Greek Shrimp Mediterranean Bowl (Printable version)
Juicy shrimp over lemony rice with fresh vegetables and creamy tzatziki for a wholesome Mediterranean meal.
# What you need:
→ Shrimp
01 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tsp dried oregano
05 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
06 - 1/4 tsp sea salt
07 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
08 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
→ Rice
09 - 1 cup uncooked basmati or jasmine rice
10 - 2 cups water
11 - Zest of 1 lemon
12 - 1/4 tsp salt
→ Vegetables & Bowl Toppings
13 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
14 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
15 - 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
16 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
17 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
18 - 2 cups fresh baby spinach or mixed greens
19 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
→ Tzatziki Sauce
20 - 1 cup Greek yogurt
21 - 1/2 cup cucumber, finely grated and drained
22 - 1 clove garlic, minced
23 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
24 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
25 - 1 tbsp olive oil
26 - Salt and pepper to taste
# How To:
01 - Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. In a saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add rice, lemon zest, and salt. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until liquid is fully absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine shrimp with olive oil, minced garlic, dried oregano, smoked paprika, sea salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. Toss to coat evenly and let rest for 10 minutes.
03 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add marinated shrimp in a single layer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side until they turn pink and are cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.
04 - While the shrimp cooks, combine Greek yogurt, grated and drained cucumber, minced garlic, fresh dill, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Stir until well blended, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
05 - Divide the lemon rice and fresh greens among four bowls. Arrange shrimp, cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, Kalamata olives, red onion, and crumbled feta over each portion. Drizzle generously with tzatziki sauce and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
06 - Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The tzatziki alone is worth making this dish, cool and garlicky, it pulls every single element together like nothing else can.
- It looks like you spent an hour meal prepping but the whole thing comes together in barely half an hour with one skillet and one pot.
02 -
- Do not marinate the shrimp longer than fifteen minutes or the lemon juice will begin to cure the exterior and leave you with a rubbery texture when cooked.
- Squeezing the grated cucumber for tzatziki seems fussy but skipping this step turns your beautiful sauce into a watery puddle at the bottom of the bowl.
03 -
- Cook the shrimp in two batches if your skillet is not wide enough to lay them all flat, crowding causes steaming instead of searing and you lose that golden caramelized edge.
- Make double the tzatziki because it disappears fast on everything from pita to grilled chicken to roasted vegetables and you will wish you had more.