Cajun Shrimp and Quinoa Casserole
Shrimpy shrimp shrimp shrimp casserole. Made in a cast iron skillet. Cause cast iron skillets just do it better. From stove-top to oven in a cinch. All of those tasty flavors stay in one place until they meet your plate, ready to be devoured.
This was the first recipe I made after we got home from vacation. Our now want to ditch Florida and move to North Carolina vacation. It’s beautiful up there. And I got to see snow! Did I mention snow? It only took 32 1/2 years for me to finally see snow. Funny story – I had to ask Ken if what I was seeing was actually snow. It was in the 50s when I first stumbled upon it. I thought snow would be melted in those temps so I figured someone had dumped a bunch of icy, frozen water into a flower bed. Lucky for me, it was snow. And I saw a lot more of it. I even got to walk in it. E-X-C-I-T-E-D. That was me.
Unfortunately, I was sick during the entire vacation. It didn’t stop me from enjoying myself, though. And we sorta acted like we lived there – we just lounged around the hotel room and watched TV. But that’s not all we did. We did do some exploring, went to a state park, visited downtown, drove around some neighborhoods. We got a little feel of the North Carolina life. Enough to know that it’s definitely a place we’d like to possibly move to one day.
Cajun Shrimp and Quinoa Casserole
So don’t ya know, this Cajun Shrimp Quinoa Casserole was GOOD! Definitely a great recipe to make after coming home from a vacation that’s meals consisted of pizza and restaurant food. This recipe is packed full of protein rich ingredients and fresh veggies and it’s clean! And get this, it’s on the table and ready to devour in 30 minutes. It’s also under 450 calories per serving!
This casserole is easy to make. Chop your tomatoes, sprinkle with cajun seasoning and drizzle with a little olive oil and then set aside. Sprinkle your shrimp with cajun seasoning and then saute in a cast iron skillet until opaque. Remove the shrimp from the pan and then saute some onions and jalapenos. I love the heat but you can leave the jalapenos out if you prefer a milder dish. After the veggies are done cooking, mix in the cooked quinoa, tomatoes, some tomato paste and a few other goodies, top with the shrimp and shredded fontina cheese. Place the casserole in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. It’s that simple!
Enjoy the recipe!
Cajun Shrimp and Quinoa Casserole
Ingredients
- 3/4 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4 medium tomatoes, cut into chunks
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 C chopped sweet onion
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 1/2 tsp cajun seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 1/2 C cooked quinoa
- 1 C shredded fontina cheese
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Toss the shrimp and 1 tsp Cajun seasoning together, set aside.
- Toss the tomatoes with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp Cajun seasoning, set aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat in a cast iron skillet (or any oven-safe skillet.) Cook the shrimp until opaque, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil to the pan along with the onion, jalapeno and garlic. Cook until the onion and jalapeno are tender, stirring often. Mix in the quinoa, tomato paste, 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning and tomato chunks. Top with the shrimp and then sprinkle with the fontina cheese.
- Place in the oven and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. During the last 2 minutes, turn on the broiler to high and broil until the cheese is slightly brown and bubbly.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro.
Notes
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Serves: Four 1.5C servings; Calories: 377; Fat: 18g; Carb: 28g; Fiber: 4g; Sugars: 3g; Protein: 31g Nutrition information calculated using My Fitness Pal. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/view/137473240673661 If you don't like quinoa, you can sub the quinoa with brown rice. For cooking quinoa, I always use my rice cooker. I follow the instructions exactly as I would if I were cooking rice. About 1/2 C - 3/4 C of uncooked quinoa will yield 2 1/2 C cooked quinoa. If you don't have a rice cooker, you can cook the quinoa on the stove-top, according to package directions. UPDATE: If you do not have a cast iron or oven-safe skillet, after mixing in the quinoa, tomato paste, Cajun seasoning and tomato chunks in step 4, transfer the ingredients to a casserole dish and then top with the shrimp and fontina cheese. Then bake according to directions.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 486 Total Fat: 24g Saturated Fat: 8g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 14g Cholesterol: 214mg Sodium: 1815mg Carbohydrates: 35g Net Carbohydrates: 0g Fiber: 6g Sugar: 6g Sugar Alcohols: 0g Protein: 34g
Mmmm. “Dark & moody” shrimp. lol Looks delicious, Julie! Pinning now!
Yes, dark and moody shrimp. I don’t think they are too happy that they ended up on top of my casserole. Heh Heh. Thanks for the pin and for stopping by, Claire!
