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Garlic & Zest

Gourmet Cooking at Home!

Cheesy Avocado Tuna Melt Quesadillas

Tuna Melt Quesadilla
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This recipe has been updated since it’s original publication in 2015 for content and photos.

This is a riff on two classic bites.  A crispy-gooey avocado tuna melt and crispy-gooey quesadilla.  Doesn’t that sound like the ultimate combo? I use my fresh, spicy Mexican tuna blend and two cheeses in my tuna melt quesadilla, but don’t be constrained by the specific ingredients in the recipe. If you’ve only got one cheese or don’t have the ingredients for a pico de gallo, don’t fret. Look around your fridge and pantry to improvise and make the tuna quesadilla recipe your own.

 

spicy mexican tuna, cheddar cheese and pico de gallo in a gallery image.

Tuna Melt Quesadilla Ingredients

  • Flour Tortillas
  • Mexican Tuna Salad with Cilantro & Lime
  • Avocado
  • Pepper Jack Cheese
  • Cheddar Cheese
  • Pico De Gallo

This comfort food classic was born of persistent, nagging, undeniable craving. You know when you’re hankering for something hot and gooey and you want it NOW? That’s when you have to get creative and poke through the refrigerator to see what you have. On this occasion, I had the remnants of my favorite tuna salad, cheese (I always have cheese) and an avocado that was on the verge of turning (you know what I mean?) However, I was out of bread to use for my favorite avocado tuna melt.  I figured flour tortillas would make a reputable substitute and the tuna quesadilla was born.

 

mashing avocado in a bowl.

Gooey, but not too gooey

The perfect tuna melt quesadilla should have a crisp outside and be soft, gooey and melted into one cohesive, but layered filling. It’s easy to let your eyes become bigger than your stomach when assembling this, but you want to resist that urge, otherwise, the whole tuna quesadilla will fall apart and become a soggy mess… Not what you want.

spreading tortilla with mashed avocado and arranging other ingredients.

Best tortilla size to use for tuna quesadillas?

I use medium (soft taco sized)  tortillas, about 6″ to 6 1/2″ in diameter.  You can also do this with street taco sized tortillas, just mind the amount of filling and scale it down. I’d avoid using bigger than that, just because it would be tougher to flip a king size Mexican tuna melt stuffed with avocado and cheese.

 

 

topping avocado with mexican tuna salad and cheese.

The order of assembly is important here.  You want the filling to be blanketed in cheese, right? That means cheese on the top and cheese on the bottom. The avocado and tuna salad are tucked in between the cheeses, so you get melty satisfaction on both sides. Follow the order below to assemble your quesadilla.

How to build a Mexican tuna quesadilla

  1. Flour tortilla.
  2. Pepper jack cheese (use sliced or shredded).
  3. Mashed avocado.
  4. Prepared spicy Mexican tuna salad (or your favorite tuna salad recipe).
  5. Cheddar cheese (sliced or shredded).
  6. Flour tortilla.

 

Griddling tuna quesadilla in a fry pan.

When the quesadillas are assembled, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray it well with non-stick cooking spray and carefully transfer the tuna quesadilla to the hot pan. 

Tips for moving quesadillas:

  1. In order to avoid losing the contents of the tuna quesadillas, you’ll want to use a wide spatula that will cover most of the surface of the tortilla. 
  2. Place one hand over the top  tortilla and carefully slide the spatula beneath the bottom flour tortilla. In one swift movement with your hand still firmly placed on the top half, holding it steady, transfer the tuna melt quesadilla to the hot pan.
  3. Let it cook for several minutes until the cheese starts to get melty and the bottom tortilla starts to crisp and brown.

 

flipping the tuna melt quesadilla in the pan to crisp the tortilla and melt the cheeses.

Use the same one-hand-on-top method to flip the quesadilla to the other side. Look at that golden crust and uber cheesy, melty avocado tuna filling. This is seriously drool-worthy, folks. It hits your most primal pleasure zones (in a G-Rated manner).

