This garlic shrimp and quinoa recipe is healthy, flavorful, and ready in 30 minutes. It makes a quick lunch or dinner and is easy to customize with your favorite veggies or spices.

Spicy shrimp and quinoa in a cast iron pan, garnished with fresh parsley.

Shrimp is a dinnertime favorite at my house because it cooks quickly and soaks up flavor beautifully. Paired with nutty quinoa, garlic, and simple spices, it makes a healthy, protein-packed meal.

I like to serve it on its own or alongside roasted Brussels sprouts, a crisp salad, or steamed greens.

Recipe Highlights

  • Quick and easy: Ready in 30 minutes or less using pre-cooked quinoa. Great for busy weeknights.
  • Meal prep friendly: Make extra to eat for lunch or dinner the next day.
  • Versatile: Add your favorite veggies, spices, or proteins.

Key Ingredients & Easy Swaps

Ingredients for spicy quinoa and shrimp recipe: shrimp, quinoa, garlic, parsley, lemon, chili powder, olive oil, vegetable stock, onion, and salt.
  • Shrimp: Large or medium shrimp work well. Look for ones that are peeled, deveined, and tail-off for easy prep. If using frozen, thaw and pat dry. You can also swap in scallops, chicken, tofu, or black beans.
  • Quinoa: White or tri-color are both good choices. Rinse well under cold water to remove the natural coating. You can replace it with rice, barley, farro, or couscous. Use any leftover quinoa in a harvest salad.
  • Oil: Olive oil is my go-to. Butter adds a richer flavor.
  • Garlic: Add as much or as little as you like, or leave it out completely.
  • Chili powder: Adjust to taste, depending on how spicy you like it.
  • Vegetable stock: Homemade is best, but chicken broth or water is also fine.
  • Lemon juice: Fresh juice gives the brightest flavor.
  • Fresh parsley: Optional, but it adds a bit of color and freshness.

See the recipe card below for a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions.

How to Make Garlic Shrimp and Quinoa

Cooked quinoa in a pan, ready to be combined with shrimp for a garlic shrimp and quinoa recipe.
Step 1 – Cook the quinoa with onion, garlic, and chili powder.
Shrimp sautéed in a cast iron pan, prepared for making spicy shrimp with quinoa.
Step 2 – Sauté the shrimp with garlic and chili powder until no longer translucent.
Spicy quinoa and shrimp mixed together in a cast iron pan.
Step 3 – Mix the quinoa and shrimp together, drizzle with lemon juice, and toss to combine.
Shrimp and quinoa dish ready to serve, packed with garlic flavor and fresh parsley.
Step 4 – Top with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately while still hot.

Quick tip: Be careful not to overcook the shrimp. It’s done when it turns pink, opaque, and curls into a “C” shape. Overcooking can make it rubbery.

Recipe Variations

  • Extra heat: Sprinkle red pepper flakes or drizzle a bit of Sriracha.
  • Mediterranean twist: Add Kalamata olives, feta, and fresh herbs.
  • Veggies: Toss in bell peppers, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, or broccoli for more color and nutrients.
  • Crunchy topping: Try toasted almonds, pine nuts, or sunflower seeds for a nice crunch.
  • Smoky flavor: Season with a dash of smoked paprika.

How to Make Ahead & Store

Make ahead: Perfect for meal prep. Cook the quinoa and shrimp ahead of time and store them separately. When you’re ready to eat, just warm them up and mix together.

Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm gently in the microwave or in a skillet, and add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice before serving.

Freezing: Store shrimp and quinoa in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat. (Just note that shrimp texture may change slightly after freezing).

Close-up of garlic shrimp with quinoa in a cast iron pan, topped with chopped parsley.

More Dinner Recipes

If you’ve made this shrimp and quinoa, leave a comment and rating below. I’d love to know how it turned out for you.

Spicy shrimp and quinoa displayed in a cast iron pan.
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How To Make It: Garlic Shrimp and Quinoa

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
(5 stars) 36 ratings
This shrimp and quinoa recipe is simple, healthy, and ready in 30 minutes. It’s made with basic ingredients and easy to adapt, so it works well on busy nights.

Ingredients

For the quinoa

  • ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ small onion finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 cup (190 g) uncooked quinoa
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (475 ml) low-sodium vegetable stock

For the shrimp

  • ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lb (450 g) peeled, deveined, tail-off raw shrimp
  • 1 clove garlic finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon chili powder

You will also need

  • fresh parsley finely chopped
  • the juice of half a lemon

Equipment

Instructions

Cook the quinoa

  1. In a medium pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 4 minutes, until softened.
  2. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Add the quinoa, chili powder, and salt. Sauté for 1 minute, then pour in the broth. Bring to a boil uncovered.
  4. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

Sauté the shrimp

  1. While the quinoa cooks (about 15 minutes in), heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the shrimp, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of chili powder.
  2. Sauté for about 3 minutes, until pink and cooked through. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.

Combine and serve

  1. Toss the shrimp with the cooked quinoa. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and mix well. Top with chopped parsley and serve right away.

Notes

  • Shrimp: If using frozen shrimp, thaw completely and pat dry before cooking. You can swap with scallops, chicken, tofu, or black beans.
  • Quinoa: Any type works well. You can also use rice, barley, farro, or couscous.
  • Garlic & chili powder: Adjust to taste.
  • Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or a skillet.
  • Freezing: Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
  • Make-Ahead: Cook the quinoa and shrimp ahead of time and store separately. Reheat and combine when ready to eat.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 portion, Calories: 300 kcal, Carbohydrates: 32 g, Protein: 29 g, Fat: 7 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 181 mg, Sodium: 166 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 3 g
Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment or share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #aseasyasapplepie. We’d love to see what you come up with!
Author: Elena Tomasi
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free