Shrimp Quinoa Bowl is a deliciously zesty dish packed with colorful vegetables and topped with feta cheese. It’s also easy to customize with your favorite veggies and seasonings, so you can make it your own. Serve it with fresh, crusty bread or a side of roasted veggies like asparagus or broccoli.
Quinoa is always been my favorite type of salad. If you read my site often you must have seen lots of different quinoa salad made with veggies, beans and even fruits.
I always try to create quinoa salads with all kinds of ingredients, and one of my favorites is my black bean quinoa mango salad. I totally love the salt and sweet combo especially in salads because it adds much more flavor into it.
- Fresh shrimp: Succulent shrimp adds a good amount of protein to this vibrant bowl.
- Quinoa: Quinoa forms the wholesome base, providing a satisfying and hearty foundation for your bowl.
- Veggies: Red onion, red pepper, cucumber.
- Olives: Briny olives introduce a tangy and savory element, infusing the dish with Mediterranean flair.
- Feta cheese: Crumbled feta cheese for a creamy and salty flavor.
- Garnish — Fresh herbs are great here like fresh parsley. It’s great for extra flavor and color!
- Olive oil: A drizzle of high-quality olive oil ties the ingredients together.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: A pinch of kosher salt and a sprinkle of black pepper season the dish to perfection.
Preparing shrimp and quinoa salads can be a breeze with these simple steps. Follow these instructions to prepare the shrimp, cook the quinoa, and assemble the bowl. See the recipe card below for the full instructions.
Prepare the Shrimp:
To prepare the large shrimp, start by cleaning and deveining them if they aren’t already deveined. Rinse them under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels, and season them with salt and pepper.
Cook the shrimp over medium-high heat in a large skillet until just cooked through.
Cook the Quinoa:
Cooking the quinoa is simple. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan, add the rinsed quinoa, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the quinoa is cooked and the water is absorbed.
Check out this post on How to Make Fluffy Quinoa if you need help on making the quinoa.
Then, in a mason jar, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until all is combined.
Assemble the Bowl:
Toss the quinoa, red onions, red bell peppers, cucumbers, and olives in a medium bowl. Top with shrimp and feta cheese.
Recipe Tips
- When selecting your shrimp, look for fresh, wild-caught shrimp if possible. You can also use frozen shrimp, just make sure to thaw it properly before cooking.
- Add garlic powder, cilantro, and lime juice to add a zesty kick to the shrimp.
- Butter will add richness and a silky texture to the shrimp.
- For the quinoa, you can use tri-color quinoa, which is a blend of white, red, and black quinoa. Rinse it with cold water through a fine mesh sieve before cooking to remove any bitterness.
- To assemble the bowl, you can use any combination of corn, avocado, tomato, sliced almonds, or fresh cilantro that you like. These ingredients will add freshness, crunch, and color to the bowl. You can also add other fresh veggies, such as roasted sweet potato or Brussels sprouts, or sautéed onions, to customize your bowl to your liking.
To ensure that this shrimp recipe stays fresh and delicious, it’s important to store it properly. Here are some tips for storing and reheating your bowl:
Refrigerate:
- Store your leftover quinoa and shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This will keep it fresh for up to 3-4 days.
Freeze:
- If you’re planning to store your bowl for longer, consider freezing it. Place the bowl in a freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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This recipe is really worth a try. Please, let me know if you made this salad and what you think about it. Hope you enjoy it.
If you’ve a huge bag of quinoa and don’t know what to do with all of it? Try this Easy Quinoa Salad, Quinoa Salad with Roasted Asparagus, Carrot Quinoa Salad, or Chicken Quinoa Salad.
More Shrimp Recipes
Shrimp Quinoa Salad
Video
Ingredients
For the Quinoa Salad
- 2 cups raw shrimp no tail
- 1 cup dried quinoa rinsed
- ½ cup red onions chopped
- 1 cup red pepper chopped
- 1 cup cucumber chopped
- ½ cup olives any kind you prefer
- 1/3 cup feta cheese
- Fresh parsley for garnish
For The Dressing
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Shrimp
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 lb raw shrimp peeled and deveined tail-on
- Salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and add rinsed quinoa. Cover the sauce pan with a lid and let it cook for 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat, uncover, fluff with a fork, and set aside to cool for at least 5 minutes.
- While the quinoa is cooking, grab a mason jar or small bowl. Pour the freshly squeezed lemon juice and olive oil. Add salt and pepper and whisk everything. Set aside.
- Using paper towels, pat dry shrimp and add in a plate or bowl.Season with salt and black pepper. Stir well.
- In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook for about 1-2 minutes each side or until they are cooked through. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add cooked quinoa, red onions, red bell pepper, cucumber, cooked shrimp. Stir really well.
- Pour the homemade vinaigrette dressing over the quinoa salad and stir to combine. Garnish with feta cheese, olives and parsley before serving.
For Meal-Prep/Storage
- Place an even amount of quinoa salad and sautéed shrimp into 4glass containers. Cover with a lid, and place in the fridge for up 4 days. You can also store your salad in one, large container if desired.
Notes
- Thoroughly thaw the shrimp and remove any excess water by patting them dry with paper towels before cooking them.
- The quinoa is done when it’s cooked through but still slightly firm. Don’t overcook it or it will become mushy.
- Cut the vegetables into small pieces all of similar size so they’re easy to eat and you don’t get any big bites of them.
- Whisk together the dressing at the beginning of the cooking process so the flavors have time to sit and mellow and won’t be quite so sharp.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?
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Healthy, hearty and beautiful!
Where can I find the nutritional information for your recipes, Olivia?
I just added the nutritional information for your recipe for you, Elaine 😉
Doesn’t have a lot of flavor. I feel like it needs additional spices but I don’t know what?
Thanks for your feedback! The dressing is really flavorful, so maybe adding a bit more next time will help bring out the flavors 😊
Creative, healthy and delicious !!! Thank you!
Thank you 😉