 

resting and cutting the tuna quesadilla.

After the tuna melt is cooked, use the same tried and true method to transfer it to a cutting board. BUT. DON’T. SLICE. IT YET. It needs to rest and (for lack of a better word) coagulate for a minute or so. Once it’s rested and isn’t quite as malleable, use a chef’s knife to cut it. This is IMPORTANT. Don’t use a serrated knife for slicing because the tortillas will just slide around on and over the filling. This job requires a sharp Chef’s knife and a firm, quick cut. No sawing motion. 

How to cut a tuna melt quesadilla

  1. Place the knife directly over the tuna quesadilla so that the tortilla is covered by the sharp knife blade from one side to the other (tip to hilt).
  2. In one swift, rocking motion (tip to hilt), cut through the quesadilla. 
  3. Some of the filling may ooze out, but you can simply nudge it back into place with a spoon (or your finger.

 

serving avocado tuna melt quesadillas with pico de gallo

Come on. You know you want a bite of this. Top your avocado tuna melt quesadilla with my fresh pico de gallo or fresh tomatillo salsa. Those bright, fresh flavors are the perfect companion to this comfort food classic.  The light spice from the Mexican tuna salad combined with the fresh bite of chile spiked pico or salsa is a dynamite combination and the melty cheeses and soft avocado meld with the fresh, bright flavors in a union of opposites that quite clearly ATTRACT.

closeup of tuna quesadilla with pico de gallo.

More Mexican Inspired Favorites:

  • Hearty Mexican Style Taco Hash Brown Waffles
  • Authentic Mexican Chalupas
  • Tacos Carne Asada
  • Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas
  • Tinga Style Pork Shoulder Tacos

a wedge of mexican tuna melt quesadilla with pico on a spoon.


Garlic & Zest is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

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4.59 from 12 votes

Tuna Melt Quesadillas

Quesadillas definitely rank as a comfort food - and frankly, so does a good tuna melt.  Get them both in the same dish!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 419kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 small flour tortillas
  • 1 avocado thinly sliced
  • 1 cup prepared tuna salad
  • 2/3 cup pepper jack cheese slices or shredded
  • 2/3 cup cheddar cheese slices or grated
  • 1 cup pico de gallo (or other fresh salsa) recipe on this site

Instructions

MAKE THE QUESADILLAS

  • Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Use the back of a fork to roughly mash the avocado.
  • Place a tortilla on a cutting board and mound 1/3 cup of pepper jack cheese onto it, spreading it out to within half an inch of the edge of the tortilla.
  • Top with half of the avocado mixture and gently spread it out over the cheese.
  • Spoon half of the prepared tuna salad over the avocado. Top with half of the cheddar cheese and top with another flour tortilla. Assemble the second quesadilla in the same manner.
  • Spray a large skillet with vegetable spray and place it over medium heat on the stove. Place one hand on top of a tuna quesadilla and carefully slide a wide spatula underneath it. Carefully transfer the quesadilla to the skillet and cook until the bottom of the tortilla begins to brown and crisp and the cheese starts to melt, 3-4 minutes.
  • Use a large spatula to carefully slip under the quesadilla. Place your hand on top of the quesadilla and in one quick movement, flip the quesadilla in the pan. Cook until the bottom of the quesadilla is crisped and browned and the cheese is melty. Remove from the heat.
  • Transfer quesadilla to a cutting board and let it rest for a minute before cutting into it. Use a large chef's knife to cut into 4 equal pieces -- not sawing the quesadilla -- but setting the sharp blade across the quesadilla and pressing from the tip to the hilt, until it splits. If anything oozes out, nudge it back in with a spoon (or your finger).
  • Serve with pico de gallo or fresh salsa

Nutrition

Calories: 419kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 962mg | Potassium: 403mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 703IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 319mg | Iron: 2mg

Pin “Cheesy Avocado Tuna Melt Quesadilla” For Later!

