Shrimp and Quinoa Buddha Bowl

This shrimp and quinoa Buddha bowl recipe is a super versatile and healthy dish that can be made with just about any produce and grains that you have on hand. We combine seared shrimp, arugula, brown rice and quinoa, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and avocado with a simple pesto dressing. It all comes together in less than 30 minutes, making this a fantastic lunch or dinner option!

What Is A Buddha Bowl?

A Buddha bowl is a nourishing and balanced meal served in a single bowl. It consists of a variety of colorful and nutritious ingredients, including:

• Grains like quinoa, rice, kamut, barley, farro, millet.

• Vegetables like leafy greens (arugula, kale, salad greens), roasted vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, butternut squash, asparagus, zucchini, corn), and/or raw veggies (carrots, onions, beets, bell pepper).

• Proteins like seafood, tofu, chickpeas/beans, or chicken.

• Healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil, sliced avocado or nuts.

Buddha bowls are known for their versatility, allowing you to customize them based on what ingredients you have on hand, personal preferences, and dietary restrictions. They are often drizzled with a flavorful dressing or sauce to tie the ingredients together and enhance the overall flavor of the bowl.

Because it uses all of these components, it really is the perfect Mediterranean diet meal!

They are so easy because you can really use whatever ingredients that you want, and you can make a dressing yourself or use a bottled dressing to save time! You can also use leftovers, so if you have some leftover chicken from the night before, dice it up and toss it in a Buddha bowl!

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My Shrimp and Quinoa Buddha Bowl Ingredients

Here are the ingredients I chose to use to make this ultimate easy weeknight dinner! Feel free to make appropriate swaps with what you have in your kitchen! These ingredients all keep nicely in the fridge if you want to meal prep this recipe for lunch during the week. 

• A Tasty Pesto Sauce – The sauce really ties everything together, and in this recipe I chose to use a simple pesto and balsamic vinegar dressing. I used a jarred pesto to save time, but homemade pesto is even better!

• Leafy Greens – I love the bite of arugula with the mildness of the grains, but baby kale would also be a great option, and just as nutritious.

• Shrimp – 1 pound of shrimp has roughly 109 grams of protein, so divide that by 4 and you’ve got yourself over 27 grams of protein per serving from the shrimp alone!

• Raw Vegetables – I chose to not turn on my oven and went for all raw vegetables. Cherry tomatoes and red onion keep this shrimp and arugula Buddha bowl simple and delicious.

• Healthy Fats – Avocado rounds out this bowl with a great source of healthy Omega-3 long-chain fatty acids. Extra virgin olive oil in the pesto sauce is also a great source of heart-healthy fats.

• Heart Healthy Grains – You can use all quinoa or all brown rice (or another grain), but to make this EVEN easier for a weeknight dinner I chose to use a bag of mixed quinoa and rice. It microwaves in 60 seconds and saves SO much time in the kitchen.

Feel free to add a legume like chickpeas for even more protein and nutrition! Or swap out the shrimp for another legume to make this a Vegan buddha bowl.

Assembling The Bowls

Start by mixing together the arugula, grains, and pesto. Use tongs to evenly distribute this mixture into bowls. Top with the sliced tomatoes, red onion, and any other raw chopped veggies that you want to use.

Slice the avocado and evenly distribute it between bowls. I like to fan it out in the middle of the bowl, but you can also cut it into cubes. Then add your shrimp. Drizzle with any remaining pesto dressing, and you’re good to go!

This recipe is such a great way to eat the rainbow, so make sure you can see all of the pretty colors of the ingredients!

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Shrimp and Quinoa Buddha Bowl

This shrimp and quinoa Buddha bowl recipe is a super versatile and healthy dish that can be made with just about any produce and grains that you have on hand. It all comes together in less than 30 minutes, making this a fantastic lunch or dinner option!

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 minutes mins

Total Time 18 minutes mins

Course Dinner, lunch

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 433 kcal

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• 1/2 cup prepared pesto or homemade!
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 pound large raw shrimp, peeled with tail on and deveined 16-20 count
• 4 cups arugula
• 8.5 ounces cooked quinoa and rice I used a microwavable pouch
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup sliced red onion
• 1 large avocado peeled and diced or sliced use two if you want! The more the better 🙂
• salt and pepper for shrimp

Instructions 

• Whisk together the prepared pesto, balsamic vinegar, and 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in a small bowl. Set aside.

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp of olive oil once hot. Pat the shrimp dry and season both sides with a pinch of salt and pepper, and add the shrimp to the skillet. Cook until the shrimp are opaque, about 3-4 minutes per side. They should be starting to char when you flip them.

• Place the arugula, cooked grains, and most of the pesto mixture (reserving about 2 tbsp) in a large bowl and mix it all together well. Divide this mixture between 4 bowls.

• Top the grain salad with the tomatoes, red onion, avocado, and cooked shrimp. Drizzle each bowl evenly with the remaining pesto sauce and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 433kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 20gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 504mgPotassium: 598mgFiber: 6gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1559IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 164mgIron: 2mg

Keyword Buddha bowl, shrimp and quinoa