Quinoa with Veggies, Shrimp, and Mustard Vinaigrette
Warm quinoa with roasted vegetables, sauteed shrimp, and a delicious stone-ground 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.
Notes
The shrimp can be seasoned with your favorite all-purpose seasoning instead of the listed dry spices.
The shrimp can be cooked in the air fryer if preferred.
The shrimp can be omitted and the quinoa cooked in vegetable stock to make a vegetarian meal.
Using simple salt and pepper for the veggies allows their natural flavor to come through. If you use too many different seasonings, it’s going to taste like a circus. There must be a balance. The Mustard Vinaigrette is so flavorful that it carries most of the meal. I wouldn’t omit it.
The recipe uses Morton’s Kosher Salt. You will need to adjust amounts of salt if you use table salt or sea salt.
Nutrition Facts
Quinoa with Veggies, Shrimp, and Mustard Vinaigrette
Amount per Serving
Calories
708.76
% Daily Value*
Fat
46.45
g
71
%
Saturated Fat
8.83
g
55
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
5.56
g
Monounsaturated Fat
28.3
g
Cholesterol
115.61
mg
39
%
Sodium
1641.39
mg
71
%
Potassium
953.97
mg
27
%
Carbohydrates
41.77
g
14
%
Fiber
7.74
g
32
%
Sugar
7.48
g
8
%
Protein
31.61
g
63
%
Vitamin A
787.8
IU
16
%
Vitamin C
60.38
mg
73
%
Calcium
116.71
mg
12
%
Iron
7
mg
39
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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