The Best Shrimp Quesadillas

The best shrimp quesadillas is quite a claim as there are so many good ones constantly being made. This recipe is nothing new. Restaurants all over North America and Mexico serve shrimp quesadillas and they are undoubtedly one of the most popular items ordered off of many menus. It’s no wonder that they are so popular among chefs and menus since they are so delicious yet easy to make! You can have these ready in less than 30 minutes!

What ingredients do I need for Shrimp Quesadillas?

These quesadillas use pretty ordinary ingredients and can be assembled in a matter of minutes. You can also adjust according to taste. One benefit of making them at home is adding as much or as little spice as you would like, even if making them for varying tastes by making several.

• Tortillas. In Mexico fresh flour tortillas are often loaded with lard to the extent that they are almost translucent. They are a thing to behold when fresh. When looking for them in the US look for lighter, thinner varieties that tend to be less doughy. Also look on the back, and the less ingredients the better.
• Shrimp. We talk about the quality of shrimp here a lot at thecookinglove.com. We always recommend wild caught where possible. There is nothing wrong with frozen shrimp but they are not all the same. Domestic wild caught shrimp tend to be the best. Again, look on the back of the bag. The ones that say “ingredients: shrimp” are simply the best! Less preservatives and more natural flavor! The size is not as important since they should be small anyways.
• Beans. A lot of people tend to stay away from beans. This is fine, but we recommend using them for them for their creamy texture. We like black beans here but pinto beans work great too!
• Cheese. Choose from oaxaca, chihuaha, jack, or mozzarella. We highly recommend a white milder cheese here.
• Other additions: we use corn, roasted peppers, and scallions, but there are other options. Mushrooms, zucchini, fresh or pickled jalapenos. We like to serve them with a side of guacamole, chopped cilantro, and sour cream also!

Shrimp Quesadillas

These Shrimp Quesadillas are to die for! You'll want to save this recipe to make again and again!

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, dinner, lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4 quesadillas

Calories 348 kcal

Equipment

1 10" Non stick pan 10 inches in diameter

1 small sauce pan or small egg pan

1 rubber spatula

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 each Flour tortillas 10 inches, or 12 inches
• 8 ounces Shrimp chopped into smaller pieces
• 1.5 cups Jack cheese
• .5 cups Corn frozen or fresh kernals
• .5 cups Roasted red peppers chopped
• 3 tbsp Salsa we like to use Valentina's or Tapatio, vinegar based mild salsas
• 1 tbsp Scallion chopped
• 6 ounces Black beans freshly made or canned, pureed into refried style
• 2 tbsp Canola oil
• 1 tbsp Butter
• .5 tsp Sea salt

Instructions

 

• Prep the ingredients. Chop the shrimp, red peppers and scallions into smaller pieces.
  
• Heat the butter in a small sauce pan or non stick pan, then add the shrimp, corn, and peppers. Season with salt and cook for about 3-5 minutes until the shrimp is cooked, then add the salsa. Reserve warm.
  
• In a large non stick pan, heat half the canola oil and lay down a tortilla open faced. Using a spatula, spread half the beans over the tortilla, then sprinkle with half of the cheese. Add half the shrimp mixture followed by half of the scallion. Cook over low heat until the cheese melts and the tortilla becomes slightly browned. Carefully fold in half using the spatula and gently press. When it is glued together, remove onto a cutting board, then repeat the process with the second group of ingredients.
  
• Cut the quesadillas into quarters (triangles) in a fan shaped fashion. Serve hot with condiments of choice such as guacamole, salsa, cilantro, sour cream, pico de gallo, and more. Buen provecho!
  

Notes

Note: We recommend using a vinegar based salsa in the sautee as it cuts the fatty rich textures of the filling. There are any number of these brands but our favorites are Valentina’s and Tapatio. Serve with red or green salsas on the side! In a pinch you can use these inside also but sparingly. 

Nutrition

Serving: 2piecesCalories: 348kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 22gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 117mgSodium: 1377mgPotassium: 340mgFiber: 4gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 715IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 375mgIron: 2mg

Keyword quesadillas, Shrimp

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