Mediterranean Shrimp Bowl (Print Version)

Succulent shrimp with Mediterranean vegetables, quinoa, and creamy tahini sauce. A healthy 35-minute meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Shrimp

01 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon 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 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - 2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
16 - 1 clove garlic, minced
17 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
18 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

→ Garnish

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

# How To Make It:

01 - Prepare grains 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. Remove from heat.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, water, minced garlic, cumin, and salt until smooth. Add additional water to achieve desired consistency.
05 - Divide cooked grains among serving bowls. Layer baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and red onion over grains.
06 - Place sautéed shrimp on top of vegetable mixture. Drizzle generously with tahini sauce.
07 - Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout, yet feels restaurant-worthy enough for impressing guests.
  • Every bite delivers something different—creamy, crisp, briny, herbaceous—without tasting complicated.
  • The tahini sauce is secretly more forgiving than it looks and works on basically anything you have on hand.
02 -
  • Overcooked shrimp turns rubbery and tough—two minutes per side is genuinely all they need, and they'll continue cooking slightly from residual heat after you remove the pan from the stove.
  • The tahini sauce separates if it sits too long, so make it last, right before serving, and whisk it again if it's been sitting in the bowl for more than a few minutes.
03 -
  • Keep your skillet screaming hot before adding the shrimp so they sear properly and develop flavor instead of steaming in their own moisture.
  • Taste the tahini sauce before serving and adjust the lemon juice and salt to your preference—every tahini brand tastes slightly different and you deserve sauce that sings.
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