato chips on one half of a flour tortilla.

    Fold over your tortilla so it’s a half-moon shape.

    Tuna quesadilla on a sheet pan before being pan fried.

    Then, it’s just a matter of pan frying until the outside gets all crispy, golden and delicious and the cheese has melted inside.

    Crispy tuna quesadillas in a non-stick pan.

    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!

    Crispy tuna and cheese quesadillas on a sheet pan.

    Best Canned Tuna To Use

    For this tuna quesadilla recipe, use a quality canned tuna packed in water, not oil.

    You can either opt for a ‘chunk’ tuna or ‘flake’. If you use a chunky version, just break up the tuna a bit when preparing your quesadilla filling.

    More Recipe Tips

    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.

    Speaking of potato chips, they 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.

    Hand holding a cheesy tuna quesadilla.

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    Sides to Serve With

    • 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
    Stack of four cheesy tuna quesadillas with a taller stack of quesadillas behind it.

    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

    Hope you love these easy seafood quesadillas as much as we do!

    If you try these cheesy tuna quesadillas, be sure to leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed!

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    Stack of seven cheesy tuna quesadillas.

    Tuna Quesadillas (like a cheesy tuna melt!)

    Dawn – Girl Heart Food
    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!
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 12 mins
    Total Time 22 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 12 pieces

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 (6 ounce) cans of flaked tuna in water , drained well (about two (170 gram) cans)
    • ⅓ cup kosher dill pickle , chopped small (about 1 small to medium pickle)
    • 3 tablespoons mayo
    • pinch salt
    • pinch black pepper
    • 3 tablespoons chives , chopped (or use green onion)
    • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
    • 1.5 cups Monterey Jack cheese , shredded (about 6 ounces)
    • 1.5 cups mild cheddar cheese , shredded (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 powder until well combined.
    • Distribute ½ of both Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese over top of one half of each tortilla.
    • Then, 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 non-stick 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.
    • Add two quesadillas to 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.

    Keyword canned tuna recipe, quesadiilla recipe, seafood quesadillas
    Tried this recipe? Snap a pic!Mention @dawn.girlheartfood or tag #girlheartfood

    © Girl Heart Food.  All images and content are COPYRIGHT PROTECTED. Please do not use any images without prior permission.  Please do not republish this recipe.  If you want to reference this recipe, link directly back to this post. Thank you.

    Previous Post: « Buffalo Chicken Wrap (made in about 10 minutes!)
    Next Post: Roasted Sweet Potato Chunks (with taco seasoning) »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop

      April 07, 2021 at 11:16 am

      5 stars
      What a great lunch idea! I do love a good quesadilla and turning it into a flavor packed quesadilla is perfect. I can’t wait to bite into those crunchy chips! What a great idea. 🙂

      Reply
    2. Michelle | Sift & Simmer

      April 07, 2021 at 1:09 am

      5 stars
      What a fantastic idea putting chips into the quesadilla! And you are the queen of the stacked foods, my friend!

      Reply
    3. Katherine | Love In My Oven

      April 07, 2021 at 12:24 am

      5 stars
      Those potato chips in this are the BEST!! I can’t wait to try this for lunch soon Dawn! We’ve always got canned tuna on hand too.

      Reply
    4. Valentina

      April 06, 2021 at 4:04 pm

      Dawn, this will be a big hit at my house. We love tuna melts and who doesn’t love a good quesadilla!? And those chips! Brilliant! 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply
    5. David @ Spiced

      April 06, 2021 at 10:44 am

      5 stars
      What a fun idea, Dawn! I love a good tuna fish sandwich, and I also love quesadillas…but I’ve never combined them together into one. This definitely needs to happen. Definitely!

      Reply
    6. Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers

      April 05, 2021 at 4:52 pm

      5 stars
      I love this idea! I am a big fan of tuna melts and this is just a fabulous hand-held version. And love the addition of chips 🙂

      Reply

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    Hi and welcome to Girl Heart Food! I’m Dawn and I’m so happy you stopped by. I LOVE to cook and share my recipes. I’m obsessed with cheese, fresh veggies and homemade nut butters. Being in the kitchen is my happy place. Hope you find something that inspires you to get into the kitchen too.

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