Shrimp Quinoa Salad

Name: Shrimp Quinoa Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup dry quinoa; 1 English cucumber, finely chopped; 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved; 1 bell pepper, finely chopped; 2 roasted red peppers, chopped; 1/2 cup kalamata olives, halved; 1/4 cup chiffonade basil; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 teaspoon chopped garlic; 1 pound shrimp; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/8 teaspoon black pepper; 1 head romaine lettuce, finely shredded; Optional: feta cheese; 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon good quality olive oil; 1 tablespoon dried oregano; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

June 6, 2023

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Shrimp Quinoa Salad is a 20-minute meal that’s delicious, nutritionally balanced, and easy to make. With some strategic planning, this meal can be made in 20 minutes, start to finish!

Gluten Free, Nut Free, Dairy Free option

As a busy mom, I know you have no time. That’s why I love meals that you can make once and enjoy all week. This Shrimp Quinoa Salad fits the bill! Grain salads in general are great to make in advance and enjoy, or to feed an entire family.

This Shrimp Quinoa Salad is…

Easy to make
Cooks quickly
Inspired by Mediterranean flavors
Packed with flavor
Great to meal prep

Ingredients to Make This Shrimp Quinoa Salad

You’ll need 11-12 ingredients (+ oil and pepper) to make this recipe. It may seem like a long list, but it’s super simple!

The main ingredients are:

Quinoa
Veggies
Shrimp
Feta cheese (optional, hence the 11-12 range!)

A salad is super refreshing this time of year, so you’ll love this on a hot day.

How to Make This Meal in 20 Minutes

If you want to make this meal in 20 minutes, then you need to be strategic about your time. What I mean is that you need to prepare your ingredients in the right order. (Because, yes, there is a wrong order when it comes to making this meal in just 20 minutes.)

Start with the longest-cooking item, which will be your quinoa. This recipe calls for 1/2 cup dry quinoa. If you’re making it for more than 4 people I would double to 1 cup, but note that will also increase your cooking time.

Once you get your quinoa started (be sure to check it to reduce heat to a simmer and cover once it’s boiling), prepare your veggies. The more you cut up veggies, the faster you’ll get! You should be done cutting up all your veggies by the time the quinoa is done in 8(ish) minutes.

One secret to cutting veggies quicker is to have a good set up! Use a cutting board and sharp chef’s knife.

Next it will be time to cook your shrimp. I specifically chose shrimp as the protein in this recipe because they’re one of the fastest cooking proteins. They take just 2-3 minutes on each side.

This recipe is also very forgiving, so you don’t even really have to measure your spices. Just shake ’em on until it looks well-seasoned!

How Can You Make This Recipe So Quickly?

Work strategically in the kitchen – start preparation with what will take the longest
Practice cutting veggies – you will get faster. A good knife and skills helps!
Use quick-cooking proteins (shrimp, fish and thin chicken are my favorites)

You add warm shrimp and quinoa to the salad?

YES, I do and I like it. If you’re a bit pickier about temperatures and warm ingredients in salads, perhaps make the quinoa and shrimp in advance because you’ll want them to cool down.

Other great make-ahead salads to try:

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need to Make This Recipe: