SMOKED SALMON QUESADILLAS

SMOKED SALMON QUESADILLAS

The Smoked Salmon Quesadilla may sound like a dish that took a detours through both Mexico and a Jewish deli before landing squarely on our dinner table here in New York City. It’s no more Mexican or Jewish than we are. It’s a fusion dish that marries the creamy, salty luxury of smoked salmon with the crisp, golden comfort of a toasted tortilla. The beauty of the dish is in the contrast. The flour tortilla crisps up beautifully in the pan, while the filling leans heavily into the classic lox-and-bagel flavors, incorporating cream cheese and capers. The crispy tortilla is then topped with sour cream with dill, sliced avocado, and red onion rings.  Once you have the ingredients lined up, the quesadillas are a snap to make, taking all of 3 to 4 minutes a side to crispy perfection. At the table, you are invited to top your quesadilla with crème fraiche, sliced avocado, and red onion rings.before landing squarely on our dinner table here in New York City. It’s no more Mexican or Jewish than we are. It’s a fusion dish that marries the creamy, salty luxury of smoked salmon with the crisp, golden comfort of a toasted tortilla. The beauty of the dish is in the contrast. The flour tortilla crisps up beautifully in the pan, while the filling leans heavily into the classic lox-and-bagel flavors, incorporating cream cheese and capers. The crispy tortilla is then topped with sour cream with

WHO MADE THE FIRST SMOKED SALMON QUESADILLA?

While there’s no single origin story for the smoked salmon quesadilla, it likely emerged from the same culinary melting pot that gave us bagel and lox-inspired pizzas and sushi burritos. Smoked salmon itself has deep roots in Eastern European Jewish cuisine, particularly among Ashkenazi communities who brought their love for cured fish to New York. But the quesadilla? That’s pure Mexican tradition—though in this case, it swaps the usual gooey Oaxacan cheese for something more in line with smoked salmon’s best friends: cream cheese, goat cheese, and crème fraîche.

ALRIGHT! WHO MADE THE FIRST QUESADILLA?

The word quesadilla comes from queso, meaning cheese. But the first quesadillas exist without any cheese at all. Their roots stretch back to pre-Columbian Mexico, where the indigenous peoples made something quite similar. The Aztecs stuffed tortillas with squash and pumpkin, folded them over, and cooked them on a flat griddle: no cheese, no meat—just pure plant-based sustenance wrapped in a warm corn tortilla. Then the Spanish arrived in the 16^th century, bringing their livestock—cows and sheep- and Cheese!  The Quesadilla we’re familiar with took shape. As you’ll see after today’s recipe, we love the Quesadilla in all its forms.

Smoked Salmon Quesadillas

March 29, 2025

Servings: 2

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 10 min

Total: 25 min

Difficulty: A snap to make!

Luxurious smoked salmon meets the crispness of cheese-filled toasted tortillas topped with crème fraiche, avocado, red onions.

By: Monte Mathews

Ingredients

• 4 flour tortillas, 8 inch size
• 5 ounces garlic herb cheese, softened (recommended: Boursin)
• 6 ounces smoked salmon
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 cup Salsa—jarred of your choice—we used Trader Joe’s Corn Salsa
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• Creme fraiche, optional

Directions

• Step 1 In a small bowl, combine sour cream with dill. Set aside
• Step 2 Lay out 2-8-inch tortillas
• Step 3 spread each with half of the herb cheese. Divide and top each tortilla with salmon, capers, and jack cheese. Top with remaining tortillas.
• Step 4 .In a skillet large enough to fit tortillas, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat. When oil is hot, carefully fry both sides of the quesadillas for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown, turning with a large spatula. Serve hot, topped with sliced avocado, corn or other salsa, and onion rings. Garnish with crème fraiche

HERE ARE SOME OTHER QUESADILLA RECIPES THAT WE LOVE. CLICK ON EITHER THE PHOTO OR THE LINK TO GO TO THE RECIPES.

PORK LOIN TWO WAYS: WITH FIGS & PORT WINE THEN AS QUESADILLAS FROM ONE ROASTED PORK LOIN

Ina Garten’s “Leftover” Roasted Shrimp and our Shrimp Quesadillas

Petty Cash’s Zucchini Quesadilla with Spicy Salsa Rioja