Quinoa Poke Bowl With Shrimp

Looking for shrimp poke bowl recipes or quinoa poke bowl recipes? Why not combine these two in one protein rich poke bowl. A customizable recipe that features quinoa as a base, smoky shrimp, creamy and crunchy toppings with probiotics and finished with a flavorful soy free sauce.

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You can definitely play with ingredients and make your poke bowls compliant with your type of diet, whether it’s gluten free, dairy free, low carb, soy free, whole30, paleo or even vegan . As most of my favorite gluten and dairy free meals have the ingredient quality in focus, I always tend to adapt the poke bowls accordingly.

Quinoa Shrimp Poke Bowl Recipe

Poke bowls are known Hawaiian favorites and they’re usually made with rice as a base and raw fish as the main protein. But I’m not a fan of either of those. So in this recipe, quinoa and shrimp are the stars. But you can definitely sub the protein with chicken or other fish if you like.

Quinoa makes a great substitution for rice in a poke bowl. Quinoa is higher in protein and fiber plus has a subtle nutty flavor which pairs very well with seafood. The trick is to cook properly the quinoa (fluffy) and the shrimp (caramelized and properly seasoned) otherwise you could ruin the entire dish.

Poke Bowl Ingredients

What you need:

• Quinoa – choose white or red or a combination of colors.
• Shrimp – I used wild frozen shrimps (raw).
• Carrots – shaved or chopped.
• Avocado – thinly sliced, about 1/3 of avocado per bowl.
• Red cabbage sauerkraut – or any other fermented food you like.
• Microgreens or sprouts – for extra nutrients and fiber.
• Bell pepper – sliced.
• Onion and garlic for sautéing the shrimp.
• Smoked paprika and salt as seasonings (for prepping the shrimps).
• Sesame seeds as garnish.

Poke Bowl Sauce Ingredients

• Coconut aminos – as a soy sauce substitute.
• Balsamic vinegar – for more acidity and flavor.
• Olive oil -as fat base.
• Maple syrup – as a sweetener.
• Dijon mustard as an emulsifier and to make the sauce a bit creamier.

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements below.

How To Cook Fluffy Quinoa For A Poke Bowl

Here’s how to cook perfect quinoa — not mushy or bitter, but perfectly fluffy:

1. Rinse thoroughly under cool water.
2. Add liquid and bring to a boil – 1 cup quinoa to 1 3/4 cups water is the perfect ratio. Use water or broth and salt.
3. Turn the heat down to the lowest setting, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and let stand for 10-15 minutes, covered without peeking! Fluff the quinoa gently with a fork and serve.

Prep tip: make a big pot of quinoa on the weekends and eat it throughout the week whether in a poke bowl or with other sides.

How To Make Shrimp Quinoa Poke Bowl

Poke bowls are easy and incredibly fun to make, even for large crowds. You can set the ingredients on a table and have your guest make their own poke bowls.

1. Cook the quinoa per instructions mentioned above, so you could enjoy some properly cooked fluffy quinoa.

2. Cook the shrimp. Make sure to defrost prior to using, tap dry with a paper towel. To make the shrimp more flavorful, first I sautéed some onion and garlic in a preheated skillet with a touch of oil. Then I transferred the shrimp in the skillet (arranged in a single layer). Season with salt and smoked paprika (for a smoky flavor), cook for 1 minute then flip and cook on the other side. Add some maple syrup to the pan (optional) after you remove the shrimp, and let the juices thicken to a glaze consistency. Then add back the shrimp to coat. Set aside to cool.

3. Assemble the poke bowl. Place the desired amount of quinoa in a bowl, top with shrimp and the rest of the toppings. Don’t forget to add something pickled.

4. Finish with sauce and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. The poke sauce will drip down into the veggies and quinoa, helping to flavor them.

How To Make The Sauce For Poke Bowl

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and give them a good whisk. There are many alternatives to a poke sauce so feel free to improvise. Here is a list of creamy sauces you could use.

Tips For Assembling The Poke Bowl

For an easier serving, prepare all ingredients in advance and assemble later when you are ready to eat.

Aim for a variety of textures and flavors, add something cold and crunchy like fresh vegetables and leafy greens, something creamy like avocado, and something preserved like pickled vegetables like this shaved carrot salad or sauerkraut. The sharp salty flavor of fermented ingredients adds a nice punch to the poke bowl.

Serve the base (quinoa) warm or cold, it’s up to you, some people say the contrast of warm and cold toppings is what makes it special.

Substitutions And Add-ins

• Make it paleo and low carb – replace the quinoa with cauliflower rice, zucchini doodles or some greens.
• Whole30 poke bowl – use the suggestions above and remove any sweetener.
• Use other type of seafood like scallops, tuna or salmon.
• Make a mayo based poke sauce – mix it with siracha for some heat.
• Use other pickled foods: pickled onion, seaweed, kimchi, cucumber or ginger.

