Mediterranean Shrimp Bowl (Printable Version)

Succulent shrimp, fresh vegetables, and grains topped with creamy tahini sauce.

# What You Need:

→ Shrimp

01 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
05 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
06 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Grains

07 - 1 cup cooked quinoa

→ Mediterranean Vegetables

08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
09 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
10 - 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
11 - 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
12 - 1 cup baby spinach or arugula

→ Tahini Sauce

13 - 1/4 cup tahini
14 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
15 - 2 tbsp water, plus more as needed
16 - 1 clove garlic, minced
17 - 1/4 tsp ground cumin
18 - 1/4 tsp sea salt

→ Garnish

19 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
20 - Lemon wedges for serving

# How-To Steps:

01 - Prepare quinoa according to package instructions and set aside to cool slightly.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine shrimp with olive oil, minced garlic, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Toss until evenly coated.
03 - Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add seasoned shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Transfer to a plate.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, water, minced garlic, cumin, and salt until smooth. Add additional water as needed to reach desired consistency.
05 - Divide cooked quinoa among serving bowls. Layer with baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and red onion.
06 - Distribute sautéed shrimp evenly over vegetable mixture in each bowl. Drizzle generously with tahini sauce.
07 - Garnish each bowl with chopped parsley and lemon wedges. Serve immediately while shrimp is warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 35 minutes, which means you can have dinner on the table before anyone gets too hungry and cranky.
  • The tahini sauce is so creamy and garlicky that even people who claim they don't like tahini end up asking for the recipe.
  • You can prep all the vegetables ahead of time and just assemble when you're ready to eat, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
02 -
  • Overcooked shrimp is rubbery and disappointing—pull them off the heat the moment they turn pink and opaque, even if it feels too fast.
  • Tahini sauce thickens as it sits, so make it the consistency of heavy cream and people can always drizzle less; you can't fix it if it's too thick.
03 -
  • Buy shrimp that smell like the ocean, not fishy—that pungent ammonia smell means they're starting to age and won't taste as sweet.
  • Toast your cumin briefly in a dry pan before adding it to the tahini sauce; it wakes up the spice and makes the whole sauce taste more intentional.
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