Shrimp Quesadillas
Make restaurant-style Shrimp Quesadillas at home in just 30 minutes! Juicy shrimp, fresh pico de gallo, lime crema and lots of melty cheese come together to make the best quesadilla of your life.
Shrimp Quesadillas Are Quick, Cheesy And Bursting With Fresh Flavor
These Shrimp Quesadillas are inspired by the best restaurant quesadillas we’ve ever had. We’ve recreated them at home with the two special touches that made them so great:
1.) a touch of lime-infused sour cream spread inside the quesadilla, rather than just as a dipping sauce, which gives every bite a creamy, tangy richness.
2.) a quick homemade pico de gallo, tucked inside too, so each piece is bursting with bright flavor from the fresh tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, cilantro and lime.
Crispy on the outside and fully of melty cheese and perfectly cooked shrimp on the inside, these quesadillas come together in under 30 minutes, making them perfect for weeknight dinners or casual entertaining.
Why You Will Love This Recipe For Shrimp Quesadilla
- Restaurant-style at home. The lime crema and fresh pico inside make them feel extra special.
- Creamy goodness! We’re using both Monterey Jack and pepper jack for maximum meltiness, as well as sour cream inside the quesadilla, which makes them so rich and craveable.
- You can have these on a plate in under 30 minutes, and that includes cooking the shrimp!
Shrimp Quesadilla Ingredients
A full recipe card, including exact ingredient amounts, appears at the bottom of this post.
- shrimp – you can use fresh raw shrimp or frozen raw shrimp here, just thaw it if it’s frozen. Size doesn’t matter since you’ll be chopping it into bite-sized pieces anyway.
- spices – chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika and salt add savory depth to the cooked shrimp.
- pico ingredients – jalapeno, tomato, red onion and cilantro all get chopped up and tossed with lime juice to keep things bright and fresh.
- sour cream – stir in a little lime zest, and you’ve got a perfect lime crema.
- cheese – we like a combo of Monterey Jack and pepper jack cheese for a spicy-but-not-TOO-spicy bite, but feel free to use all Monterey Jack for a mild quesadilla or all pepper jack for a hotter one.
- flour tortillas – burrito size works best for making lots of quesadillas at once.
How To Make Shrimp Quesadillas
- SHRIMP. Toss the shrimp with the spices, then cook in a bit of olive oil in a skillet until cooked through. Add the jalapeno, tomato, lime juice, onion and cilantro to the shrimp and stir to combine.
- CREMA. Stir together the sour cream and lime zest.
- ASSEMBLE. Spread one tortilla with half the sour cream, then half the shrimp mixture, then half the cheese. Top with another tortilla. Repeat to make a second quesadilla.
- COOK. In batches, cook the quesadillas in a nonstick skillet until golden brown on both sides. Let the quesadillas rest a minute, then cut into 6 to 8 wedges each.
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Shrimp Quesadillas Recipe Home Chef Tips
- Make sure to use a slotted spoon to drain the shrimp well before adding it to the quesadilla build, to prevent sogginess.
- Pressing the quesadilla gently with a spatula while it cooks will help the cheese melt evenly and give it that restaurant-style crispness.
How To Serve This Shrimp Quesadilla Recipe
Turn a shrimp quesadilla into a meal by paring it with sides, condiments and drinks. We recommend:
Shrimp Quesadilla Storage
Shrimp quesadillas are best enjoyed fresh, right after cooking, but if you have leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container and place them in the fridge uncovered for a few hours until they are fully chilled, then cover them with the lid and keep in the refrigerator up to 1 day.
Reheat in a skillet or air fryer to bring back the crispness (the microwave will make them soggy).
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Shrimp Quesadilla Recipe
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Ingredients
- ½ pound peeled and deveined tail-off raw shrimp chopped into bite-sized pieces
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small jalapeño pepper seeded and minced (or leave seeds in for more heat)
- 1 small Roma tomato seeded and finely chopped
- Juice of 1/2 lime zest it first!
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon lime zest
- 4 large flour tortillas burrito size
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
- Nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
- Add shrimp, chili powder, cumin, salt, garlic powder, and paprika to medium bowl and toss until well combined.
- Heat oil in small skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp to skillet and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until pink and just cooked through, stirring frequently. Transfer to clean bowl.
- Add jalapeño, tomato, lime juice, onion and cilantro to shrimp. Stir until well combined.
- In small bowl, stir together sour cream and lime zest.
- Spread half of sour cream on one tortilla. Top with half of shrimp mixture (use a slotted spoon to lift mixture from bowl and leave behind excess liquid), then half of each cheese. Top with second tortilla and press down gently. Repeat to make second quesadilla.
- Heat large skillet or griddle over medium heat. In batches, spray pan with cooking spray and cook quesadilla 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and melty. Gently press with a spatula while cooking for even browning and crispness.
- Let quesadillas rest 1 minute before slicing into 6 to 8 wedges each.
