Made in one pot, this Thai shrimp and quinoa will soon become a family favorite meal. It’s healthy, protein-filled, and so incredibly delicious! And did I mention it’s made in one pot? It’s so easy to make and clean up is a breeze!
When I can find a dinner that is easy, healthy and family-friendly I’m always quick to share because I know I’m not the only one out there needing to check all of those boxes at dinnertime.
What ingredients do you need for Thai shrimp and quinoa?
- Coconut oil
- Fish sauce
- Sesame oil
- Onion
- Bell peppers
- Carrots
- Ginger
- Salt
- Garlic
- Coconut milk
- Chicken stock
- Quinoa
- Shrimp
- Red pepper flakes
- Lime
- Cilantro (optional)
Now I know it *looks* like a lot of ingredients, but I promise it is so easy to make!
Knowing that quinoa is one of the most protein rich foods one can eat, I set out to make a recipe using it, and of course whenever I’m using grains, I’m using Bob’s Red Mill brand (like when I made this 5 ingredient slow cooker salsa chicken and quinoa).
Click here to see the step-by-step web story instructions for this recipe!
How do you make Thai shrimp and quinoa?
A quick combo of prepping the ingredients, combine them and let them cook away! right at the end, nestle the shrimp, add some spices and voila!
- Add coconut oil, fish sauce and sesame oil to a large skillet. Cook on medium-high for 30 seconds. Add onion, bell pepper slices and carrots. Season with ginger and salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Pour in coconut milk, chicken stock and quinoa. Stir well, cover and cook for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, remove lid and nestle shrimp. Add salt and red pepper flakes. Cover and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Remove from heat. Squeeze lime, sprinkle with cilanrto and enjoy!
Quinoa is one of those grains I simply do not use enough. It has a very very very mild flavor, so it’s great for infusing flavors into. I thought of bold Thai flavors of coconut and various spices.
How long does it take to cook shrimp?
- Shrimp is such a great dish to make for plenty of reasons, but also because it only takes about 5 minutes to cook!
Nick (my husband) loves this dinner. He said he was surprised by how soft and almost creamy the vegetables and quinoa were (you can thank the coconut milk for that)! And, of course, we all love the fact that it’s packed with protein!
This one-pot Thai quinoa and shrimp recipe is great for leftovers (if there are any) because it reheats really well, so meal-prepping is made easy!
Other recipes you might enjoy:
- Shrimp Meatballs with Garlic Aioli Recipe
- 5 Ingredient Healthy Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken and Quinoa
- The Best Shrimp Cauliflower Fried Rice
This post was sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill when originally published. Thank you to Bob’s Red Mill for sponsoring this post. Be sure to check out BobsRedMill.com for more delicious healthy recipes, coupons and to find stores carrying products near you.

One Pot Thai Shrimp and Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon coconut oil or cooking oil of choice
- 1 Tablespoon fish sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 onion small, chopped (about 1/2 a cup)
- 2 bell peppers sliced
- 2 carrots large, cut into matchsticks
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 cup lite coconut milk if using canned, make sure to shake the can well
- 2 cups chicken stock
- [1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa]
- 1 pound raw jumbo shrimp peeled, deveined and tail off
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 of a lime cut into pieces
- handful of cilantro for garnish chopped (optional)
Instructions
- In a large skillet that has a lid (mine is a 3 quart pan), add coconut oil, fish sauce and sesame oil and cook on medium-high for 30 seconds, then add in the onion, bell pepper slices, and carrots, season with ginger, and salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring ocassionally until the vegetables are starting to soften. Add in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then pour in coconut milk, chicken stock and quinoa. Stir well, cover, and cook for 15 minutes (without removing the lid or stirring).
- After 15 minutes, remove the lid, stir once, then nestle the shrimp on top of the qunioa and vegetable mixture. Sprinkle salt and red pepper flakes and cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes, until the shrimp is cooked through.
- Remove from heat. Squeeze lime wedges on top of the shrimp and sprinkle with cilantro, then serve and enjoy.
Sloan says
Really good recipe, love using quinoa in different ways and shrimp is my go to protein. I wish I would have added in some Thai red chili paste and more fish sauce, it’s pretty bland as is and would not pass for Thai food anywhere other than suburban Wisconsin, lol.
Sweetphi says
So glad you enjoyed the recipe! I’ll add a note for amping up the seasoning – heat level based on preference 🙂
Carrie says
I made this tonight and thought it was delicious! After pouring in the liquid I realized I only had 1 cup of quinoa 😂 so I added 1/2 cup of short grain rice and it totally worked. I topped mine with green onion and I think avocado would be really good too! We’ll definitely have this again