Avocado Shrimp Quinoa Bowl

Your new favorite bowl recipe is here! Avocado Shrimp Quinoa Bowl with Cilantro Vinaigrette for the win! These bowls are such a great way to have a quick, balanced and delicious meal. And I have many options for you to explore these amazing combinations.

Why I Love This Recipe

Remember the good old days when we used to have people over for dinner and cook a big spread. The question my guests would ask most frequently is do I cook like this every night!? And the answer is a big fat no. I cook a few times a week and then mix and match those recipes to make delicious lunches and dinners for us. For example, if I cook a big pot of quinoa - I'll turn it into various things through the week to keep things exciting. These Avocado Shrimp Quinoa Bowl with Cilantro Vinaigrette are a result of just that! That's exactly what I've been doing this year too because things are hectic with a new baby and I'm trying to keep it simple!

Adding a few giant spoonfuls of my self-proclaimed famous cilantro vinaigrette, stirring in some toppings and adding grilled shrimp couldn't be easier or more addictive. It's one of those recipes that you can have for lunch or dinner and add various proteins if you prefer. Chicken, shrimp (like I did here), salmon, steak, the possibilities are endless and it travels well so you can throw it in your bag before you head out the door to work!

Want some other easy meal / bowl ideas - here ya go! Southwestern Brown Rice Bowl, Quinoa Burrito Bowls. My ginger scallion chicken bowls uses soy sauce and garlic, and is a good way to mix it up every now and then, it is equally straightforward and delicious!

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Quinoa

For the Cilantro Vinaigrette:

• Shallot
• Fresh Cilantro Leaves
• Garlic
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Olive Oil
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Salt

For the Grilled Shrimp:

• Shrimp peeled and de-veined
• Olive Oil
• Garlic Powder
• Cayenne Pepper
• Chipotle Pepper
• Salt and Pepper

For the Toppings:

• Black Beans
• Avocados
• Raw or grilled corn
• Romaine Lettuce

For the Pico de Gallo:

• Ripe Tomatoes
• Kosher Salt
• White Onion
• Jalapeño
• Fresh Cilantro
• Lime Juice

*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below.

How to Make Avocado Shrimp Quinoa Bowls

Step 1: Combine all the ingredients for the cilantro vinaigrette in a high powered blender and blend for 60-90 seconds until very smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Step 2: Cook the quinoa according to the package directions. Fold half the vinaigrette into the quinoa, taste, add more if needed.

Step 3: Toss the shrimp with the oil, cayenne, garlic powder and chipotle pepper as well as salt and pepper.

Step 4: Grill on an indoor or outdoor grill pan for about 3 minutes on each side until pink and fully cooked.

Step 5: Combine the ingredients for the pico de gallo in a medium bowl and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning and spice level as needed.

Step 6: Divide the quinoa into 4 bowls and top with desired amounts of black beans, avocado, corn and shredded romaine. Sprinkle with pico de gallo and serve.

How to Store Avocado Shrimp Quinoa Bowls

The bowl is best created fresh and enjoyed. The best way to enjoy this for a few days is to store leftover quinoa, shrimp and the vinaigrette in the fridge separately and keep whipping up the bowls with freshly chopped toppings, the lettuce, pico de gallo, avocado, etc and even change them up if you want.

How to Freeze Avocado Shrimp Quinoa Bowls

This bowl is not a good candidate for freezing as is. However, you can keep a lot of ingredients in the pantry/freezer and its pretty quick and easy to prepare. Have frozen shrimp on hand, and the vinaigrette can also be frozen. With the quinoa in the pantry, all you need is some fresh toppings and you're all set.

Tips & Tricks

The dressing will keep for a week in the fridge, so I love to always have some sort of vinaigrette on hand. You can also use leftover quinoa here so it's really a quick meal for busy nights.

FAQs

If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today