Shrimp Quesadillas
Quesadilla lovers, meet your new weeknight obsession — shrimp quesadillas! Slightly spiced, honey-glazed shrimp is layered with melty cheese and cooked in a crispy golden tortilla for a dinner that’s flavorful, filling, and on the table in just 20 minutes. It’s a family-friendly meal everyone can customize with their favorite fresh toppings, and it’s become one of our weeknight dinner favorites.
🌮 Yes, We’re Quesadilla-Obsessed.
And by we, I mean me. 😜 I started making a steady rotation of quesadillas when my kids were toddlers. While they still love plain cheese quesadillas, I’ve experimented with a variety of proteins, beans, and veggies in mine, and it’s a meal that always feels quick, easy, and satisfying.
A few years back, I had the best quesadilla of my life in Mexico (yes, it was on a beach, no, that wasn’t what made it so amazing) and since then, I’ve been a queso asadero or queso Oaxaca girl. Costco has it in a large bag, and your other grocery stores or Mexican markets should also have it. Anyway, these shrimp quesadillas are always a weeknight win, they are…
🦐 Quick-cooking: Shrimp cooks in just a few minutes, making this one of the fastest proteins for weeknight dinners.
🧀 Irresistibly cheesy: Melty cheese in every single bite makes these quesadillas completely addictive.
🌮 Crispy & golden: The tortillas cook up perfectly golden-brown for that satisfying crunch in every bite.
🌶️ Perfectly spiced: A blend of cumin, smoked paprika, and honey gives the shrimp a mild, sweet-smoky flavor you’ll want on repeat.
🕒 Ready in 20 minutes: Lightning-fast and pantry-friendly — this is dinner handled on the busiest of nights.
👨👩👧👦 Totally customizable: Everyone can load up their own quesadilla with their favorite fresh toppings.
These shrimp quesadillas are great with a spread of fresh toppings, but a few sides really round out the meal. Refried black beans are a natural pairing and come together quickly. Elote in a cup adds a fun, delicious touch. And if you want something fresh and filling on the side, the black bean quinoa salad is a great match — or go all out and add a bowl of Chipotle copycat corn salsa for the table.
Quick and easy, great for fast dinners! –Kaci
Ingredient Notes
You’ll need some fresh ingredients and pantry staples for these quesadillas with shrimp: tortillas, raw shrimp, cheese, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, honey, and fresh toppings.
- Shrimp: Use raw shrimp that have the peels and tails removed to minimize prep time. I prefer raw shrimp as I think it has the best flavor, but you could use precooked shrimp if you prefer, just adjust the cooking time as it won’t take as long. Since we are chopping up the shrimp, you can buy smaller shrimp and save a bit on your grocery bill.
Emily’s Tips & Tricks
- Cooking methods: If you’re cooking for a crowd, try these baked quesadillas that make it easy to cook multiple quesadillas at the same time. Follow directions, but add the spiced shrimp before baking.
- Feeding kids without pressure: My kids still don’t necessarily love anything but cheese quesadillas (except for the ground beef quesadillas!), so I will usually ask if they want them plain or with shrimp and offer some of the shrimp mixture on the side if they want. And then let them add the toppings as desired. As always, serve the meal with a few items you know your kids will eat, like fruit, milk, and/or bread and butter if they don’t do tortillas.
- Additions: If you wanted to bump up the veggies a bit, try adding some sauteed mushrooms, spinach, bell peppers, and/or onions.
Easy Shrimp Quesadillas Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
These irresistibly delicious shrimp quesadillas are packed with spiced shrimp and layers of cheese. Quick and easy for weeknights.
Ingredients
For spiced shrimp:
- 1 tsp. avocado oil
- 16 oz. raw shrimp, roughly chopped (shells and tails removed)
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 tsp. cumin
- 1/4 tsp. oregano
- 1/8 tsp. smoked paprika
- pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 Tbsp. honey
For quesadillas:
- 4 flour tortillas (burrito size)
- 12 oz. shredded Mexican cheese (more if needed)
- fresh toppings (see a big list of topping ideas above in the post)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp and season with sea salt, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and honey and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until shrimp is cooked through.
- Assemble quesadillas. In large skillet over medium heat, layer 1/3 cup shredded cheese on one half of the tortilla. Top with 1/2 cup shrimp and 1/3 cup shredded cheese.
- Fold over top and cook for about 2-3 minutes, and when cheese starts to melt, carefully flip over with large flipper and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Repeat with remaining 3 quesadillas.
- Cut into wedges and serve with toppings.
Notes
Storage: Quesadillas are best eaten immediately but leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat in a hot skillet until warmed through — avoid the microwave or they’ll go soggy.
Ingredients: Use raw shrimp rather than pre-cooked for the best flavor and texture. Since the shrimp gets chopped up, you can buy smaller shrimp and save a bit on your grocery bill. For cheese, queso asadero or queso Oaxaca melt beautifully and bring incredible flavor — Costco carries it in a large bag.
Prep ahead: Mix the spice blend up to a day or two in advance to shave a few minutes off dinner prep.
Tools: A large non-stick skillet is all you need. A large spatula makes flipping the quesadillas much easier.
Quesadilla Topping Ideas
Put out a spread of fresh toppings for the simple shrimp quesadillas and let everyone go to town with their favorite toppings.
- Corn salsa (Chipotle Copycat)
- Quesadilla sauce
- Thinly sliced lettuce
- Sliced grape tomatoes
- Chopped red onion
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Pickled jalapeño peppers
- Pico de Gallo or salsa
- Sour cream
- Diced or sliced avocado
- Guacamole
- Lime juice
- Hot sauce
FAQs
There are two ways to ensure your quesadilla isn’t soggy. Make sure that you are draining any liquid from the filling (the shrimp mixture here) and then toast the quesadilla it in a skillet instead of cooking it in the microwave.
This really depends on what type of tortillas are your favorite! Traditionally, quesadillas are made with flour tortillas and it’s my personal favorite. Use a high-quality tortilla or the raw tortillas that need a quick cook before using them if you can find them – they are DELICIOUS and my first choice.
Yes — just adjust the cooking time since pre-cooked shrimp only needs to be warmed through, about 1 minute. Raw shrimp gives the best flavor and texture, but pre-cooked shrimp works in a pinch.
Serving Suggestions
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About the Author
Emily Dingmann is a recipe developer and founder of My Everyday Table, where she helps busy families take the stress out of weeknight dinners. With a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and almost 20 years of experience, Emily specializes in simple, nourishing recipes and weekly meal plans that actually work for everyday life. She’s a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor who believes delicious food and good nutrition go hand in hand.
Get started: Weeknight Dinners Guide | Weekly Meal Plans | About Emily
Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.
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quick and easy, great for fast dinners!