• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cooking On The Weekends
  • About Valentina
    • Press
    • Contact
  • Recipe Index
  • "How To"
  • Work with Me
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About Valentina
    • Contact
  • Recipe Index
  • Collaborate
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • About Valentina
      • Contact
    • Recipe Index
    • Collaborate
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Fish & Shellfish » Quinoa Salad Bowl with Shrimp

    Quinoa Salad Bowl with Shrimp

    Aug 16, 2019 · by Valentina · 26 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Quinoa Salad Bowl with Shrimp bursts with fresh, bright, tropical flavors. This light lunch or dinner is super satisfying, healthy and pretty! Tropical Quinoa Salad Bowl with Shrimp in a dark ceramic bowl on a sushi mat

    A perfect summer dinner for a relaxing weekend or busy weeknight. This is a hearty dish that's somehow also light, and is all in one bowl!

    What is quinoa?

    • Quinoa is a grain, but not a grass like wheat and rice.  
    • Considered a "superfood," botanically, quinoa is closely related to spinach. 
    • It's a very healthy food and is a whole protein, which means that it contains all nine essential amino acids.
    • Quinoa is also naturally gluten-free, high in dietary fiber, B vitamins, and dietary minerals. 

    What are the differences in quinoa varieties?

    • There are over one hundred types of quinoa! I know, who knew?
    • The most common quinoa colors that we see in stores are white/yellow, red, and black.
    • The varieties vary slightly in taste and texture. I used a mix of red and white/yellow in this recipe, but you can use any one you'd like to.
    • I find that the darker colors tend to have a slightly firmer texture and nuttier, earthier flavor, while the lighter colors are a bit more bitter.

    Red quinoa spilled on a wooden surface

    When to Serve it

    • This is a fantastic "one bowl" meal that works really well for lunch or dinner.
    • It's lovely for a dinner party, and quick and easy enough for a busy weeknight.
    • For guests, arranging the salad on a large serving platter, or in individual bowls, is a beautiful presentation, and shows off its more elegant side.

    Can you make it ahead?

    Yes! Here's how:

    1. Cook the Tropical Quinoa a day ahead of time, let it cool to room temperature and then refrigerate.
    2. A few hours ahead of time, cook the shrimp, and chop the greens and onion.
    3. Mix it all together -- or -- arrange it all in bowls or a serving platter, about thirty minutes before you're ready to serve.

    Several cooked shrimp in a cast iron skillet

    How to Change up the Tropical Quinoa Salad . . . .

    If shrimp isn't your thing, you can switch it out for a protein you prefer. I think either chicken or tofu would be a good alternative. Or you can keep it vegan and skip the protein all together, in which case you should use more pineapple and lettuce.

    I use a mixture of fresh mint and basil -- you can also use one or the other, or use cilantro, parsley, or any combination thereof.

    Not into coconut? Use all pineapple juice to cook the quinoa. You get the idea.

    (And yes, if you want to, you can use fresh pineapple and pineapple juice from a can. I use the pineapple chunks in pineapple juice from the 20-ounce can because it works perfectly for this recipe, as you'll see in the instructions.)

    Tropical Quinoa Salad Bowl with Shrimp in a dark ceramic bowl

    More unique and delicious quinoa recipes:

    • Quinoa Crisps
    • Crispy Red Quinoa Burgers
    • Smoky Lemon-Paprika Quinoa
    • Lemon Vegetable Quinoa
    • Gluten-Free Quinoa Crusted Fried Chicken
    • Lemon-Black Quinoa Plum and Avocado Salad

    I hope you enjoy this Tropical Quinoa Salad Bowl with Shrimp, and any of the other quinoa recipes you try.

