Tuna Quesadilla Melts {20-Minute Meal}
Tuna reinvented! These easy tuna quesadilla melts come together FAST and are a perfect meal for busy weeknights (or for a quick lunch!). Tons of flavor and cheesy goodness in every bite!
If there’s one thing I know for sure it is that canned tuna has kind of a hard life. I’m not saying I disagree. I mean, I still have night terrors over the soggy brown bread tuna fish sandwiches I had in my school lunches in grade school. And don’t get me started on tuna noodle casserole (spoiler alert: you probably won’t ever see a reinvented recipe for that on my blog).
But canned tuna isn’t all bad. I have a few tuna recipes in the archives (this one pot creamy tuna and shells recipe is so yummy!), and I’m striving to resurrect tuna’s insulted reputation one sporadic canned tuna recipe at a time.
I have to say, though, it’s definitely going to be hard to beat these crazy delicious tuna quesadilla melts. Not only are they screaming fast (20 minutes or less, really!), but they are the most uniquely yummy take on a good ol’ tuna melt sandwich that I’ve ever had. Creamy, cheesy…with the most delightful southwestern flavors. Yum.
How Easy is that?
Channeling my inner Ina Garten vocabulary and disregarding the fact that I’m sure Ms. Ina wouldn’t touch canned tuna with a ten foot pole, let me reiterate that there is absolutely nothing complicated about these tuna quesadilla melts.
They are so easy. Almost too easy.
Since I’m convinced the month of May was created to slowly suck the life out of moms and dads everywhere, easy meals have been the needed salvation to my questionable sanity. And I’m not exaggerating when I say we’ve made these tuna quesadilla melts at least 3X this month already because they really are on the table within minutes.
What started out as get-dinner-on-the-table-fast combined with a healthy dose of please-don’t-let-it-be-cold-cereal-again, these tuna melts were meant to simply appease the masses for dinner, but they ended up completely surprising us all with their deliciousness.
Well, except my one resident tuna hater. But let it be known that despite his theories otherwise, he really has survived the “Month of May and Recurring Tuna Quesadilla Melts Situation” just fine. Extra cheese = extra coping skills.
How To cook the tuna melts
Since I’m cooking for a family of seven, I pull out my oft-used large and in charge electric griddle {aff. link} for these quesadillas. But you could just as easily use a skillet on the stove.
I’d suggest using a nonstick skillet so you don’t need to add any additional oil or butter. However, if you only have a stainless skillet, heat a bit of cooking oil or butter before adding the quesadillas so they don’t stick.
Let’s talk tortillas + substitutions
As indicated in the recipe below, I’ve used everything from corn tortillas, flour tortillas (the kind you cook yourself on a griddle before using), corn + wheat tortillas (Trader Joes’ brand) and gluten-free flour tortillas in this recipe with good results. Basically, just use the kind of tortillas you already love the taste and texture of and you’ll be good.
You really can’t go wrong with the golden brown tortilla sandwiching that creamy, cheesy, flavorful tuna filling.
A large part of the punchy flavor goes to the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Wow. So yummy. I use a tablespoon of the peppers and sauce for this recipe. It packs a hint of spice, so if you want to dial that down, use less or opt for a flavor substitution. Chili powder in place of the chipotle peppers is tasty – so is a touch of cumin and dried oregano.
Also, because I know someone’s going to bring this up – yes, I do think you could sub in shredded chicken (canned, if you choose) for the tuna. You’d definitely be channeling more of a baked taquito or hot hoagie vibe.
I, for one, will be sticking with the tuna. I just can’t get over how amazing it was to be inspired by such an innocent reinvention of canned tuna. I’ve always loved a good tuna melt, but I had no idea the same concept could be so delicious as a golden, cheesy quesadilla.
Enjoy! {P.S. that ridiculously delicious street corn salad recipe in the pictures coming SOON!}
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Peppers: I've made this recipe with chipotle peppers and another batch with chili powder and loved both versions. If you are a fan of the delicious, smoky flavor of chipotle peppers, it's worth using them in this recipe (I use the jarred chipotle peppers so the leftovers can be easily stored in the refrigerator). Creaminess: if you want the tuna mixture a little less creamy, use only 1/3 cup of both mayo and sour cream. Tortillas: I've used everything from corn tortillas, flour tortillas (the kind you cook yourself on a griddle before using), corn + wheat tortillas (Trader Joes' brand) and gluten-free flour tortillas in this recipe with good results. A lot will simply depend on what kind of tortillas you prefer. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.Tuna Quesadilla Melts {20-Minute Meal}
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
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