10 Minute Tuna Melt Quesadilla

A classic combination of tuna, cheese and pickles in a deliciously crispy tortilla. This 10 minute tuna melt quesadilla makes a perfect lunchtime treat, all ready in just 10 minutes.

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Quality Quesadillas

I really love a good quesadilla!

They make such a handy meal, and you can put almost any filling inside them.

Quesadillas are the ultimate family-friendly food as kids seem to absolutely love them. Best of all, they’re super quick to make. I’m always on the hunt for recipes that take very little time at all and the humble quesadilla hits all the right notes for a perfectly speedy family meal.

Soft tortilla wraps are the main ingredient in these 10 minute tuna melt quesadillas and they are such a great quick cooking ingredient. They’re cheap and widely available in stores and so incredibly flexible when it comes to quick recipes. It’s no surprise then that I use them a lot in my cooking!

Have a look at some of my other yummy quick recipes that include soft tortillas; including these 10 Minute Ham & Cheese Quesadillas, these 10 Minute Quesadillas these 10 Minute Chicken, Avocado & Spinach Wraps and also, this super quick 5 Minute Ovenless Pizza recipe.

Mexican Marvels

So where exactly do quesadillas come from?

Well, this world famous food originated in Mexico, and involves stuffing corn based soft tortillas with a range of different fillings, including meats and cheese. The cheese kind of acts like the ‘glue’ that sticks the whole thing together in a deliciously melty treat, whilst the other ingredients sit warm and snugly underneath their gloriously cheesy blanket, mmmm.

I try to buy corn-based wraps wherever possible as my son can’t eat gluten. However, they are tricky to get hold of and can also be a little bit delicate and prone to tearing easily when handled. Which is a shame, as corn wraps are the type that are used to make traditional Mexican quesadillas.

However, for these 10 minute tuna melt quesadillas, I’ve used wheat based wraps. These are usually much easier to get hold of than the corn ones (depending on what part of the world you live in of course!) and are less likely to tear which is a bonus.

Terrific Tuna

Shout out to the brilliantly versatile, cheap and healthy food that is canned tuna! Beloved of busy working parents all the world over.

Tuna is one of my favourite staple quick cooking ingredients. Meaty in texture and moreishly salty in flavour, it’s a really great way to get some fish into your family. I always keep several tins in the cupboard to whip out when the fancy takes me.

I find it a reliable way to get some much needed protein into my kids and it’s usually well received, even if they’re having a ‘fussy day’ with their food. Certainly, my 10 minute tuna melt quesadillas are always gobbled up happily!

Check out some of my other recipes that use terrific tuna – including my 10 Minute Thai Green Tuna Fishcakes with Chilli and Lime Mayo and my 10 Minute Mediterranean Tuna Pasta. Who doesn’t love a delicious and healthy meal that can be whipped up in just a few minutes??

Tuna is really healthy to boot! This fantastic fish contains a range of really important nutrients including Vitamin B12, Vitamin D and Omega-3s. There are some concerns about the mercury content of tuna – traces can be found in it – so pregnant women and young children in particular should limit their intake to around 2-3 cans per week.

Perfect Pairings

Now, what to add to our deliciously quick 10 minute tuna melt quesadillas to really make the flavours sing??

There are lots possible options but as with many things, I like to go as classic and simple as possible.

This is why I’ve chosen tinned sweetcorn and pickle slices. What could be more yummy than these two ingredients together with a cheesy tuna filling? The sweetcorn adds a lovely tasting crunch and the pickles bring the salty, tart flavour. When eaten together, I find these two seriously make the flavour pop!

I love most tinned vegetables but I think sweetcorn has to be my all-time favourite. These sunny little kernels of joy make such a great quick cooking ingredient much loved by children and adults alike. Just open the tin, drain away the liquid and boom! All ready to use.

Have a look at some of my other super sweetcorn quick recipes including my 10 Minute Sweetcorn Fritters, The Ultimate 10 Minute Vegan Quesadilla, my 10 Minute Vegan Chilli. Also not forgetting one of my personal favourites – my 5 Minute Hidden Veg Sauce.

Pickles of course are also a super quick ingredient that can be found in almost any store these days. You can buy them whole or pre-sliced.

Of course, for my quick recipes I like to cut out as much of the prep as possible, which is why I recommend buying pre-sliced pickles for this quick 10 minute tuna melt quesadilla recipe. I’ve used pickles that have been sliced lengthways. It means you only need 3 of them and they cover the tortilla base nicely without leaving gaps, which helps boost the flavour.

Of course, you can use round pickle slices if you prefer (or if that’s all that’s available to you), but bear in mind you’ll probably need to use around 8-10 of them to inject enough pickly goodness into your tuna melt quesadilla.

Cheddar Better

 So now we come the the crowning glory of this 10 minute tuna met quesadilla – the cheese!

Of course, the world is your oyster when it comes to choosing the perfect cheese for your quesadilla. Some people like the mild flavour and stretchy texture of mozzarella, whilst others prefer the nutty flavour of a traditional swiss cheese. For me, tuna melt can only be paired with mature cheddar cheese.

Living in the UK, we’re pretty spoilt for choice when it comes to cheese, especially cheddars! Some people prefer mild types but I just think you can’t beat the sharp tang of a gorgeous mature cheddar. So if you can get hold of that where you live, then great. It will ooze beautifully over the top of your other ingredients and really finish the quesadilla off perfectly.

10 minute tuna melt quesadilla – step by step method

Now it’s time to take a peek at a helpful guide to making the perfect 10 minute tuna melt quesadilla, including some useful photos to guide you along the way.

Makes 1 Quesadilla – the perfect amount for a hearty meal for one person, or to share between two as a snack.

1. Start by putting a medium sized frying pan over medium/high heat on the hob to get nice and warm. Importantly, don’t add any oil – keep the pan completely dry.
2. Take one small can of tuna (80g / 3 oz) and drain away any water or oil. Put the tuna into a medium sized bowl. To this bowl, add 2 rounded tablespoons canned sweetcorn, 2 level tablespoons of mayonnaise and finally, 1 teaspoon of wholegrain mustard. Mix it all together until it’s smooth and creamy.

3. Next, take one small white tortilla wrap (around 15cm / 6 inches diameter) and place it on a clean work surface. Sprinkle 2 rounded tablespoons of grated mature cheddar cheese on top of the tortilla. Make sure to leave a small ‘rim’ free from cheese around the outside edge – about 1cm / half an inch. This is to reduce the risk of the cheese oozing out of the sides whilst the quesadilla cooks. (Its not a problem if a little escapes though!)

4. Place three dill pickle slices on top of the cheddar cheese layer. I use the type that are sliced lengthways as this ensure maximum pickle coverage, however you could always use the type sliced into rounds instead. You’ll probably need around 8-10 of these if you do.

5. Spoon the tuna and sweetcorn mixture over the top of the sliced pickles. Spread it around to ensure it covers the base nice and evenly. Again, it’s a good idea to make sure you leave a small ‘rim’ around the edge without any filling. This will make it less likely that the filling will spill out over the edge during cooking and make a mess.
6. Lay a second small tortilla on top of the tuna filling and press down firmly. All ready to cook! Place the uncooked quesadilla into the preheated pan, cheese side down; this is because you want that lovely cheese to become all melted and gooey asap. That will help the quesadilla to stick together nice and quickly and not fall apart. Cook the quesadilla on one side for around 3 minutes until turning a little golden and crispy, then flip it over and cook on the other side for a further 3 minutes.

7. Remove the cooked tuna melt quesadilla from the pan, slice it into 6 segments and serve! It goes lovely with a crispy lettuce and cucumber side salad.