Quinoa Salad with Caribbean Shrimp

In just a week and a half, Matt and I will embark on our cruise with Dinogo! We’ll be exploring the Eastern Caribbean, including stops at the Bahamas, St. Thomas, Puerto Rico, and Grand Turk. I can hardly contain my excitement! To get in the mood, I decided to make this delicious Caribbean Shrimp Quinoa Salad recipe early.

I prepared this dish last week while working from home for a quick and effortless lunch, but it also makes a lovely, simple dinner option.

To prepare this recipe, the first step is to cook your quinoa, which takes about 12 minutes. While the quinoa cooks, you can prepare your sauce. It turned out fantastic—ideal as a marinade for any type of fish, or even chicken or tofu!

Next, simply toss your shrimp (I used frozen, and there's no need to defrost) into the marinade, give it a stir, and pour everything into a large skillet.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer, flipping the shrimp frequently until they are fully cooked. This should take just a few minutes.

After the shrimp is cooked, mix in the quinoa, which should be fully cooked by now.

Add in some peppers (any variety will do—I used green) for an extra boost of vegetables.

Next, pour the mixture (it can be hot, or you can let it cool first if you prefer a refreshing salad with crisp greens) over a bed of arugula in a bowl.

If desired, garnish with extra cilantro and lime, and add some avocado for a dose of healthy fats.

Dig in!

Here’s the complete recipe—this is definitely making my list of dishes to recreate.

Quinoa Salad with Caribbean Shrimp

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1 cup dry quinoa, prepared according to package instructions
• Juice from one large orange (about 1/2 cup)
• Juice from two limes (approximately 1/4 cup)
• 1/8 cup olive oil (or melted coconut oil)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 12 oz. fresh or frozen shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• One 5 oz. package of arugula
• 1 avocado, sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Prepare quinoa according to package directions.
2. In a large bowl, combine orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, garlic, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne pepper.
3. Add the shrimp to the bowl and toss to coat them evenly.
4. Transfer the shrimp and sauce mixture to a large skillet. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer, cooking while turning the shrimp frequently until they are fully cooked and no longer opaque. This should only take a few minutes.
5. Once the shrimp is cooked, mix in the chopped green pepper and the cooked quinoa.
6. In a large bowl, place the arugula. Pour the quinoa and shrimp mixture over the arugula. Top with sliced avocado and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve either chilled or warm.

This post was created in partnership with Dinogo. As always, all opinions, thoughts, and ideas expressed in this post are my own.