Pesto Quinoa with Shrimp is an ideal weekday meal. It is healthy, full of nutrients, and can be on the table in less than thirty minutes.
Hi friends! I hope you all are surviving the snow/ice/cold. I'm still hanging out at home with snowman mugs full of tea and praying the power stays on. I hope you are safe and warm as well.
So I have a little story about this delightful quinoa dish today...
The hubs decided a few months ago that he didn’t like quinoa anymore.
Sigh.
I probably brought this on myself because I served it as a salad for a few too many meals. He is a really good sport about eating all the healthy food I put in front of him, but I think I really pushed it too far. He just wanted a little bit more for dinner.
Looking back I probably can’t blame him. There might have even been a huge Sam’s size bag involved in this situation. And I might have made the same recipe five times in a row.
Sadly, I still have a lifetime supply of quinoa, so I set out on a mission to make a hearty man's meal with the grain that would make him love it again.
The result is this: My Pesto Quinoa with Shrimp.
I packed all the flavor I could in the little grain with rich pesto and topped the entire dish off with a pesto shrimp recipe for the ages.
I even put the shrimp on pretty green basil leaves. Don’t they say we eat with our eyes anyway?
You see, I love this hearty grain and I knew it needed another shot.
To make my pesto quinoa I started with a trifecta of beautiful ingredients.
For the pesto shrimp recipe I seasoned the shrimp and added them to a hot pan.
The shrimp are ready in less than ten minutes. I used the ones with the tails for a pretty presentation (remember I was making a CASE for quinoa,) but feel free to use the tails off version and stir the entire dish together.
To make my quinoa super flavorful I cooked it in vegetable broth, squeezed lemon on it AND drenched it in fabulous pesto.
For color and more nutrients I added some beautiful cherry tomatoes.
This dish is pretty, hearty and a crowd pleaser.
But did I turn the hubs in a quinoa lover again?
Yes! He loved it.
This is one dish that will remain on our dinner rotation for some time.
I personally liked it so much, I made you guys two pins 🙂
Pesto Quinoa with Shrimp
Ingredients
Instructions
- Add the broth and quinoa to a medium pot and bring to a boil. Once the broth reaches a boil, stir, reduce heat to a simmer and cover. The quinoa will cook in about 15 minutes.
- While the quinoa is cooking, squeeze the juice from half of the lemon over the shrimp. Season the shrimp with the ¼ teaspoon of the salt and the pepper.
- Add the olive oil to a large sauté pan and heat to medium high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until the shrimp turns pink and starts to curl.
- Season the shrimp with the basil and remove from the heat. Do not overcook the shrimp or they will get tough.
- When the quinoa is done cooking, squeeze the other half of the lemon on top. Stir in the pesto and taste. Depending on your pesto, add the last ¼ teaspoon of salt.
- Stir in the tomatoes.
- Serve with the shrimp mixed in or piled on top!
- Garnish with fresh basil.
Notes
Nutrition
Have a wunderful day dear readers.
I’ll see you tomorrow where you can find out how to get a MONTH of yoga online for FREE! Yes, free yoga.
Your turn!
Which pin do you like better? The one with just one picture at the top or the one with two pictures just above this text? I could not decide!
How do you feel about quinoa?
Susanna @Zealous Mom says
First off, your pictures are beautiful! Love them. Also, I love, love quinoa. My husband is not a fan, but this is a dish I can make for myself and keep in the fridge just for me.
JulieWunder says
It is their loss really 🙂
Farrah says
Pesto is my favorite! <3 Both pins are gorgeous, but I like the top one! 😛
Sarah says
This looks delicious!!
Annmarie says
Yummy! Love the shrimp and quinoa combo!
Jess @hellotofit says
Mmm shrimp and pesto is one of my favorites! I never thought to make it with quinoa. Love this!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
What a delicious dish! I usually make quinoa but never have combined it with pesto before - this is definitely something I must try.
Jessie says
My husband was just asking me last night @ dinner why I no longer eat quinoa. It probably has to due w/ the fact that he's not a fan. I've tried countless # of ways but none have seemed to work before 🙁
Gingi says
I am in love with ANYTHING "with shrimp" hehehe... but this looks AMAZING!! <3 - http://www.domesticgeekgirl.com
Blane Sherer says
Love the step by step photos.Nice sharp pictures.
Andrea says
I always have excessive amounts of basil from my garden in the summer. I'll have to remember this one! Thanks for posting!
JulieWunder says
I do too! I can't wait to plant my garden again!!
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner says
I like the pin right above the question with the 2 pics. Looks great. I have a hard time making good pins. Which app are using for that? My kids would love this shrimp dish. I would eat it w tofu on top. Thanks for sharing
JulieWunder says
Thanks! I might try more 2 picture pins in the future.
It is good enough even without the shrimp actually.
I use Pic Monkey to make my pins!
Danyelle Musselman says
My husband won't eat quinoa either, but I love it. This sounds so yummy!
JulieWunder says
This is a good one to try him again with! I ate the leftovers for lunch even and it was so good!
jill conyers says
So many of my favorite ingredients all in one yummy dish! I think I have everything on hand to make this.
JulieWunder says
So easy too! The only thing I didn't have was fresh basil, but I'm always getting fresh herbs even in winter.
Stacie @ SimplySouthernStacie says
I recently had a pesto shrimp pasta and have since fell in love with the combo of pesto and shrimp - so good!
JulieWunder says
Thanks Stacie!
Sue @ This Mama Runs for Cupcakes says
I love quinoa, and I can't get enough. My husband is the same way though, he's not as keen on it as I am as I may have overdone it 🙂 This looks so good!
JulieWunder says
Yeah-- it's tricky at least for me to make healthy food but also food he will not get sick of! He is such a good sport though.
Jenny says
Yum! Pesto is like a secret weapon sauce. My husband will eat pesto anything...wise move, lady! 😉 I like the two pictures pin!
JulieWunder says
Thanks :-))
Heather @Fit n Cookies says
Mmm. I'll be over for dinner asap! Stay warm!
JulieWunder says
Come on over, I always have plenty!
Susie @ SuzLyfe says
That looks like summer in a bowl. I must have it noooooowwww
JulieWunder says
Basil is sooo yummy! Heather is coming over for dinner so you should come too 🙂