The Aegean Sunrise Shrimp & Quinoa Bowl

There’s something about a bowl that just feels like a warm hug — and this one? It’s my Mediterranean escape on a weeknight. I created The Aegean Sunrise Shrimp & Quinoa Bowl after a trip to a tiny seaside café in Greece where everything was fresh, bright, and bursting with flavor. The juicy shrimp, the nutty quinoa, the tangy lemon-tahini drizzle — it all comes together in under 30 minutes, and every single bite is naturally gluten-free. This is clean eating that actually makes you excited to sit down at the table.

Ingredients

• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup white quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cups water or vegetable broth
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 English cucumber, diced
• ⅓ cup kalamata olives, halved
• ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Fresh parsley and dill, chopped

Lemon Tahini Drizzle

• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon water (more to thin)
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

1. Cook the quinoa: Combine quinoa and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until fluffy. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
2. Season the shrimp: Pat shrimp dry and toss with 1 tablespoon EVOO, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
3. Sear the shrimp: Heat remaining 1 tablespoon EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook shrimp 2-3 minutes per side until pink and slightly charred. Squeeze half the lemon juice over the shrimp and remove from heat.
4. Make the drizzle: Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, EVOO, water, minced garlic, and salt until smooth. Add more water a teaspoon at a time for desired consistency.
5. Prep the veggies: Toss cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and red onion together in a bowl with remaining lemon juice.
6. Assemble the bowls: Divide quinoa among bowls. Top with the veggie mix and seared shrimp. Drizzle generously with lemon tahini sauce and finish with fresh parsley and dill.

Tips

• For extra protein, add a dollop of hummus on the side.
• This bowl stores well — prep quinoa and veggies ahead for easy weekday lunches.
• Swap shrimp for grilled chicken thighs if you prefer land over sea.
• Add a sprinkle of crumbled dairy-free feta for an extra Mediterranean touch.