Don’t get me wrong, I love quinoa and this is a good recipe, but there is nothing Cajun about it (except Cajun Seasoning, whatever that is. Tony Chachere, maybe?); Cajuns are fond of the trinity: celery, bell pepper and onion, and they don’t use cilantro. They are are very parsimonious in the use of tomato in cooking. While this is a delicious recipe, I do not understand calling it Cajun.
Fair enough – you could call it cajun inspired. Or cajun inspired with a twist. I used a cajun style seasoning – and no, it wasn’t Tony Chachere. But as with any food in America, there are inspirations from many different types of cuisines. Italian, Mexican and Chinese dishes in America are not actually authentic recipes, instead inspired recipes.
I’ve never claimed to be an expert in cuisines or cooking. Heck, I’ve never attended culinary school. But if my recipe is *inspired* by something, then I will use that inspiration in the title.
Thanks so much for stopping by, Felix. Have a good evening! :)
Looks cajun enough to me and i should know…my last name is kibodeaux. Sub some dirty rice and top with hot sauce and your all in lol. Good looking recipe no matter what you call it
Thank you so much, Erin! :)
You don’t have to go to Culinary School to be a good cook! I’m one example… Executive Chef (retired)at a 4 star restaurant. I think this recipe is very clever ! !
I didn’t even realize Cajuns wouldn’t even use cilantro for garnish……And that word you used for their use of tomatoes is not in my everyday vocabulary. I hate to disappoint you, but I wasn’t impressed!
That’s fine! I definitely can’t please everyone as we all have different taste preferences! But thank you for stopping by and letting me know your thoughts!
This recipe sounds delish and like spicy comfort food. However…….I am a Cajun and folks need to know that not all Cajun or Creole dishes use spicy or hot seaso nings. (File’ anyone?) Chefs such as Justin Wilson and Chef Prudhomme (both deceased now) are great to research for recipies. In the meantime, I will enjoy this one of yours!
I’m from Louisiana and honestly lol, as long as it’s hot and seasoned gooooodd, I’m not talking about good I mean gooooood, lol it’s Cajun. Also Cajun seasoning is really your own blend of just many seasonings. Honestly Cajun is more of a lifestyle more than food .
hi. just wanted to say i was raised in nc and hve live here all my live except 4 years in fla in the service.i made the biggest mistake when i got out of service and came back here. didn`t have to pay state fla tax while in fla, but as soon as i came back to nc they wanted 4 years back tax even though i didn`t live here then.. yes it is a pretty sate, but they tax you for everything here. humidity here is horribel. and so is the in my opinion crooked politics. might want to rethnk on moving here.
Haha what? This is a recipe not a petition to the state senate of NC. But thanks for stopping by lol
Love me a good cajun shrimp recipe! This is a winner in my book, love the dark moody photos too Julie! You rock!
Pinned and sharing! :)
Thank you so much, Krista! :)
This looks yummy. I’ve been looking for a good shrimp & quinoa recipe of late, I’m definitely going to try this one. Thanks!
Thank you, AJ. I hope you enjoy this…I think you will!
Julie, this looks so, so good – always love finding a new recipe for shrimp! So sorry that you were sick during your vacation though happy to hear you were able to enjoy and relax. Thanks for sharing this and pinning – looks amazing!
Thank you so much, Cindy! I really liked this recipe a lot. The flavors are perfect! Thanks for stopping by. :)
This shrimp casserole looks amazing Julie! I love the cajun flavors in here and adding quinoa sounds fantastic! Stunning photos too girl – pinning :)
Thank you, Kelly!
Being from Louisiana, I’ve had my fair share of cajun dishes!
Yours looks absolutely delicious! Would love to try it for myself. (I probably shouldn’t be reading this absolutely starving, but…)
Oh I know exactly what you mean. It’s just like grocery shopping when you’re starving…well, almost. At least when you’re on the computer you can’t just start grabbing stuff and loading up a shopping cart! Thanks so much for stopping by, Graham!
Julie, this looks delicious! Pinned! I have found tomorrows dinner, everyone’s going to go crazy for this. Beautiful pics! Stopping by from Marvelous Mondays Link Party, thanks for hosting!
Thank you so much for stopping by and checking out my recipe. I hope you enjoy it! :)
Yum! I love everything from the spicy shrimp to the melty cheese. I’m totally pinning this to make for dinner sometime!
Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy this. :)
I received a new cast iron skillet and still haven’t used it. Perhaps this shrimp and quinoa casserole should be on the menu soon!
Yes! You should give it a try, Ashley! There are so many things that you can make with that cast iron skillet. I’ve even made cornbread in mine! Thanks for stopping by. :)
Cast iron rocks! I don’t understand why it is so under appreciated. I use mine for about everything as I have many shapes and sizes. It it seasoned so well it behaves like a non stick surface.
Heck yeah they do! I LOVE using mine!
make sure you season it correctly. You will be glad you did.
Julie, It’s good to hear you had a relaxing vacation in spite of not feeling well. We love shrimp in our house and this recipe looks delicious … can’t wait to try this. Pinning!
I’m so sorry to hear that your were sick for most of the vacation Julie. But I’m glad you two had a great time! I’ve heard NC is beautiful and just a great place to live. It’s right now our #1 compromise state to move to come next year when I’m job hunting. This quinoa casserole looks delicious and girl your photos are stunning!! Love the dark and moody :) Pinning to my dinner rotations!
Thank you, Zainab! You will love it there if you move there! Have you looked into South Florida? There are a ton of research facilities down here. I think I may have told you that before but I can’t remember! We have VGTI, Max Plank, Scripps and I think there are a couple more. :)
Hope you have a good week and weekend. So glad it is almost here!
I hope you had such a fantastic vacation time!
This dish has all my favorite things: quinoa + shrimp + cast iron pans + cajun spice + cheese… Pinning so I can make it soon :D
This recipe looks delish, but tomatoes are a no-no in cast iron! They are too acidic and will strip your hard-earned seasoning off.
Thank you for stopping by. I’ve done tomatoes a few times in my cast iron skillet. I season it often so I have no issues with it.
That sucks you were sick! Congrats on seeing snow…you can come see me and massive amounts of snow whenever you’d like :) Love this healthy casserole!!
Ohhh I bet that would be fun…for about 5 minutes! I know it gets crazy cold where you are! And that you get a lot of snow. But still, I would like to see more that I saw on vacation. I didn’t get to see any snowfall, just the snow on the ground from a snowstorm that came through a few days prior.
Thanks for stopping by, Julie! Hope you enjoy the rest of the week!
i am new to quinoa and have a box sitting in my pantry waiting for me to actually try it, as well as an infant – do you think this would work as a completely baked casserole as well? (more hands-free? lol)
Hello! I think it’s better to at least saute the shrimp before baking, but that is just my preference. You could make the dish by mixing everything minus the shrimp and cheese together, place it all in a casserole dish (or even a cast iron skillet!) and then top with the shrimp and cheese. Just bake a little longer to make sure the shrimp is cooked until opaque. Now baking everything will alter the taste as opposed to following the method I presented in my recipe. But if you try it via baking everything, let me know how it turns out!
OH, one more thing, since you are new to quinoa, be sure to rinse it well before using it. It will be gritty if you don’t rinse before cooking it! Just place it in a mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly. :)
i will, thanks! :-)
You’re welcome!
so I baked it covered with raw shrimp. I skipped the cheese just cuz by the time I took it out of the oven it was bedtime. it tastes like jambalaya without the sausage! LOL next time I’ll add sausage. ;-) this New Orleans girl has a new thing, now, thanks!
Yay! I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe! Another gal said she added chicken and chorizo to the recipe and it turned out great!
Thank you so much for stopping by and letting me know you enjoyed this. :)
I love cajun dishes! Especially at this time of year. This dish looks fantastic!! That is so cool that you got to see snow by the way! Living in the Chicago area, I get excited every year for the first snow of the season. But, by the 25th snow of the season I am kinda done with it! ;)
I love all the ingredients in this, Julie, so it’s definitely a winner for me! I especially love the texture of quinoa with those little root thingies on all the ‘grains’ (??), so the addition of just-as-delicious cheese and shrimp could possibly put me in dinner heaven! Definitely pinning this one!
Thank you, Helen! I love the texture of quinoa as well. And the taste, of course. :) Thanks so much for the pin!
Made this tonight and it was amazing! Thank you for this recipe! :)
You’re welcome! Thank you for stopping by and letting me know you enjoyed it. :) Have a lovely weekend!
Just found your site. Recipes look great but would be even better if you included calorie info..
