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Crab Quesadillas with Spinach

If you’re looking for a delicious and easy-to-make dish that will satisfy your taste buds, these crab quesadillas are the perfect choice! Packed with ooey gooey melty cheese, spinach, and succulent crabmeat, each bite is riches in flavor.

Chips, beans, cheese, and salsa on the plate with the quesadillas
Image Credit: Dishes Delish.

I don’t know about you, but I love quesadillas! And this crabmeat version is one of my favorites because the flavor of this quesadilla is so good. Something about the combination of the crab with the cheese and spinach makes me seriously happy!

It also satisfies my Mexican food craving – at least for a day or two. Hehe.

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Helpful
Tips
  • I use both Mexican cheese and muenster in this recipe. You can omit the muenster if you like, but I like how smooth and mild the taste is, and it melts like a dream.
  • What I love about Mexican cheese is that it combines Monterey Jack cheese, cheddar, Asadero, and Queso quesadilla cheese.
  • Spinach goes well with crab so I use pre-washed baby spinach. I like to cut the spinach in smaller bites, but you can use it as is.
  • If you don’t like spinach. Here are a few great additions: fresh cilantro, green onion, scallions, cooked red bell pepper, cooked onion, and pieces of tomato.
  • One of my best purchases was my cast iron wok from Le Creuset. I sauté all my veggies in this pan and never would be without it. But if you don’t have a regular wok, just use a sauté pan instead.
A white plate with the seafood quesadilla, beans, chips, cheese and salsa
Photo Credit: Dishes Delish.

How to make spinach and crab quesadillas

Pre-step

Get a sauté pan and/or wok. I use a cast iron skillet but stainless steel will work as well.

Step one

Gather the ingredients – canned crab meat (or freshly cooked), shredded Mexican cheese, muenster cheese, baby spinach, and tortillas. (A)

Step two

Heat a sauté pan or wok on medium heat. Once it heats up, add olive oil and once that shimmers, add the spinach and sauté for 3 – 5 minutes or until it wilts. (B)

Left - Crab meat, cheeses, spinach and tortillas on a table. Right - Spinach sautéed in a red wok
Photo Credit: Dishes Delish.

Perfect.

Step three

Open the crab meat can and drain it as well as you can. (C)

There is a lot of meat in that can. I used some for the quesadillas and the rest for sandwiches.

Step four

Heat a sauté pan on medium-low. Once it has heated up, spritz a small amount of cooking spray.

Step five

Add a tortilla, one piece of muenster cheese, and some Mexican cheese. Cover the pan so the cheese melts faster.

Step six

Add as much crabmeat as you want to the tortilla. (D)

Left - An open can of crab meat on a table. Right - Tortilla, cheese and crab being cooked in a pan
Photo Credit: Dishes Delish.

Step seven

Add as much of the spinach as you want and cover the pan again.

Step eight

After a minute, check the bottom of the tortilla and once it is golden brown, fold the tortilla in half, cut it in half, and plate it.

I add some refried beans, salsa, more cheese if I want it, and some chips.

Doesn’t that look yummy?

Let’s look at it from a closer perspective.

Close view of the quesadilla with chips, salsa and cheese on the plate
Image Credit: Dishes Delish.

I couldn’t wait any longer so I had to take a bite.

Two halves of the quesadilla with salsa, cheese, spinach, beans, and chips in the back
Image Credit: Dishes Delish.

I hope you enjoyed this spinach and crab quesadillas recipe.

It is sooooo good!

Other Mexican food goodies

And as always, may all your dishes be delish!

If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog, I’d love the hear what you thought about it in the comments below.  I love hearing from you!  You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOKTWITTERINSTAGRAM and PINTEREST  to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!

