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Cilantro Lime Shrimp Quinoa Bowls are the perfect protein packed meal for lunch or dinner! This recipe includes cilantro lime quinoa, mango salsa, cilantro lime shrimp and avocado crema.
We combined some of our favorite fresh flavors to create these Cilantro Lime Shrimp Quinoa Bowls. My name is Danae from Recipe Runner and my quinoa bowls are always a popular choice for lunch or dinner. They are packed with protein and are great for meal prep. You can adapt them to fit your taste and make your own favorite ingredient combination.
If you’re looking for a vegetarian quinoa bowl, try the super popular Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa Bowls.
How to make Cilantro Lime Shrimp
This seasoned shrimp requires only a few minutes of prep.
- First, season the shrimp with salt, pepper and cumin.
- Heat oil in a skillet and add the shrimp. Cook for 2 minutes and then flip over to cook on the other side for an additional minute.
- At the end of cooking, add lime juice and freshly chopped cilantro.
Cilantro Lime Quinoa
The main carb in these bowls is the quinoa. We use tri-color or rainbow quinoa because we love the contrast of colors, but any quinoa you have will work. Cook the quinoa, remove from heat and add the lime juice and cilantro. Add more or less lime and cilantro, depending on your taste. We also love eating cilantro lime quinoa in these Barbecue Chicken Quinoa Bowls or Caribbean Salmon Quinoa Bowls which include the freshest flavors.
Assembling Cilantro Lime Shrimp Quinoa Bowls
To assemble the bowls, add cooked quinoa and then top with cilantro lime shrimp. The final toppings for these quinoa bowls – mango salsa and avocado crema – makes these bowls out of the world delicious! Add the black beans with the salsa and avocado cream. Garnish with additional cilantro and serve.
Prep the bowls in advance for lunch. Serve the bowls cold or warm.
Who doesn’t love a big bowl filled with your favorite carbs, proteins, and veggies? These cilantro lime quinoa bowls are a taste of the Southwest with a hint of tropical flavor. The final fish is light and fresh and packed with protein.
Go ahead, enjoy!
Cilantro Lime Shrimp Quinoa Bowls
Ingredients
Cilantro Lime Quinoa:
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained (I used rainbow quinoa)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Juice of half a lime
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Mango Salsa:
- 2 mangos, peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons red onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Cilantro Lime Shrimp:
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 teaspoon grapeseed oil or other flavorless oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- Juice of half a lime
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
Avocado Crema:
- 1/2 of a ripe avocado, peeled and cubed
- 1/4 cup plain non fat greek yogurt
- juice of half a lime
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
Other Ingredients:
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
Instructions
Cilantro Lime Quinoa:
- In a medium sized sauce pan bring the quinoa, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 2 cups of water to a boil.
- Once the quinoa is boiling reduce the heat to medium low, cover with a lid, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.
- Off the heat stir in the lime juice and cilantro.
- Season with more salt if necessary.
Mango Salsa:
- In a large bowl toss together the diced mangos, red onion, cilantro, chili powder, and salt.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Avocado Crema
- In a blender combine all of the ingredients and blend until smooth.
- Scoop the crema out into a bowl or put it in a squeeze bottle, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Cilantro Lime Shrimp:
- Season the shrimp with salt, pepper, and the cumin.
- Heat the oil in a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
- When the skillet is hot add in the shrimp.
- Cook the shrimp for about 2 minutes then flip them over and cook the other side for another 1-2 minutes.
- At the very end of the cooking squeeze in the juice of half a lime and add in the chopped cilantro.
Assembling the Bowls:
- Fill each bowl with about 1/2 a cup of the cooked quinoa.
- Top the quinoa with a 1/4 of the shrimp, 1/4 of the black beans, and as much mango salsa and avocado cream as desired.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Connect with Danae:
I love all things cilantro so this recipe is my new favorite! Off to the store to buy the ingredients!!
This cilantro lime shrimp quinoa bowl was good I can’t stop thinking about it! I’m a sucker for cilantro lime anything and I can’t wait to make this again!
I could eat this every single day! The whole family liked this flavor combo…especially the avocado crema!
nice recipe, lovely colors, love cilantro, just for your info: Quinoa is one of the most protein-rich foods we can eat. It is a complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids. so there are three proteins in this dish, not just two, that’s ok, protein overload LOL