Every so often, when I eat at a restaurant I love a menu item so much that I try to recreate it at home. Sometimes I am reasonably successful, other times not so much.
This recipe for Smoked Salmon Quesadillas with Dill and Cilantro is an example of a successful attempt.
I based them off of the Smoked Salmon Quesadilla at the High Level Diner, a popular restaurant in Edmonton. I loved those quesadillas so much that I don't think I ever tried anything else on their menu.
To make these smoked salmon quesadillas, you will need tortillas, smoked salmon, red onion, jalapeno, dill, cilantro and capers. To top it all off and make it melty and cheesy - Monterey Jack cheese.
Now let's talk about the tortillas for a minute. You have 3 basic options when it comes tortillas: flour, whole wheat and corn. Within all three of those options are a variety of size options.
The size of your choosing will depend on what you're making. Go smaller for tacos, enchiladas and fajitas and larger for burritos.
Whether you go flour or corn depends on your preference and what you're making. Corn has a distinct flavor and is great for tacos and enchiladas. You will want to choose corn if you are on a gluten free diet.
Flour contributes less flavor to the overall dish, but if used in something saucy like enchiladas, will get soggy and fall apart.
There are some important nutritional differences to consider too. For the same size, flour tortillas have almost three times as many calories as corn tortillas with half as much fiber.
Whole wheat tortillas will have more fiber than white flour ones, but their calories are just as high. Keep this in mind when selecting your tortillas. For this particular recipe, I used corn tortillas.
Normally I would choose flour for quesadillas, but I had some leftover corn ones and they worked out fine.
Making these quesadillas could hardly be easier. It takes maybe 10 minutes to prep up the ingredients. Spread them evenly among the tortillas with the cheese on top.
The quesadillas bake up quickly in the oven (I used my toaster oven).
I had mine without any dipping sauce, but they are great with your favorite salsa. They're also great with sour cream or Greek yogurt. Serve with a side salad for a super quick complete meal.
Smoked Salmon Quesadilla with Cilantro and Dill Nutrition Notes:
Nutrition information will depend largely on the type of tortilla you choose. In general, corn tortillas have less calories and more fiber than flour tortillas.
Smoked Salmon Quesadilla with Dill and Cilantro
Ingredients
- 8 small or 4 large tortillas (Use corn tortillas to make this recipe Gluten Free)
- 1 cup flaked smoked salmon
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 Tablespoons minced cilantro
- 1 Tablespoon minced dill
- 1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 Tablespoon capers drained
- 1 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
- For large tortillas: Divide the smoked salmon, onion, cilantro, dill, jalapeno and cheese evenly among the tortillas, placing the toppings only on half of the tortilla. Bake the open tortillas at 400°F until the cheese has melted. Fold the uncovered half of the tortilla over the toppings and cut into 4 wedges to serve.
- For small tortillas: Divide the smoked salmon, onion, cilantro, dill, jalapeno and cheese evenly among the half of the tortillas. Bake the tortillas at 400°F until the cheese has melted. Place the other half of the tortillas on top of the toppings and continue to bake for 3-5 more minutes until the second tortilla has warmed through. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges to serve.
- Serve with sour cream, plain Greek yogurt or your favorite salsa.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer: I try my best to make sure the nutrition information I provide is accurate to provide you with the best information possible. However, due to ingredient discrepancies and other factors, the above nutrition information should be considered an estimation only.
Richard Tooley
Considering I have some smoked salmon in my freezer from my 4th of July fishing trip, I may have to try this. Looks tasty! Thanks!