I wrote this recipe in 2014 and it’s time to dust it off to let it shine. Quinoa is cooked in curry powder and tossed with blistered corn and peppers, toasted sunflower kernels, avocado, hand torn mint, and chili-lime-marinated shrimp. The dressing is good enough to eat by the spoonful, so imagine the quinoa elevated with a sweet chili-lime vinaigrette. Even though this recipe screams summer party side dish, it’s an excellent addition to your weekly meal prep. I recommend a scoop of this over a bowl of romaine lettuce and a drizzle of extra dressing for an easy weekday lunch. The best part of this recipe is it’s a base for any quinoa dish. Take the dressing, quinoa instructions, and run with it. Here are my favorite variations:
Southwest Quinoa: omit the curry, swap the shrimp for cubed chicken thighs, swap the mint for scallions, swap the kernels for pepitas, add black beans, cotija cheese, and finish with a chipotle ranch drizzle in addition to the vinaigrette.
Mediterranean Quinoa: omit the curry, swap the lime for lemon in the vinaigrette, omit the corn, add cucumber and cherry tomato, and feta crumbles.
Falafel Quinoa: keep the curry, swap the lime for lemon in the vinaigrette, swap the shrimp for falafel, omit the corn and avocado, add pickled red onion, cranberries, feta crumbles, and chopped fresh spinach.
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 lime, zest and juice
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 pinches black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined*
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon curry powder (optional)*
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 heaping cup diced red bell pepper, about 1 large pepper
- 1 heaping cup frozen charred corn kernels*
- olive oil, salt, and pepper as needed
- 1 large avocado, diced
- few sprigs of mint, hand torn
- Put all ingredients - including the lime zest and juice - in a mason jar, secure the lid, and shake well for 1 minute. Taste the dressing. It should be good enough on its own, so you might need to add a little more lime or salt depending on your preference. Set aside until needed.
- Add a quarter of the dressing to a bowl with the shrimp and marinate in the fridge until the rest of the dish is prepped, about 20 minutes.
- Add water, curry powder, and a hefty pinch of salt to a small 1-2-quart pot. Stir until the curry is mixed, add the quinoa, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to low, and allow to cook for 12-15 minutes, checking occasionally. Once finished, add the butter, fluff with a fork and set aside.
- In a small saute pan heat 2 counts of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and cook for 4-5 minutes until tender. Add the corn and cook for 3 minutes until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate and set aside until needed.
- Wipe the saute pan clean, and return to the stove. Add 2-counts of oil over medium-high heat and cook the shrimp for 5 minutes until pink and cooked through. Transfer the shrimp to plate and set aside until needed. I don't like to save the marinade/juices it was cooked in.
- Add the quinoa, corn/peppers, shrimp, sunflower seeds, and avocado to a large bowl. Add the remainder of the dressing, mix to combine. Top with hand torn mint leaves and serve cold.
- You can find frozen charred corn in the frozen section at most grocery stores, but in the summertime grilled corn on the cob works best. Or of course you can use regular frozen corn kernels or drained canned corn.
- You can swap the shrimp for diced chicken thighs, or make it vegetarian with zucchini and squash.
- Omit the curry if desired
