Recipe: Zesty Shrimp and Quinoa

This tasty, simple, and satisfying meal makes the perfect weeknight dinner for easy entertaining. Along with being a taste-bud pleaser, this blend of shrimp, quinoa, and onions is a great source of high-quality protein and potassium, which is always a plus!

Zesty Shrimp and Quinoa

Photo by Danielle Karagannis

Serves 2

What You’ll Need:

1 cup raw shrimp (fresh or frozen and defrosted) 1 cup quinoa 1 red onion, thinly sliced ½ teaspoon pepper 1 clove garlic, finely minced ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce ¼ cup balsamic vinegar 2-3 dashes hot sauce (optional)

What To Do:

1. Make the sauce: In a medium sized bowl, combine soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, pepper, garlic, and hot sauce (if using). Stir until well blended and set aside.

2. Make quinoa: Combine 1 cup dry quinoa and 1 3/4 cup water in a pot. Bring to boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes, or until quinoa is cooked and tender. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. While quinoa is cooking, begin cooking the shrimp: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and onions to pan.

3. When the shrimp begin to turn pink, add the sauce to the pan and continue to cook, stirring frequently.

4. When shrimp is cooked through, add quinoa to the pan, and stir until well combined. Top with a drizzle of soy sauce or a squeeze of lime, and enjoy!

Comments Leave a comment

jlrivera24

Sounds great...definitely trying this out this week!

bdex

DO NOT MAKE THIS RECIPE. 
 
A red flag went off when I was preparing the sauce and realized that 1/2 a cup of soy sauce is HALF THE BOTTLE. But I continued anyway. The end result was a black sludge that was SO salty I had to throw the entire dish in the garbage after a trial bite. I still ate the shrimp, but good god am I thirsty!

Kate Morin

 @bdex Hmm.. Did you start with 1 cup cooked or uncooked quinoa? I've contacted the contributor for this recipe to clear up any possible mistake or misunderstanding with the article but tentatively decreased the amount listed until I get a firm response from her! Will re-test the recipe myself this weekend solve the issue. Thanks for your comment!

mndwilk

 @bdex It says to use 1/4 cup of low-sodium soy sauce.  You said you put in 1/2 cup and full sodium.  There's your problem.

bdex

 @mndwilk  @bdex they changed that after I commented...

Kate Morin

 @bdex  @mndwilk I decreased the amount (from 1/2 to 1/4). The recipe has always indicated "low-sodium," so @mndwilk  could be right that using full-sodium was the problem!

caramelphoenix

This was delicious, the perfect balance of zest, savory, and sheer goodness!  I substituted brown rice for quinoa and it still came out amazing!  Thanks so much for the recipe!

Kate Morin

@caramelphoenix Glad it worked out for you!

Justin Smith

As of 3/12/13 the recipe still calls for 1/2 cup of soy sauce, 1/4 cup of balsamic...low sodium or not, that is way too much soy sauce. It was like a soup of soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Needs to be changed

sam george

The picture of the shrimp dish did it for me! Then when I saw how few ingredients and how easy to make...this is dinner tomorrow. Thanks!

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