These tasty shrimp quesadillas are packed to the brim with sautéed onions, bell peppers, and gooey cheese. Perfect for an appetizer or crazy easy dinner!
If you’re a fan of gooey quesadillas and quick meals, these shrimp quesadillas deserve a spot on your table. These are somewhat fajita inspired and packed with sautéed onions and bell peppers, juicy, plump shrimp, and so much flavor. Serve them as a tasty appetizer or as the main dish with beans, rice, and other goodies. You can even make your taco seasoning homemade to take them to the next level.
Love quesadilla recipes? Try our ground beef quesadillas (kids love these), breakfast quesadillas, and chicken quesadillas while you’re at it.
How to Prepare Shrimp Quesadillas
Putting together these easy shrimp quesadillas only takes 15 minutes of total time and one large skillet.
- Sauté the Veggies: Preheat a skillet with oil over medium heat. Add in the diced bell pepper and chopped onion and sauté them until tender.
- Add in the Shrimp & Seasoning: Stir the shrimp and taco seasoning into the veggies and sauté until the shrimp are fully cooked. Set the mixture aside in a bowl.
- Assemble the Quesadillas: In the same pan, add a bit of butter and a single tortilla. Stack the cheese (we use Mexican cheese, but feel free to use cheddar or monterey jack cheese), shrimp mixture, and another generous sprinkle of cheese on one half. Fold the tortilla over.
- Cook the Quesadillas: Cook the tortilla until golden. Flip it over and cook for a few minutes on the other side. Repeat. Serve warm with your favorite dips and side dishes. Enjoy!
Hot Tip: We love to cook our quesadillas in butter because it creates such a wonderful golden-brown crust. If you don’t want to use butter, cooking spray or olive oil will do the trick.
Tips for Nailing this Shrimp Quesadilla Recipe
A handful of tips will help you to nail this simple seafood-packed quesadilla.
- Swap the veggies out for your favorites. Feel free to use whatever bell peppers you like most – red, green, and yellow all work great. You can even add in your favorite veggies like minced garlic cloves, sautéed zucchini, jalapeño pepper, mushrooms, or whatever else you’re craving. You can even add some fresh cilantro while you’re at it.
- Keep a watchful eye on your quesadillas. Some stovetops run hotter than others, so be extra careful to ensure you don’t burn your quesadillas. Typically, cooking them over medium heat works great, but feel free to bring them down to medium-low heat if they are cooking too fast.
- Make your own homemade tortillas. Take your quesadillas to the next level and make homemade flour tortillas. The texture is out of this world!
Serving Shrimp Quesadillas
From dips to tasty side dishes, here are a couple of our favorite ways to serve these steak quesadillas.
- Dips & Toppings: Serve the quesadillas alongside pico de gallo, guacamole, tomatillo dressing, salsa, hot sauce, pickled red onions, and sour cream for dipping or topping.
- Corn Salads: Tex-Mex corn salads are the perfect complement to shrimp quesadillas. Corn tomato avocado salad, Mexican street corn salad, and black bean corn salad are all great options.
- Side Dishes: For a complete meal, serve them with cilantro lime rice and cumin-seasoned black beans.
Garnish Suggestion: Serve the quesadillas alongside lime wedges and sprinkle fresh cilantro on top for a nice presentation.
Storing & Reheating Best Practices
To keep your quesadillas on hand for up to 3 days, store them in an airtight container in the fridge. As they sit, the cheese will harden and they will lose their crispy, fresh out of the pan crunch. To reheat them, place in the oven at 350°F just until the cheese is melted. You can also reheat them in an air fryer if you have one.
Hot Tip: Avoid microwaving quesadillas to reheat them – they just turn out soggy!
FAQ
What kind of cheese is best for shrimp quesadillas?
The best kind of cheese for shrimp quesadillas is shredded Mexican cheese because it tends to melt the best. However, you can use pretty much any other shredded cheese you like best. Avoid parmesan cheese, as it doesn’t tend to melt very well and give you that gooey effect you’re looking for.
How long does it take to cook a shrimp quesadilla on the stovetop?
It only takes about 2-3 minutes per side to cook a shrimp quesadilla on the stovetop over medium heat. This can vary depending on how hot your stovetop runs, so always be sure to check the tortilla by lifting it with your spatula to see when it turns golden brown before flipping it. It’s easy to burn quesadillas, so pay close attention!
Can shrimp quesadillas be frozen?
Although shrimp quesadillas are best eaten fresh, you can freeze them for later. To do so, slice them into quarters and allow them to cool down completely. Assemble the quarters on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and pop the baking sheet into the freezer. Once completely frozen, transfer the quesadilla pieces into a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
Can you make shrimp quesadillas in the oven?
Yes, you can make shrimp quesadillas in the oven. That said, they won’t get as crispy as they will in a pan on the stovetop, but this technique works great when you are cooking for a large group. Assemble the quesadillas in a single layer on a baking sheet and cook them for 5 minutes at 400°F on one side. Flip them over and cook them for 5-6 more minutes on the other side. Serve and enjoy!
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes to Try
- Mexican Crock Pot Chicken Recipe – Ultimate meal prep chicken
- 30 Minute Shrimp Fajitas – The easiest weeknight dinner with minimal ingredients!
- Air Fryer Quesadilla – 2 ingredients and ready in no time
- Chicken Tostada Salad Recipe – Meat, beans, & cheese in a baked tortilla shell
- Easy Chicken Fajitas Recipe – Chicken, onions, & bell peppers
- Carne Asada Street Tacos – Juicy steak in corn tortillas
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil olive or avocado
- 1 large bell pepper diced
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 lb uncooked shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning
- 2 tbsp butter
- 6 flour tortillas
- 2 cups Mexican cheese
Instructions
- Preheat a skillet with oil over medium heat. Add in the diced bell pepper and onion and sauté them for 5 minutes or until veggies soften.
- Add the shrimp and taco seasoning. Cook until the shrimp begins to turn pink. Transfer everything to a bowl and set it aside.
- Preheat a pan with a bit of butter. On half of the tortilla, add the cheese, shrimp mixture, and more cheese. Fold the tortilla over.
- Once the tortilla is golden, flip it over and cook for a few more minutes until the other side is also golden. Repeat the same steps with the rest of quesadillas. Enjoy!
This is the perfect recipe for those busy weeknights! It's so delicious and easy to make.
Hi Olivia, I am glad to hear you love this recipe. Thank you for the feedback. Enjoy!
Our family loves cheesy quesadillas. This is a great way to mix it up. The shrimp adds a nice flavor.
Hi Erin, Thank you for your feedback, I am so glad to hear you love the recipe! Enjoy!
This was so easy and turned out delicious! Thank you!
Hi Erin, So glad to hear that! Enjoy!