This quinoa stir fry with shrimp and vegetables is a one pan dinner ready in under 15 minutes. This dish is overall fresh, flavorful and cozy with satisfying textures in every bite but doesn't weigh you down.
When my family and I get bored of rice, we turn to quinoa. Being a busy family during the week, I love having a quick and healthy dinner recipe on hand and this is one of those that I turn to frequently.
Being a huge fan of sauces with my dinner, I usually serve it with this homemade green hot sauce, sriracha or lime crema sauce.
✔️ Recipe Highlights
- 15 minute meal: It can be completed in under 15 minutes using pre-cooked or leftover quinoa, making it the perfect weeknight meal (much like this kimchi stir fry and kimchi noodle stir fry). The sauce and veggies can be prepped within a couple of days in advance, making it even quicker! You can check out more recipes that take 30 minutes or less here.
- Comforting but light: This Asian stir fry gives you that warm cozy feeling with its umami flavors, lean protein and range of vegetables but it's an overall light dish.
- Less mess: You're going to love that it's all done in one pan! You can sauté your shrimp and veg together, fold in your quinoa and splash in your sauce, all in the same pan. This makes clean up a dream.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
Jump to:
🦐 Ingredients
- quinoa - There are different colors of quinoa: red, white, black etc. Simply pick your favorite or what's on sale and prepare it according to package directions. If you have leftover quinoa on hand, that is perfect for this recipe.
- shrimp - You are looking for raw, peeled and deveined shrimp. When you add shrimp to something filling like a stir fry with grains, you only need about ¼ pound per person.
- carrots - You will be cutting the carrots into matchsticks (julienne). This just means you will slice them into long, thin, uniform sticks.
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
📖 Recipe Tweaks
- Different proteins: This would also taste great with chicken, although the chicken would have to be cooked for longer. Try it with tofu instead of shrimp for a vegetarian dinner idea. You can fry tofu in a pan very quickly, just like shrimp, so there is likely no need to adjust times.
- Sauce swap: Depending on your mood or simply to switch things up, you can stick with Asian style and make one of these quick tofu marinades (that also work well for shrimp) and Chinese xo sauce, or go with something entirely different like jerk sauce (check out how to make Jamaican jerk sauce).
- Add or subract vegetables: If one (or a few!) of the vegetables aren't your favorite, swap in what you love or what's lingering in your fridge. Shredded cabbage is one of my faves. Check out how to shred cabbage with a knife or mandolin for best results.
🥢 How to Make Quinoa Stir Fry
Step 1. Make the sauce. Whisk the sauce ingredients together.
Step 2. Stir fry. Stir fry the vegetables and shrimp over medium-high heat for a few minutes. (This is 375°F in an electric skillet.)
Step 3. Add quinoa. Add the quinoa and sauce to the pan and mix well.
Step 4. Serve. Top with sesame seeds, sriracha (optional) and sliced green onions and serve!
👉 Joss' Top Tip
You can use fresh or frozen shrimp. If your shrimp are frozen, simply thaw them in the fridge, drain the liquid and pat them dry before using in this recipe.
🥂 Drink Pairing
- Non-Alcoholic: Sparkling water, fruit infused water combinations or peach green tea over ice.
- Wine: Sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio or dry riesling.
- Beer: Light lager (my favorite), pilsner or wheat beer.
- Cocktails: Frozen margarita, mango Mai Tai or a ginger cocktail.
❓ Quinoa Stir Fry FAQs
It is recommended to eat up leftover cooked food within 3 to 4 days. Store the leftovers in a covered container in the fridge.
Quinoa actually freezes very well. You can store cooled leftovers in a freezer safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months for best results. Thaw in the fridge and reheat fully.
Yes, the different colors of quinoa do have slightly different cooking times. Black quinoa usually takes longer than white. Simply follow the package directions on your box of quinoa and it should turn out great.
It is recommended to rinse quinoa to avoid a soap-like flavor. However, many brands of quinoa are sold pre-rinsed so you can skip that step. Check the package details before cooking.
💜 More Stir Fry Recipes You Will Love
If you tried this 🥢 Quinoa Stir Fry Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. And please share the recipe!
📋Recipe
Quinoa Stir Fry (w/ Shrimp & Veggies)
Ingredients
For the Stir Fry Sauce
- 4 cloves garlic - peeled and minced
- 2 tablespoons ginger - grated
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 6 tablespoons sesame oil
- ¼ cup brown sugar
For the Quinoa Stir Fry
- 1 tablespoon olive oil - do not use extra virgin due to its low smoke point
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 2 red bell peppers - sliced thinly
- 2 cups carrots - peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 2 cups mushrooms - sliced
- 1 ½ pounds raw shrimp - peeled and deveined
- 2 cups dry quinoa* - cooked according to package instructions
- sesame seeds and scallions - to garnish
- sriracha sauce - optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and brown sugar together. Reserve.4 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons ginger, ½ cup soy sauce, 6 tablespoons sesame oil, ¼ cup brown sugar
- In the large non-stick skillet or wok, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat (375°F in an electric skillet). Add the vegetables and shrimp to the skillet. Stir fry until the vegetables are tender-crisp and the shrimp is cooked (4-5 minutes).1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 cups broccoli florets, 2 red bell peppers, 2 cups carrots, 2 cups mushrooms, 1 ½ pounds raw shrimp
- Turn off the heat. Stir in the soy sauce mixture and quinoa.2 cups dry quinoa*
- Serve topped with the sesame seeds, scallions and sriracha sauce, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
- *Quinoa amount: If you're using leftover, cooked quinoa, you will need about 6 cups (1.5 cups per person). 2 cups dry quinoa = 6 cups cooked quinoa.
- Frozen shrimp: If your shrimp are frozen, simply thaw them in the fridge, drain the liquid and pat them dry before using in this recipe.
- Fridge storage: It is recommended to eat up leftover cooked food within 3 to 4 days. Store the leftovers in a covered container in the fridge.
- Freezer storage: Quinoa actually freezes very well. You can store cooled leftovers in a freezer safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months for best results. Thaw in the fridge and reheat fully.
- Do you need to rinse the quinoa? It is recommended to rinse quinoa to avoid a soap-like flavor. However, many brands of quinoa are sold pre-rinsed so you can skip that step. Check the package details before cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Joss says
This dish really hits the spot and I looove how quick it is! It’s also great for packed lunches.