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Sandwiches, Tacos & Pizzas// Seafood23 Comments

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Comments

  1. Kathryn says

    March 30, 2020 at 4:36 PM

    I love how perfect this is — especially after having a taco night the previous night. Thanks so much for sharing!

    Reply
  2. Cathleen says

    March 30, 2020 at 4:30 PM

    Tuna melts are my favourite things ever, but in a quesadilla??? Genius! This is definitely going to be a weekly thing in my house 🙂

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      March 30, 2020 at 4:46 PM

      It’s a “thing” in ours!

      Reply
  3. Katie says

    March 30, 2020 at 4:13 PM

    Looks amazing! Can’t wait to try this one.

    Reply
  4. Marlynn | Urban Bliss Life says

    March 30, 2020 at 3:55 PM

    I love this dish so much! The pico de gallo on top adds such nice color and a tasty zing to this already flavorful recipe!

    Reply
  5. Anita says

    March 30, 2020 at 3:45 PM

    It’s a big hit with my family. And I love how easy and quick it is to prepare this with limited items I have at home. 🙂

    Reply
  6. Lucy @ Supergoldenbakes says

    April 20, 2017 at 4:24 PM

    Quesidillas are such a great lunch. You’ve bundled a lovely combination of ingredients into yours. That little bit if chilli is the perfect finale.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      April 21, 2017 at 7:04 AM

      It’s a bit indulgent, but soooooo good!

      Reply
  7. Kristina @ Love & Zest says

    April 20, 2017 at 3:03 PM

    This looks absolutely amazing! Loving those fresh ingredients!

    Reply
  8. linda spiker says

    April 20, 2017 at 2:21 PM

    Quesadillas are still a favorite. No one gets tired of melty cheese!

    Reply
  9. Beth @ Binky's Culinary Carnival says

    April 20, 2017 at 1:20 PM

    Ooh! I love this Lisa! I have been on a tuna kick lately myself! I love it with the pico de Gallo. Isn’t it funny sometimes our best inventions come from the lack of the usual ingredients and a compromise that uses whatever else is in the pantry! 🙂

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      April 20, 2017 at 2:27 PM

      So true!

      Reply
  10. The Purple Ladle says

    July 21, 2016 at 9:57 AM

    what a fabulous alternative to the standard tuna melt! great flavours in here

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      July 21, 2016 at 4:46 PM

      Glad you like it Jayne!

      Reply
  11. Suchi @elegantmeraki says

    July 21, 2016 at 9:41 AM

    I love quesadillas filled with different stuffings. This is just perfect weeknight dinner.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      July 21, 2016 at 4:46 PM

      Thanks, Suchi! It’s one of those quick, but really satisfying snacks to share, or a light dinner!

      Reply
  12. Bintu (@recipespantry) says

    July 21, 2016 at 9:24 AM

    My son would love these with the chilli in as well. A fab lunch item

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      July 21, 2016 at 4:45 PM

      Absolutely – Chili sounds great!

      Reply
  13. Amy says

    July 21, 2016 at 9:14 AM

    I LOVE this idea! And yes, that layer of avocados DOES look sublime!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      July 21, 2016 at 4:44 PM

      This is just pure comfort food.

      Reply
  14. Sarah @ Champagne Tastes says

    July 21, 2016 at 8:40 AM

    Story time- I bought wayyyy more tuna than I needed for our road trip (well, more than I could force myself to swallow for 18 consecutive days), and now have a cabinet full of it. So now I’m trying to come up with new ways to use it.. And this sounds FAB! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      July 21, 2016 at 4:44 PM

      Good heavens, how much tuna did you buy?

      Reply
  15. Christine Hudson says

    June 22, 2015 at 2:37 PM

    C’est si bon…

    Reply

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Meet Lisa

Lisa

Calling all cooks! You don’t have to be a gourmet chef to get a delicious, healthy meal on the table! At Garlic & Zest, I’ll show you how to make hundreds of seasonal, fresh recipes and indulgent comfort foods with easy step-by-step instructions and photos to help you master the dish.

Let’s get cooking!

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