    Tropical Quinoa Salad Bowl with Shrimp in a dark ceramic bowl

    Quinoa Salad Bowl with Shrimp

    Valentina K. Wein
    Quinoa Salad Bowl with Shrimp is bursting with fresh, fruity flavors. This light lunch or dinner is super satisfying, healthy and pretty!
    5 from 9 votes
    Print
    Prep Time 27 mins
    Cook Time 3 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Hawaiian
    Servings 6
    Calories 201 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • grapeseed oil for the pan
    • 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (click here for how to peel & devein)
    • 1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks in 100% pineapple juice
    • 1 cup coconut water
    • 1 teaspoon low sodium, gluten-free soy sauce (see notes)
    • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
    • zest of 1 lime
    • 2 tablespoons lime juice
    • ¾ cup red onion, very thinly sliced
    • 2 cups loosely packed lettuce (baby greens, romaine, your choice)
    • ¼ cup fresh mint, washed and dried, roughly chopped
    • ¼ cup fresh basil, washed and dried, roughly chopped
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • pinch cayenne pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Cook shrimp. Add enough grapeseed oil to coat the bottom of a large sauté pan. Heat the pan with the oil over high heat. Season both sides of the shrimp with salt and pepper, and once the pan is hot, add them to the pan. You should hear a sizzling sound -- if you don't, your pan's not hot enough. Wait until the pan is very hot and listen for the sizzle! Sauté the shrimp just until cooked through, about 1 to 1½ minutes per side. Set aside to cool.
    • Prepare pineapple. Drain the pineapple chunks over a medium-sized saucepan. Make sure to get all of the juice from the can -- it should measure exactly 1 cup. Set the pineapple chunks aside for later.
    • Cook quinoa. Add the coconut water and the soy sauce to the saucepan with the pineapple juice, along with the quinoa. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes.
    • Cool quinoa and mix everything together. Place the quinoa in a large serving or mixing bowl and let it cool completely. Add the lime zest and juice, onions, greens, pineapple chunks, raspberries, shrimp, and herbs. Mix it gently to combine, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

    Notes

    You can use regular soy sauce if you don't need the dish to be gluten-free. Tamari is also always a great gluten-free alternative to soy sauce, and tastes more or less the same.
    Calorie count is only an estimate.
    Keywords pretty salads, main course salads
    Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

    Cooking On The Weekends is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

    More Fish & Shellfish

    • Fish Puttanesca in 30 Minutes
    • Blackened Mexican Salmon with Lime
    • Salmon Burgers with Lemon and Dill (Made with Fresh Salmon)
    • Tomato Fish Stew

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. coby

      July 17, 2013 at 2:07 am

      delicious!!! made it this evening with red quinoa and fresh pineapple no juice. whole family LOVED it! thanks Valentina <3

      Reply
      • valentina

        July 17, 2013 at 5:22 am

        Coby, so happy you tried this -- and even happier that everyone loved it! Red quinoa is gorgeous. 🙂

        Reply
    2. angiesrecipes

      August 16, 2019 at 9:32 pm

      wow those shrimps are succulent and yummy...this is a perfectly healthy and delicious meal, Valentina. Have a wonderful weekend!

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 16, 2019 at 10:34 pm

        Thank you, Angie! I hope you have a great weekend, too. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    3. David @ Spiced

      August 19, 2019 at 4:47 am

      This sounds like a delicious summer recipe, Valentina! Those shrimp look insanely delicious, and the flavors are totally calling to me for lunch on a warm day. I love the quinoa twist here, too!

      Reply
    4. Dawn - Girl Heart Food

      August 19, 2019 at 4:52 am

      I love shrimp and pineapple together and who doesn't love quinoa? Sounds like such a delicious, healthy meal, perfect during the summer!

      Reply
    5. 2pots2cook

      August 19, 2019 at 5:32 am

      Totally in for ancient grains ! Perfectly combined with shrimps !

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 19, 2019 at 1:12 pm

        Yay! Hope you love it. 🙂

        Reply
    6. Kim Lange

      August 19, 2019 at 10:56 am

      We've been eating a lot of shrimp lately! I'm into the quinoa and everything else in this delicious salad for sure! Pinning! xo

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 19, 2019 at 1:11 pm

        Thanks, Kim! Hope you enjoy!:-)

        Reply
    7. Eha

      August 19, 2019 at 7:38 pm

      Another quinoa lover here . . . use mostly white or orange about twice a week and have done so for about a decade . . . love the prawn addition but rarely use tinned fruit - *smile* one can het around that ! Must get into your other quinoa recipes after work . . . thanks !