A white plate with a bite taken out of a quesadillas with chips, beans, cheese and salsa - square

Spinach and Crab Quesadillas

This spinach crab quesadillas are so delicious and satisfying.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: crab quesadillas, seafood quesadillas
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 1 quesadilla
Calories: 396kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 12 ounces baby spinach (cut into smaller pieces)
  • .16 teaspoon salt (to taste)
  • ounces crabmeat (or more drained)
  • pieces muenster cheese (optional – but it is very creamy)
  • 1 tablespoon Mexican cheese
  • flour tortilla (fajita size)
  • olive oil cooking spray

Instructions

  • Heat wok or sauté pan on medium. Once it heats up and add olive oil and once it shimmers, add spinach and salt and sauté for 3 – 5 minutes.
    1 tablespoon olive oil, 12 ounces baby spinach, .16 teaspoon salt
  • Heat another sauté pan (or same one) on medium/low, add cooking spray and add a flour tortilla, muenster cheese and Mexican cheese.  Cover and let cheese melt
    1  pieces muenster cheese, 1 tablespoon Mexican cheese, 1  flour tortilla, olive oil cooking spray
  • Add crabmeat and spinach, re-cover pan and once the flour tortilla browns, fold it over
    2  ounces crabmeat
  • Plate and cut in half
  • Eat, smile, and enjoy.

Equipment

See all my favorite tools and gift ideas at my Amazon Store page!Check out Elaine’s Amazon Store!

Notes

I only made one quesadilla, but you can make as many as you want!!

Helpful tips

  • I use both Mexican cheese and muenster in this recipe. You can omit the muenster if you like, but I like how smooth and mild the taste is, and it melts like a dream.
  • What I love about Mexican cheese is that it combines Monterey Jack cheese, cheddar, Asadero, and Queso quesadilla cheese.
  • Spinach goes well with crab so I use pre-washed baby spinach. I like to cut the spinach in smaller bites, but you can use it as is.
  • If you don’t like spinach. Here are a few great additions: fresh cilantro, green onion, scallions, cooked red bell pepper, cooked onion, and pieces of tomato.
  • One of my best purchases was my cast iron wok from Le Creuset. I sauté all my veggies in this pan and never would be without it. But if you don’t have a regular wok, just use a sauté pan instead.

Nutrition

Serving: 1quesadilla | Calories: 396kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 560mg | Potassium: 2059mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 32000IU | Vitamin C: 99.6mg | Calcium: 492mg | Iron: 10.5mg
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From lighting up stages with her BA in theater to food journalist, Elaine Benoit's journey is a testament to passion's transformative power. As the CEO of Dishes Delish, she offers a blend of healthy, comforting recipes and exquisitely crafted cocktails. Beyond the kitchen, Elaine voiced her culinary adventures on her podcast, "Dishing," and co-owns Food Blogger Help, extending her expertise to guide budding food bloggers to success. Whether it's for a heartwarming dish or insights into food blogging, Elaine's diverse experiences make her a beacon in the culinary digital landscape.

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20 Comments

  1. My sisterinlaw lives in Alaska and sends us crab legs when they get them from the local fisherman. This is a fun way to use crab. Id never thought of using it for a quesadilla!

  2. I absolutely love crab, but I never know what to do with it when I’ve got a tin at home! You’ve given me the perfect healthy lunch recipe to use it in now, though. Thanks!!

  3. I grew up eating Maryland-style blue crabs and still enjoy lump crabmeat as a snack with a litle Old Bay, but I never thought about adding to a quesadilla! Sounds like something I’ll have to try!

  4. I eat a quesadilla for lunch almost every day, this looks like a great way to spice up my lunch routine!

  5. This looks fab! ? You know, I had never really eaten Mexican food until my first trip to the States many years back now. We had Mexican food in Aus at the time but it was some horrible fusion cuisine. Not the lovely fresh flavours you get in actual, gorgeous Mexican food. Happily we’ve improved on it enormously over here!

    1. Gabby! I know what you mean about fusion cuisine. I was up in Vermont and this Chinese food place was so bizarre!

  6. Looks awesome Elaine, I told you that there’s no proper Mexican restaurant in my area, with your recipe I can make my own Mexican Fiesta Ay Ay Ay! 🙂

  7. Oh, Elaine, I LOVE this recipe! I am totally addicted to Mexican food and totally in love with crab! I’m giving this one a try ASAP! Thanks for the inspiration!

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