Quinoa with Veggies, Shrimp, and Mustard Vinaigrette
Prep Time: 40 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes | Serves: 4
I am still into the summer veggies, whenever I can find them. Paired with lots of protein from shrimp and quinoa, it is a healthy dish. But, the star of the show is really the stone-ground Mustard Vinaigrette. It is super-easy and super-flavorful! Don’t omit it from the recipe. It brings a pop to the final dish that you will really enjoy.
The Mustard Vinaigrette calls for stone-ground mustard, not Dijon. There is a huge difference in taste. If you don’t have stone-ground in your pantry to fridge, get one. It’s delicious on sandwiches and savory bagels. The vinaigrette can be used on salads, too, and drizzled over warm, sliced pork tenderloin.
There are multiple components to the recipe, so plan on multi-tasking. Nothing is hard to do, it just takes some planning and work in the kitchen, but that is how delicious food is born.
If you have perused my website, you’ll see that I don’t do many “30-minute meals” or “5-ingredients or less” dishes. Not my style. I’ve learned that the effort and skills learned in the kitchen produce a much more quality meal and a strong sense of accomplishment. Not to mention the smiles you get to see from family and friends. This is my “love language”.` Food.
Change up the veggies if you would like, just be sure to compensate for time if you use root vegetables or others that will take more time to cook. I know asparagus may not be everybody’s forté, but I was standing at the counter just picking the stalks off the baking sheet and eating. Yumm, love asparagus.
Quinoa is like a sponge, it will absorb the flavors it’s cooked in, so be sure your stock is very flavorful. Taste for salt and pepper before cooking the quinoa. I do not cook the peas in the quinoa; they are added after cooking when it’s time to “fluff with a fork.” This will keep your peas from becoming mush and will allow their natural flavors to shine through.
If you make the recipe, tag me on social media. I’m on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. I pop in on X every once in a while, too.
Enjoy!
Quinoa with Veggies, Shrimp, and Mustard Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Mustard Vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 - 2 pinches kosher salt, or to taste
- 1 - 2 pinches freshly-cracked black pepper, or to taste
- 1 garlic clove, grated on a zester/Microplane, or pushed through a garlic press
- 1 1/2 teaspoons stone-ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
Shrimp:
- 1 teaspoon paprika, smoked or sweet
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper, or to taste
- 1 pound shrimp, deveined, peeled, tails off or on, rinsed and patted dry
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Veggies:
- 1 red onion, sliced into 1/2" rounds
- 2 medium yellow squash, sliced into 1/2" rounds
- 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
- 1 colorful bell pepper, seeded, cut into 1" chunks
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste
Quinoa:
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock, unsalted or low-sodium
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper, or to taste
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
- 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
Instructions
- Make the vinaigrette first to allow the flavors to marry. In a 1-cup measuring cup or small bowl, combine the vinaigrette ingredients well. Set aside. As you continue to cook, pop over and give it a stir every once in a while.
- Prep the shrimp. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, garlic and onion powders, salt and pepper. Add the shrimp to a bowl and drizzle with the oil. Toss. Add about half of the seasoning and toss again. Add the remaining seasoning and toss again to evenly and thoroughly coat the shrimp. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. Lay the vegetables on the baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, salt and pepper, toss with your hands or a spatula. Set it aside.
- In a medium saucepot with a lid, bring the stock, butter, salt, and pepper up to a boil. Taste and adjust any seasonings. (This liquid must taste good because the quinoa will be absorbing it all.) Add the quinoa. Stir well and bring the mixture up to a gentle boil.
- Place the veggies into the preheated oven. (This should allow for the quinoa and vegetables to be done about the same time.) Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the vegetables are fork tender and slightly caramelized.
- Place the lid on the pot and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until all the liquid has evaporated. (Use a dish cloth or pot holder to protect your hands; your lid may be very hot.)
- Remove the pot from the heat and allow it to stand for 5 minutes. Add the peas and fluff with a fork.
- Bake the veggies until they are fork tender; some caramelization is fine and good, approximately 25 to 35 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and top with the seasoned shrimp. Place back into the oven for 4 to 10 minutes, or until the shrimp are just cooked through, curved into a letter “C”.
- To serve, evenly divide the quinoa among individual bowls. Top with roasted vegetables, shrimp, and a drizzle of the vinaigrette. Sprinkle with parsley if desired.
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