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 19, 2019 at 8:22 pm

        Thanks, Eha. I must seek out orange quinoa. I bet it's so pretty! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
        • Eha

          August 19, 2019 at 8:51 pm

          Because of broken toes have been using Lite n' Easy, a ready-made hugely popular meal service for a few weeks - one of the most interesting dinners I chose was lamb with honey and cinnamon served with Israeli couscous, orange quinoa and sweet potato . . . sounds a mess but was so good have ordered it again for next week !

          Reply
          • valentina

            August 20, 2019 at 8:32 am

            Oh that sounds so interesting! I bet it's delicious -- love the addition of the honey and cinnamon. 🙂

            Reply
    8. David Scott Allen

      August 20, 2019 at 6:20 am

      We both love quinoa, but somehow have forgotten about it. This salad bowl fits perfectly into our new “eat lighter at dinner” campaign. And now, thanks to Eha, I might have to find orange quinoa!

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 20, 2019 at 8:32 am

        Right!? I'm going to have my eye out for the orange quinoa, too. Hope you enjoy and thanks, Valentina

        Reply
    9. Liz

      August 20, 2019 at 2:28 pm

      I love everything about this quinoa bowl. In fact, I'd want to make sure I made enough for dinner that I could have leftovers for lunch!!

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 20, 2019 at 8:17 pm

        Thanks, Liz. Yes, makes for a great lunch the next day. 🙂

        Reply
    10. John / Kitchen Riffs

      August 21, 2019 at 8:35 am

      I almost always have shrimp in the freezer, and usually quinoa in the pantry. This looks like such a delish and easy dish -- thanks!

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 21, 2019 at 11:35 am

        Thanks, John!Great idea to always have shrimp in the freezer. 🙂

        Reply
    11. Nancy Buchanan

      August 27, 2019 at 12:51 pm

      I can't even begin to tell you how much better THIS SALAD is than what I am currently eating (sigh). What I would not give to have that instead! This is going to make a fabulous and easy weeknight dinner - YUM!!!!

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 28, 2019 at 10:28 am

        Wish I could had a bowl over to you. 😉 Thanks so much, Nancy!

        Reply
    12. Brittany Martinez

      August 05, 2020 at 5:20 am

      Let me start off by saying, I am thrilled to have found your recipe! 5 stars isn’t even enough to rate how amazing this meal is and how perfectly all of the flavors just compliment each other. I have to admit I was a bit skeptical at first upon cooking the quinoa, not being sure how everything was going to taste in the end when put together and how the quinoa was going to turn out in general. If I had been wearing socks when I tried the first bite of this meal, they would’ve been knocked right off! Of course there are a few adjustments I made, and didn’t include all of the items when I put everything together. First, I sampled the quinoa and words cannot describe how delicious it was, the flavors go together perfectly! I couldn’t wait to put everything together after tasting the quinoa! I laid a small bed of arugula down then added the quinoa with pineapple chunks and shrimp on top of the arugula. I then added some fresh mint and was so impressed and amazed with this recipe! I am part Hawaiian and love coconut milk, so I was eager to try this recipe, and beyond ecstatic when I found out how delicious this was. I already want to make it again. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe !

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 06, 2020 at 9:23 am

        Hi Brittany, you totally made my day with this lovely note! And it's my birthday! 😀 So thank you very much. I'm so happy you loved this recipe so much. The quinoa does do a good job soaking up all of the flavors. So glad you tried it, and thanks for checking out my site and recipes. ~Valentina

        Reply
    13. Chef Mimi

      July 24, 2021 at 4:50 am

      I love this ! I like all of the elements together, and I just ordered some good shrimp! Thanks!

      Reply
      • valentina

        July 26, 2021 at 12:01 pm

        Mimi, I hope you love it. Thank you! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Get new recipes
    you’ll love!

    Hi, I'm Valentina, certified chef, owner, recipe developer and photographer at Cooking on the Weekends. I'm also a mom of two boys and a Los Angeleno. I use seasonal whole foods to create unique and comforting recipes for casual entertaining.

    More about me →

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Press

    Newsletter

    Get new recipes you’ll love!

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with Me

    Review the privacy policy for Cooking on the Weekends

    Copyright © 2023 Cooking On The Weekends, All Rights Reserved