Cajun Shrimp + Quinoa Skillet
You guys. This dish. Words can’t describe how scrumptious this is! 
A few weeks ago I was at a wine bar with friends, and my friend, Steven, mentioned some incredible quinoa recipe that he had just made. He sent me a link to This Gal Cooks Cajun Shrimp and Quinoa Casserole. I am pretty sure I made this the following night, and oh boy. This casserole is insane. The flavors. SO mouthwatering. Julie knew what she was doing when she put this together!
There’s a hint of heat from the jalapeños that you sauté with the onion and garlic.
The Cajun spices blend perfectly with the tomatoey-quinoa base and the succulent shrimp.
Then it’s topped off with freshly shredded Fontina cheese which adds the perfect bit of salty, cheesy goodness to every bite.
I really wanted to make this last for a few nights of leftovers, I swear. But I am fairly certain that we ate more than half of this skillet in one sitting. It was just that good.
Of course, the part we did have left was just as wonderful heated up the next day.
You could totally prep this in advance, and then pop it in the oven to heat everything up and melt the cheese before serving. But it doesn’t take long to throw the dish together so it makes for a great weeknight meal, too.
This casserole would be a lovely meal to serve guests, because the presentation in the skillet is so beautiful with the fresh cilantro on top. But, if you want to just be able to dig in with a spoon and hog as much of the bubbly Fontina as you’d like, that’s okay, too!
Hey, I mean this entire dish is pretty healthy. Yes, except for the layer of cheese on top. But a little (or a lot of) cheese is okay in my book when the rest of the dish is packed with healthy protein and nutrition!
Thank you, Steven, for sharing this amazing recipe with me! To the rest of you, you must try this dish soon!
Hugs, kisses + yummy dishes… xoxo
Lauren
Cajun Shrimp + Quinoa Skillet
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- YIELDS 4 servings
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Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
- In a small bowl, mix the shrimp and 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning together so all pieces are evenly coated. Set aside.
- In a different small bowl, mix the tomatoes with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning. Set aside.
- In a cast-iron skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.
- Cook the shrimp until opaque, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove shrimp from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
- Add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to the pan along with the onion, jalapeño and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion and jalapeño are tender.
- Mix in the quinoa, tomato paste and tomato chunks. Taste for seasoning and add more Cajun seasoning, salt or pepper to taste.
- Top with the shrimp and cover with the shredded fontina cheese.
- Place skillet in your pre-heated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
- Then turn on the broiler to high and broil until the cheese is slightly browned and bubbling on top.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro.
Recipe adapted ever so slightly from This Gal Cooks.