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Golden crisp perfection! These Spicy Baked Quesadillas with Jalapeño Mackerel are quick, easy, and perfect for a snack or quick weeknight dinner.
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I baked quesadillas and I’m never looking back.
Quesadillas are usually fried up on a griddle or in a skillet with oil or butter. Now, I’m not at all opposed to the occasional fried food. But if it’s just as good—or better—when baked, then that’s how I roll. And that’s how it’s gonna be with quesadillas in this house from now on. These bad boys are crispy, cheesy, melty perfection with just a smidgen of oil and absolutely NO greasyness. I also love that they’re unfussy! They’re a great solution for a weeknight dinner bind and they’re fantastic for noshing when entertaining. You know, when the pandemic is over…
Speaking of healthier choices: mackerel!
Poultry is easily everyone’s go-to lean protein. And that’s fine. It’s cool. We like chicken. But King Oscar’s quality mackerel brings a little extra to your meal with it’s buttery texture and numerous health benefits. It’s rich in protein and Omega-3 fatty acids, which makes it a great choice for a heart-healthy diet. These new Royal Fillets of Mackerel with Jalapeño Peppers are packed with slices of jalapeño peppers, which gives them a nice little punch of heat—perfect for quesadillas! If you can’t get your hands on King Oscar’s jalapeño variety, you can snag them on Amazon. Another option is to use their mackerel in extra virgin olive oil and adding your own pickled jalapeños.
That ooey gooey filling.
It’s good. Like, really good. And there’s really nothing to it. Something I think you’ll love about this recipe is that it’s easy to adapt. Along with the diced onion and bell pepper, you can add chopped mushrooms, spinach, black beans, extra jalapeño, whatever! Here’s what we’ve got folded into our filling:
- King Oscar’s Mackerel with Jalapeño Peppers
- Red bell pepper
- Red onion
- Cumin
- Chili powder
- Kosher salt
- Plain Greek yogurt (or you can use sour cream)
- Shredded Mexican blend cheese
Other goodies you might want to consider:
- Mushrooms
- Spinach
- Extra jalapeño
- Black beans
- Tomatoes
How to make Spicy Baked Quesadilla with Jalapeño Mackerel.
- Preheat your oven to 425º F and arrange a rack in the center of the oven.
- Add the drained mackerel, peppers, onions, Greek yogurt, cumin, chili powder, shredded cheese, and salt to a large mixing bowl, and mix until all of the ingredients are well blended.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly brush some olive oil over the parchment.
- Place a large tortilla onto the parchment and scoop half of the filling onto one side of the tortilla. Pat the filling down a bit to secure, and fold the tortilla over, pressing down lightly. Carefully slide the tortilla to one side of the baking sheet and place the other tortilla down. Repeat the same steps for filling and folding.
- Lightly brush the tops of the folded tortillas with olive oil.
- Place in the oven on the center rack and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the tortillas are lightly golden and crisped.
- When done, remove from the oven and let them sit for about 5 minutes to cool a bit.
- Cut the tortillas into wedges, place on a serving platter, and serve with salsa, guacamole, and plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream).
Equipment you’ll need:
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula or mixing spoon
- Pastry brush (for olive oil; optional)
Other awesome mackerel recipes to try:
- Loaded Sheet Pan Nachos
- Lemon Mackerel and White Bean Salad on Toast
- Creamy Greek Pasta Salad
- Sesame Ginger Rice Bowls with Mackerel
Spicy Baked Quesadillas with Jalapeño Mackerel
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment paper
- Spatula or mixing spoon
- Pastry brush (for olive oil; optional)
Ingredients
- 2 cans of King Oscar Royal Fillets of Mackerel with Jalapeño Peppers, drained very well, You can also use King Oscar's olive oil variation
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 2 TBSP plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- A pinch of Kosher salt, to taste
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese , You could use any blend here, but we usually go for the Mexican blend.
- Olive oil, for brushing
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425º F and arrange a rack in the center of the oven.
- Add the drained mackerel, peppers, onions, Greek yogurt, cumin, chili powder, shredded cheese, and salt to a large mixing bowl, and mix until all of the ingredients are well blended.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly brush some olive oil over the parchment.Place a large tortilla onto the parchment and scoop half of the filling onto one side of the tortilla. Pat the filling down a bit to secure, and fold the tortilla over, pressing down lightly. Carefully slide the tortilla to one side of the baking sheet and place the other tortilla down. Repeat the same steps for filling and folding.
- Lightly brush the tops of the folded tortillas with olive oil.Place in the oven on the center rack and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the tortillas are lightly golden and crisped.
- When done, remove from the oven and let them sit for about 5 minutes to cool a bit.
- Cut the tortillas into wedges, place on a serving platter, and serve with salsa, guacamole, and plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream).
