Quinoa Bowl With Shrimp

I make this quinoa bowl with shrimp when it’s 6 p.m. and I haven’t decided anything about dinner. The shrimp take four minutes. The quinoa does its thing in one pot while you deal with everything else. By the time the avocado’s diced, you’re basically done.

What you get: warm, smoky shrimp over fluffy quinoa, cold tomatoes, creamy avocado, and a lemon dressing sharp enough to cut through all of it. Thirty-five minutes. Two pans to wash.

Why This Quinoa Bowl With Shrimp Works

Four small things carry this bowl, and skipping any of them shows.

Rinse the quinoa. Quinoa wears a natural coating called saponin. It tastes bitter, a little soapy. Thirty seconds under cool water takes most of it off. Skip the rinse and the whole bowl tastes slightly off and you won’t know why.

Medium heat for the shrimp. The garlic is minced and sitting right on the surface, so it’s the first thing to burn. My first batch was on high heat. The garlic went dark and bitter before the shrimp even turned pink. Medium gives you pink shrimp and golden garlic at the same time.

Dijon in the dressing. Mustard holds the oil and lemon together. Whisk it until it’s emulsified and the dressing coats the quinoa. Leave the mustard out and it slides to the bottom of the bowl, and you’re eating dry grain next to a puddle.

Warm against cold. Shrimp straight from the pan, tomatoes and avocado straight from the fridge. The lemon cuts the avocado’s richness, so every bite lands a little different.

Ingredients

For the Bowl

• 1 cup quinoa
• 12-15 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• Fresh cilantro for garnish

For the Dressing

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions

1. Rinse the quinoa under cool water.
2. Add 2 cups of water or broth to a pot and bring it to a boil.
3. Add the quinoa, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
4. Once done, fluff with a fork and set aside.
5. Toss the shrimp with olive oil, garlic, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, coating each shrimp evenly.
6. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the shrimp.
7. Cook for 2 minutes per side or until plump and pink.
8. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
9. Add a generous helping of quinoa to each bowl.
10. Top with shrimp, cherry tomatoes, avocado, red onion, and cilantro.
11. Drizzle with the dressing and serve.

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Total time: 35 minutes Servings: 2 large bowls

Tips

• Pat the shrimp dry before the oil goes on. Wet shrimp steam. Dry shrimp sear.
• One layer in the skillet. Crowd the pan and you get pale, rubbery shrimp. If all 15 won’t fit, cook them in two rounds.
• Use broth for the quinoa. Water works, but broth gives you a bowl that tastes seasoned from the bottom up.
• Dice the avocado last, right before you build the bowls. Brown avocado looks sad.
• Do not overcook the shrimp. Pull them the second they curl into a loose C and turn opaque pink. A tight O means you waited too long.
• Taste the dressing before it goes on. Lemons vary a lot. Too sharp, add a drop more honey. Flat, add salt first.

Variations

• Grilled chicken: Slice it thin and use the same garlic and smoked paprika rub as the shrimp.
• Chickpeas: Drain, pat dry, and warm them in the skillet with the same oil and paprika. This is the meatless swap I’d actually make again.
• Tofu: I’d skip it. Soft tofu next to soft avocado leaves you nothing to chew. If you try it anyway, press it and sear until crisp first.
• Greens: Kale, spinach, or arugula goes under the quinoa. Arugula is my pick, peppery and no prep. Kale needs a quick massage with a spoonful of dressing or it stays tough.
• Heat: Chili flakes in the shrimp seasoning, or Sriracha drizzled over the top.
• Nutritional yeast: A spoonful over the hot quinoa adds a savory, almost cheesy edge with no dairy.

Make-Ahead

Quinoa and dressing, yes. Cook the quinoa up to 4 days ahead and keep it in an airtight container. The dressing keeps about 5 days in a jar. Olive oil thickens in the cold, so let it sit on the counter a few minutes and shake it.

Everything else, no. Shrimp turn rubbery when reheated, avocado browns, and cut tomatoes go watery. The shrimp take four minutes anyway, so cook them fresh. Leftover shrimp are fine cold on tomorrow’s bowl. Don’t microwave them.

FAQ

Closing Thoughts

Double the dressing. A jar of it lasts the week and works on any grain bowl or a plain chicken salad. And keep a warm pita nearby for wiping up whatever’s left at the bottom of the bowl.