Garlic shrimp and quinoa photo courtesy of Pinch of Yum

This garlic shrimp and quinoa recipe is amazing on several different fronts; it tastes delicious and it’s actually quite easy and quick to prepare as far as garlic recipes go.

It also pairs two popular super foods — garlic and quinoa — in a healthy, hearty dish that you can whip up in thirty minutes or less!

Shrimp works well with garlic as it’s very easy to mince garlic and add it towards the end of cooking; this enhances the flavor and retains many of the health benefits of garlic.

Cooking garlic at higher heat can destroy the allicin that it produces which is the key compound that may help lower blood pressure and reduce arterial plaque, among other benefits.

This garlic shrimp and quinoa recipe can be used as a main dish or as a side and is a popular summer dish as it doesn’t require heavy sauces or much time in the kitchen working over a hot stove.

Garlic Shrimp and Quinoa Cooking Directions:

1. Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, for about five minutes. Add half the minced garlic towards the end of cooking, sauteing the garlic for 1-2 minutes.

2. Add the uncooked quinoa and the chili powder and salt and pepper to taste. Saute for 1 minute and then add the broth.

3. Bring the broth to a boil and then cover, cooking for about 20 minutes or until quinoa is soft and has absorbed the broth. Add parsley.

4. While the broth is simmering, add one tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet over medium high heat. When skillet is hot, add the shrimp along with a dash of chili powder and salt and pepper to taste.

5. Cook until shrimp is no longer translucent, adding remaining garlic towards the end of the cooking time. Saute garlic for 1-2 minutes and add shrimp to the pot with quinoa and melt the salted butter.

6. Drizzle butter over the combined shrimp and quinoa and serve immediately while still hot.

7. Enjoy!