Hi Laura, welcome! Thank you for the suggestion. I’ve been shopping around for a nutrition information plugin. I need to do a little more research before I go with one but once I select one, I’ll be going through and adding it to my recipes.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Ok, I played around with a calorie counter on My Fitness Pal and came up with an estimate of calories for this recipe. The approximate calories are 455, which is under 500! I’m sure it isn’t exact but going forward, I am going to try to get them as exact as possible. :)
Ok correction, I had the quiona measurements in the nutrition calculator totally wrong so it was throwing off the nutrition content. It’s actually right around 400 calories for 4 large servings or 270 calories for 6 small servings.
What is the name of the nutrition calculator that you use/recommend? It is one thing that discourages me from making more food from scratch. It is a pain to look each ingredient up for the nutritional values.
Hi Molly,
I use My Fitness Pal recipe nutrition calculator to calculate the nutritiin of my recipes. Hope this helps! :)
Pingback: CAJUN SHRIMP AND QUINOA CASSEROLE
Made it tonight. We really loved it. Flavorful, moist, fresh-tasting. My first use of quinoa. Wouldn’t change a thing! Thanks for the great recipe.
Awesome! Thank you so much for stopping by and letting me know you tried and enjoyed the recipe, Amy! Have a lovely Sunday. :)
Made this tonight for my boyfriend & I, we both absolutely loved it! Super easy & delicious! Thanks for the great recipe!
Hi Autum! Thank you so much for stopping by and letting me know you tried my recipe. I’m so happy that you and your boyfriend enjoyed it! Have a lovely evening and a great week. :)
Just made this tonight! A-mazing!! I added chorizo and chicken to the mix, as well. Would absolutely make again! Thanks so much for the recipe. Just in time for Fat Tuesday…
Thank you so much for stopping by and letting me know you enjoyed the recipe. The addition of chorizo and chicken sounds wonderful! :)
I love my cast iron but with caution of confusing it with tomato base dishes. Did you have any problems with it softening the seasoning? Otherwise super excited to try this!
Well if you haven’t gotten your fill of snow, you could always come and visit me in Iowa Julie. I still have 3 feet of the white $^#@ in my backyard. :) Your casserole looks delicious, I really need to try more recipes with quinoa!!
Pingback: Munch on this Monday — Shrimp-Quinoa Casserole |
Hi Julie, I pinned back in February & have been dying to try this recipe! As yummy as it looks, shared some love: http://gurvygreen.com/2014/03/10/munch-on-this-monday-shrimp-quinoa-casserole/
Thanks again!
Hi there! Thank you so much for the pin. You will really like this when you try it. :)
Pingback: Meal Plan and Grocery List for 3-17 « Newest Obsession
Made this tonight & it was DELICIOUS! I doubled the recipe (except for the paste & seasoning) I used 2 cans of diced tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes. First time using fontina cheese and I loved it!
I used brown rice since I didn’t have any quinoa on hand.
Tried it. Loved it. But the quinoa needs some light sour cream mixed in with the tomato paste and more salt. Yum.
Awesome! Glad you liked it. I would personally prefer this recipe without sour cream and the salt and tomato paste amounts were perfect for me. I’m glad you were able to alter it to your liking. :)
What size is your cast iron skillet?
I use a 10 inch skillet.
Pingback: Asiago Mushroom & Onion White Pizza Skillet, Skillet Recipes and Tips - Will Cook For Smiles
Looks fantastic! Planning on making it tomorrow but just wondering if you pre-cook the quinoa separately first or if you just throw it in uncooked?
Thanks!
Hello!
You precook the quinoa first. I cook mine in a rice cooker but if you don’t have a rice cooker, you can easily cook it on the stovetop.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! :)
Hello Julie,
I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the fact that you include the calorie counts in these meals. Seriously! I love cooking, but since everyone in my family is obese I really need to be aware of what I eat. I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind sharing with me how you were able to get the counts is there a program you use or a website? Do you just go through all the ingredients and write it all down? I’m just wondering because it would be so awesome to be able to use that too to measure recipes that I find that aren’t so considerate. Again, thank you. Things like listing the calories is one step to helping people become healthier and enjoy amazing food. YOU ARE AWESOME!!!!
Thank you,
Heather
Hi Heather!
