This Gluten Free Quinoa & Shrimp Salad Recipe is a delicious hearty and gluten free option everyone will enjoy. Quiona is the hot new grain substitute that we all love because of how versatile it is and it pairs perfectly with shrimp in this delicious salad!
This Gluten Free Quinoa and Shrimp Salad recipe is fairly easy to throw together for a flavorful meal that is light and cool in the hot summer months. If you are avoiding carbs or gluten, quiona is an excellent choice as a high protein substitute. We find that it is best when you soak the quiona for a few hours to overnight in cold water. Right before mixing the salad, simply drain and rinse. It helps make it less bitter and hold the flavors better. Some enjoy the quinoa cooked, but this salad doesn’t require that since it soaks up the broth nicely.
For this shrimp and quinoa salad, you’ll want to cook your quinoa in a flavorful broth. Vegetable or chicken broth is preferred, but you could make your own seasoning blend with garlic powder, onion power and salt if you prefer. I like to toss vegetables peels into a bag and freeze then make a large batch of vegetable stock in my Crockpot for things like this. I just drain the broth off, throw away or compost the veggies and then pour into freezer bags to use later!
We use shrimp in this salad because it is a light and tasty protein source that everyone loves. It’s also healthy and great to grill for added flavor. You can season as you want, but we prefer simple salt and pepper. Remove the shell, remove the vein in the back and toss on the grill for a few minutes on each side.
You could add grilled chicken chunks if you prefer, or even serve this meatless if you want to make it even more budget-friendly!
Gluten Free Quinoa & Shrimp Salad
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 2 cups of cooked Quinoa cook the quinoa in vegetable or chicken stock for added flavor
- 1 cucumber diced
- 1 cup of cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 1/2 feta cheese
- 1/4 cup of Kalamata olives cut in half
- red onions optional
- Juice from 1/2 Lemon
- 12 large shrimp
- 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
Instructions
-
Mix all ingredients save shrimp and pineapple together and refrigerate.
-
Season the shrimp with salt and pepper.
-
Grill the shrimp and pineapple until done, about 3 minutes on each side - depending on the heat of your grill. You can also sautee the shrimp.
-
Once it has cooled mix it in with the quinoa, toss gently. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.
I love making this gluten free quinoa and shrimp salad in the summer. It is simple to put together, and it is satisfying without being too much in hot weather. Summer salads can be tough to satisfy picky eaters, but this is a great option with the grain and shrimp. It makes you feel full faster without the bulk that a casserole or other hot dish would give you. I also love how beautiful it is to display if I happen to have guests over for lunch or dinner!
Leave a Reply