Shrimp Scampi folks will love this Shrimp Quesadilla Recipe! It’s easy and so simple to make! Toasted flour tortillas are stuffed with garlicky-seasoned shrimp and mozzarella cheese! Squeeze some lemon wedges and you have a 5-star seafood dish!
Quesadillas make such a quick breakfast, lunch, or dinner! Make your own Homemade Flour Tortillas for taco night and enjoy this Breakfast Quesadillas Recipe or Restaurant Quesadillas for an easy meal! We love to dip quesadillas into Pico De Gallo Recipe and sour cream. And if you have an avocado, mash it for this guacamole side!
Shrimp Quesadillas
Get excited to make this one-pan shrimp dish! It’s so easy to prepare and super tasty! I have posted a shrimp quesadilla clip on my Instagram page, and some of you wanted the recipe, so here it is!
A huge thanks to my friend Monica, who told me how she makes these delicious quesadillas for her family. This easy recipe for shrimp quesadillas was loved by her children and sounded easy enough to try. Besides, shrimp is such a handy freezer food along with tortillas to quickly thaw and cook in recipes like these (much cheaper than lobster, too.)
In case you were wondering, I used large 16-20 raw shrimp that I quickly thawed in water and removed the peels from. Raw shrimp only takes minutes to cook and if all you have is cooked shrimp toss them into the skillet with the spices and skip the step of shelling.
You can toast these on the grill or right in the pan and as far as toppings–fill them with crab meat, spinach, or chicken for more protein. But really, add in anything you need to use up like corn, beans, or peppers.
Finally, use spices of choice to achieve the seasoned shrimp you want. For instance, shrimp fajita is perfect with sautéed bell peppers whereas, blackened seasoning would be great with corn or black beans.
Best Shrimp Quesadillas
Further-ado, simple shrimp quesadillas are on the top 10 of quesadilla recipes because shrimp thaw in minutes. Sprinkle on some old bay seasoning, creole, garlic, and seasoned salt–wrap it in a tortilla with cheese and toast until crispy. It doesn’t get easier than that unless you own an air-fryer.
My favorite sauce for shrimp quesadillas is sour cream but go ahead and garnish with cilantro and lime juice for a Mexican vibe or go the plain Shrimp Scampi way with freshly squeezed lemon and don’t forget to sear pan your shrimp in butter!
When making quesadillas at home, you’ll need large burrito-sized flour tortillas or Grande ones. Since a quesadilla is typically cut into 4 wedges you’ll want to fill with the toppings and them fold into a half-moon shape. This shape helps the filling from oozing out when toasting. On the other hand, if all you have is fajita-sized flour tortillas just stack the tortillas over the filling right over each other. This will work just fine, however, the quesadilla will be much smaller. You can make shrimp quesadillas with raw or fully cooked shrimp. Simply thaw the shrimp and pat them dry so the seasonings can stick. Then, fry the raw shrimp until no longer pink. Cooked shrimp can be seasoned and pan-seared just until heated thoroughly and seared. With tortillas and cheese in the fridge, you can turn this quesadilla into any seafood combination, that you wish! Cooking with shrimp is so easy and simple. Before you begin you’ll want to first thaw any frozen shrimp. This takes minutes to do and brings out the best of the shrimp flavors. The best way to serve shrimp quesadillas is with a side of sour cream and lemon wedges. Here are other fun ideas: How To Store Shrimp Quesadillas: Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. If making ahead assemble the quesadillas and store them wrapped in the fridge until needed. To reheat: bake in a pre-heated 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes or revive the quesadillas in a skillet. This can also be microwaved in the oven every 30 seconds until hot. FAQ
What Size Tortillas?
Raw or Cooked Shrimp?
Shrimp Quesadilla Ingredients:
How To Make Shrimp Quesadillas:
What To Serve Shrimp Quesadillas With?
Equipment For Making Quesadillas:
Tips:
- Frying the flour tortillas in butter or oil will create a super crispy skin.
- Use any grated cheese blend. Keep in mind shredded mozzarella cheese is saltier than other cheeses, so season shrimp accordingly.
- Choose large raw shrimp as they shrink in size when cooking.
- Garnish fried shrimps with freshly squeezed lemon wedges for a seafood treat!
How To Make Shrimp Quesadillas:
Shrimp Quesadilla Recipe
Equipment
- 10 or 12-inch cast-iron pan
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs large raw shrimp (thawed and patted dry)
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese
- 6 large flour tortillas
Seasoning:
- 5 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 1/4 tsp garlic salt
- 1/4 tsp seasoning salt
- 1/2 tsp creole seasoning
- 1/2 tsp old bay seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat a cast-iron skillet with butter and olive oil over medium heat.
- Season the shrimp evenly on both sides. Fry on each side until shrimp turns pink (2 minutes.)
- Remove the shrimp and place the skillet back on the stove. Add an additional 2 tbsp of grease and reduce the temperature to low heat.
- To Assemble Quesadillas: coarsely chop the cooked shrimp. Place 1/2 cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup the shrimp evenly over a large tortilla. Fold in half and toast on each side until the cheese melts.