Thank you so much for stopping by and letting me know you appreciate the nutrition content! It’s actually something I started doing recently with my healthier recipes (I haven’t done it with the sweets because, well, we all know sweets aren’t healthy however, I will be doing it with healthier desserts.) I use My Fitness Pal to calculate the nutrition. I just plug in the ingredients, number of servings and I get a count of calories per serving. Here is the link: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator
Thanks again for stopping by! :)
I was reading through this recipe because I love quinoa and thought it sounded delicious. I haven’t tried it yet. However, if you cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side, then add it back in later with the other ingredients and put it in the oven for 15 minutes, the shrimp will be overcooked. I agree with the person who put the shrimp in raw and covered the pot. I add raw shrimp at the very end of my jambalaya and it cooks perfectly in about 10 minutes.
Hi Marta,
The shrimp was not overcooked. Cooking it before adding to the dish gives it more flavor.
Sorry….! Didn’t mean to leave three stars:( I give it five now, cause it sounds delish and I plan on making it soon based on all the good reviews!
Oh it’s ok. :) I hope you enjoy it. You can definitely throw the shrimp in right before you bake instead of cooking first. I just like cooking beforehand because the flavors on the shrimp come out stronger.
Let me know if you like it!
Looks really good! We’ve just started cooking with quinoa so I’m glad to have new recipes!
This looks delicious! I am going to make it but add a few things to make it slightly more “Cajun” – red bell pepper, okra, and crawfish, along with the shrimp. Thanks for the inspiration!
Also, sorry not to give it any stars yet, but I haven’t tried it yet, so I can’t say if I like it or not; I have a feeling that I will, however!
No worries!
Thank you! I hope you enjoy the recipe. :)
Finally got to make it tonight – excellent!! And the addition of okra, red bell pepper, and crawfish was really tasty. Thanks again for the great idea!
Pingback: Weekend Links for 5/9/14 | Big Girl Life
Loved this recipe! I did add half a pound of chorizo that I cooked and crumbled in the skillet before I cooked the shrimp. I also added some chopped red and yellow peppers to the onions when I cooked them. And one more thing, I love fontina cheese so I doubled that. Fabulous! Served it up with some fresh picked asparagus.
Oh I am so happy that you enjoyed the recipe. And your additions sound crazy good! Thank you for stopping by and letting me know you enjoyed the recipe, Cathy. Have a lovely week!
Pingback: Tidbits & Nibbles #1 | Love Food, Will Share
Pingback: Cajun Shrimp and Rice | AnnaleciaIsAwesome
I haven’t tried this yet, but am looking forward to it. A couple of questions for you first.
What is in Cajun spice and where would I get this?
What is Fontina cheese and how do you season your skillet?
thanks for the info.
Caroline
Hi Caroline,
I picked up an all natural seasoning from my grocery store. It isn’t one of the big brands and I am not at home right now so I can’t give you the exact name but here are a few to give you an idea of what to look for. http://www.cajungrocer.com/food/spices-seasonings/cajun-creole.html I have tried the Konriko Creole seasoning before and it’s pretty good and it’s all natural.
Fontina cheese is a soft white cheese that is usually found in the gourmet cheese section of grocery stores. It’s a very mild cheese, sort of similar to mozzarella.
I keep my skillet clean by using a mild scrub sponge and kosher salt. After cooking (and after the skillet is cooled) I pour some kosher salt into the skillet and scrub using the mild scrub sponge. Do not use any soap and do not use a scrub sponge that has ever come in contact with soap. Soap will remove the seasoning from your skillet. After I clean the skillet, I place it on the stove and turn it onto medium. I add a little coconut oil and after it melts, I coat the inside of the skillet with the oil by using a paper towel. I then turn off the stove, remove the skillet and then wipe out any excess oil. You can use bacon grease or lard to coat the skillet but I prefer refined coconut oil because it doesn’t leave a flavor.
Let me know if you have any other questions! :)
This was sooooooo yummy!
I never used quinoa prior to this dish. I had no idea how to cook it.
One website recommended cooking it in chicken broth, and it turned out great.
I used Havarti cheese because Fontina was too pricey.
My husband raved about this! awesome recipe!
So glad you like the recipe and that you finally tried quinoa, Brianne! Thanks for stopping by to let me know. :)
What website did you find how to cook the quinoa?
Hi Simone,
I didn’t use a website to find out how to cook the quinoa. I have just always cooked it in my rice cooker, using the same method you would use to cook rice in a rice cooker. Typically, there are instructions on the package of quinoa on how to cook the quinoa on a stove-top, should you not have a rice cooker. Hope this helps.