How long does cooked quinoa last in the fridge?

If you have leftovers it’s ok. Once cooked and cooled quinoa will last approximately 5-6 days in the fridge. Use a tightly sealed container to store it. Or freeze for up to 2 months.

How long does cooked shrimp last in the fridge?

Cooked shrimp lasts for 3-4 days in the fridge before going bad. And remember you need to refrigerate shrimp within two hours of cooking, otherwise they will go bad faster. Or you could freeze them for up to 3 months if you can’t consume them in the timeframe.

Are poke bowls healthy?

The concept of poke bowls depicts some healthy food combinations, but is it indeed healthy? It depends on ingredient quality and amounts eaten in one meal. If you’re trying to eat healthier pay attention to the added poke sauce, sometimes it could be really high in sugar and processed ingredients.

Storing The Assembled Poke Bowl

Storing leftovers: Refrigerate the assembled poke bowl for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container. Remove the avocado (consume it) as it will get darker once exposed to oxygen for more than 2 hours.

Freezing: Its best to freeze the quinoa and shrimp (up to 3 months), in an airtight container. The rest of ingredients it’s best to add fresh when needed.

Reheating: Place the frozen quinoa and shrimp in a small pot or skillet that has tight fitting lid and simmer covered on low with a splash of water or broth, until heated through. Basically, steam it. Then add the fresh toppings as desired.

Other Great Additions For A Poke Bowl

Did you enjoy this shrimp and quinoa poke bowl recipe?

Be sure to leave a comment and a rating below!

Quinoa Poke Bowl With Shrimp Recipe + Video

Ingredients

For Cooking Quinoa

• 1 cup quinoa – choose white or red or a combination of colors.
• 1¾ cup filtered water
• 1/2 tsp salt

For Shrimp Prep

• 1 lb shrimp – raw, wild, frozen shrimps
• 1 small onion – finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic – minced
• 1 tsp smoked paprika – for prepping the shrimps.
• 1/3 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp oil – for frying
• 1 tbsp maple syrup – optional, for a sweet glaze

Toppings:

• 1 medium carrot – shaved or chopped
• 1 small avocado – thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp red cabbage sauerkraut – or any other fermented food you like.
• handful microgreens – or sprouts
• 1/2 bell pepper – sliced
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds – as garnish

Poke Bowl Sauce:

• 2 tbsp coconut aminos – soy sauce substitute
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar – or other vinegar
• 2 tbsp maple syrup – or honey
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil – as fat base
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard – for creaminess

Instructions

Cook Quinoa

• Rinse thoroughly under cool water. Add liquid and bring to a boil – 1 cup quinoa to 1 3/4 cups water is the perfect ratio. Use water or broth and salt.
• Turn the heat down to the lowest setting, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 10-15 minutes, covered without peeking! Fluff the quinoa gently with a fork and serve.

Cook The Shrimp

• Make sure to defrost prior to using, tap dry with a paper towel.
• To make the shrimp more flavorful, first I sautéed some onion and garlic in a preheated skillet with a touch of oil. Then I transferred the shrimp in the skillet (arranged in a single layer). Season with salt and smoked paprika (for a smoky flavor), cook for 1 minute then flip and cook on the other side.
• Add some maple syrup to the pan (optional) after you remove the shrimp, and let the juices thicken to a glaze consistency. Then add back the shrimp to coat. Set aside to cool.

Assemble The Poke Bowl

• Place the desired amount of quinoa in a bowl, top with shrimp and the rest of the toppings.
• Finish with sauce and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. The poke sauce will drip down into the veggies and quinoa, helping to flavor them.

Video

Notes

Tips For Assembling The Poke Bowl

1. For an easier serving, prepare all ingredients in advance and assemble later when you are ready to eat.
2. Aim for a variety of textures and flavors, add something cold and crunchy like fresh vegetables and leafy greens, something creamy like avocado, and something preserved like pickled vegetables. The sharp salty flavor of fermented ingredients adds a nice punch to the poke bowl.
3. Serve the base (quinoa) warm or cold, it’s up to you, some people say the contrast of warm and cold toppings is what makes it special.
4. Make it paleo and low carb – replace the quinoa with cauliflower rice, zucchini doodles or some greens.
5. Whole30 poke bowl – use the suggestions above and remove any sweetener.

Storing The Assembled Poke Bowl

• Storing leftovers: Refrigerate the assembled poke bowl for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container. Remove the avocado (consume it) as it will get darker once exposed to oxygen for more than 2 hours.
• Freezing: Its best to freeze the quinoa and shrimp (up to 3 months), in an airtight container. The rest of ingredients it’s best to add fresh when needed.
• Reheating: Place the frozen quinoa and shrimp in a small pot or skillet that has tight fitting lid and simmer covered on low with a splash of water or broth, until heated through. Basically, steam it. Then add the fresh toppings as desired.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.

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