Garlic Butter Shrimp Quinoa Bowl
A healthy garlic butter shrimp quinoa bowl with fluffy quinoa, seared shrimp in a lemony garlic butter sauce, and fresh vegetables, ready in about 30 minutes.
Equipment
- fine mesh strainer
- Medium saucepan with lid
- Large skillet
- Tongs
Ingredients
Quinoa
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water or chicken broth
- ½ tsp salt
Garlic Butter Shrimp
- 1½ lbs large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter divided
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes optional
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
Bowl Toppings
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 tbsp olive oil for the broccoli
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cucumber diced
- 1 avocado sliced
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
Rinse and Cook the Quinoa
- Place the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse it under cold running water for 1-2 minutes, rubbing the grains gently with your fingers, until the water runs clear and no longer looks cloudy or foamy. This removes the natural coating that can make quinoa taste bitter.
- Add the rinsed quinoa to a medium saucepan over medium heat and toast it for 2 minutes, stirring often, until it smells nutty and looks dry. Pour in the water or broth, add the salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the grains show a tiny white spiral. Remove from the heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
Season the Shrimp and Cook the Vegetables
- While the quinoa cooks, pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels, since surface moisture prevents browning. Toss them in a bowl with the paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the broccoli with a pinch of salt, and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until bright green and crisp-tender with a few browned spots. Transfer to a plate and wipe out the skillet.
Sear the Shrimp and Make the Garlic Butter
- Return the skillet to high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Once the butter is foaming, add the shrimp in a single layer, working in two batches if needed to avoid crowding. Sear for 1½ to 2 minutes per side, until pink, lightly golden, and just opaque. Transfer to a clean plate.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. When it melts, stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for 30-45 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned. Stir in the lemon juice and zest and let the sauce bubble gently for 30 seconds.
- Return the shrimp and any juices on the plate to the skillet, tossing for 30 seconds so every shrimp is coated in the sauce, then remove from the heat and stir in the parsley.
Build the Bowls
- Divide the quinoa among four bowls, then arrange the broccoli, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado on top.
- Spoon the garlic butter shrimp over each bowl, drizzling any remaining sauce from the skillet over the quinoa, and serve right away with lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
- Rinsing the quinoa thoroughly is the single most important step for avoiding a bitter, soapy taste, so don’t skip it even if the package says “pre-rinsed.”
- Patting the shrimp completely dry before seasoning gives you real browning instead of steamed, pale shrimp.
- Shrimp go from perfectly cooked to rubbery in under a minute, so pull them as soon as they turn opaque, since they finish cooking in the warm sauce.
- Lower the heat before adding the garlic, because it turns bitter quickly in hot butter.
- Letting the quinoa rest covered for 5 minutes after cooking, then fluffing with a fork, keeps the grains separate instead of gummy.
- If you’re meal prepping, store the quinoa, vegetables, and shrimp in separate containers and add the avocado fresh, so nothing turns soggy or brown.
- Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.