Mediterranean Shrimp Bowl (Printable)

Succulent shrimp with Mediterranean vegetables, grains, and creamy tahini sauce ready in 35 minutes.

# 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 - Cook grains according to package instructions and set aside.
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 as needed to achieve desired consistency.
05 - Distribute cooked grains into serving bowls. Layer baby spinach or arugula, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and red onion over the grains.
06 - Arrange sautéed shrimp on top of each bowl. Drizzle generously with tahini sauce.
07 - Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's genuinely faster than ordering takeout, and tastes infinitely fresher than anything delivered in a plastic container.
  • Every component can be prepped while the shrimp cooks, so there's almost no standing around waiting.
  • The tahini sauce is silky and satisfying enough that you won't miss heavy cream or cheese even though it's completely dairy-free.
  • You can build it however you want, which means it works for picky eaters and adventurous cooks in the same kitchen.
02 -
  • Don't overcook the shrimp, they go from perfect to tough in about thirty seconds, so watch them carefully and pull them off the heat the moment they turn opaque.
  • Make the tahini sauce last, after everything else is ready, because it can thicken as it sits and you might need to thin it again before serving.
  • Slice the red onion as thin as possible, so its raw bite feels sharp and refreshing rather than overwhelming and chunky.
03 -
  • Buy your shrimp as fresh as possible and cook them the same day, they taste noticeably better than frozen thawed shrimp, and the quality difference is worth the extra few dollars.
  • Prep all your vegetables in advance if you're feeding a crowd, then you can assemble the bowls quickly and keep the shrimp warm while everyone eats.
  • Don't skip the tahini sauce thinking mayo or Greek yogurt will work, the sauce is what makes this distinctly Mediterranean and it's worth making properly.
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