Pingback: 15 Incredible Casserole Recipes – GleamItUp
Pingback: 40 Easy Casserole Recipes That Are Actually Healthy - Perfect Your Lifestyle
Even if this isn’t a traditional Cajun recipe (coming from the U.K. I wouldn’t know what constitute real Cajun food recipes) , it sounds delicious and I will be adding to my must make soon list!
Great! Thank you so much for stopping by. I think you will love this recipe! :) Have a lovely week.
This is a new favorite.
Awesome! So glad you like it! :)
Delicious, one of my favorite dishes, thanks for sharing.
Simon
You’re welcome, Simon. Thanks for stopping by!
Pingback: Cajun Shrimp and Quinoa Casserole | Majic 102.1
Pingback: RECIPE: Cajun Shrimp and Quinoa Casserole | News 92 FM | Official Site for Houston News, Traffic, Weather, Breaking News
This is my first time to find your blog will come back That Cajun shrimp is on the menu soon. Especially like the low calorie per serving. Thanks
Hi Sherry, you’re welcome! Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you enjoy the recipe! :)
Pingback: Cajun Shrimp and Quinoa Casserole | Praise Houston
Pingback: Cajun Shrimp and Quinoa Casserole | Elev8
Pingback: Easy Skillet Beef Tex Mex Casserole - This Gal Cooks
Great recipe!!! Our family absolutely loved this casserole!
Hi June! I’m so happy that your family enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for stopping by to let me know. :)
Pingback: 20 Delicious Casseroles You'll Want To Dig Into | Monthly Recipes
Pingback: 20 Delicious Casseroles You'll Want To Dig Into : Eat-Best.com
Pingback: 20 Delicious Casseroles You'll Want To Dig Into : Great Cooks
Pingback: 20 Delicious Casseroles You'll Want To Dig Into : Grandmas Cooking
Pingback: 20 Delicious Casseroles You'll Want To Dig Into
Pingback: 20 Casserole Recipes That Are Actually Delicious | Lowthorp.com
Pingback: 20 Casserole Recipes That Are Actually Delicious | Lowthorp.com
Pingback: 50+ Beautiful Casserole Recipes - BonBon Break
Pingback: 11 Incredible Delicious Casserole Ideas for Lunch and Dinner! | Women's f Blog
OK!!! I completely messed this recipe up and it STILL turned out great! I neglected to see the quinoa should be pre cooked!
I ended up cooking it in the pan with all the veggies! Had no shrimp so used some spicy sausage I had in the freezer!
It’s still yummy! Thanks for the inspiration!
Well there ya go! If you don’t have any cooked quinoa leftover, you can easily make the meal in one skillet. That worked out well! :) Sounds AMAZING with the spicy sausage. So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Mollie! Thanks for stopping by to let me know. :)
Pingback: Dinner Made Easy | Bella Forza Fitness
I made this last night and it was a roaring success!
My boyfriend suggested it after I showed him a picture (think he was sold on cheese and prawns!) but he’d never had quinoa before. He loved it! So tasty and flavourful, and pretty easy!
I don’t have a cast iron skillet so I transferred everything into a casserole dish before it went in the oven.
Think this is going to be on a regular rotation in my house.
Thanks so much!
Charlotte
Hi Charlotte!
Thank you so much for stopping by to let me know you enjoyed this recipe. :) I’m glad you and your boyfriend enjoyed it. I’m going to update my notes on the recipe to let people know they can transfer to a casserole dish if they don’t have an oven-safe skillet.
Again, thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful week!
Pingback: Cajun Shrimp + Quinoa Skillet | Hugs 'n Kitchen
Pingback: 20 Cast Iron Skillet Recipes - Pioneer Settler | Homesteading | Self Reliance | Recipes
Hi, this looks awesome, is it Gluten Free?
Hi Rob,
Yes, the is gluten free. Just make sure that your cajun seasoning and tomato paste are gluten free.
Pingback: 5 Casserole Recipes That Are Actually Delicious | Healthy Dinner Information
Recipe looks awesome. I love quinoa. And shrimp. I’m from NC. It is a beautiful state. If I had my way I’d live in Florida from October through April, and NC May-Sept. I do love snow though. :)
Thank you, Nanci! Yeah, the weather in FL is nice from October – April, for the most part. It still gets pretty hot, though. And it stinks when it’s 85 degrees on Thanksgiving and Christmas! But overall, it’s the best time of the year here. :)
Thanks for stopping by!
Pingback: Cajun Shrimp and Quinoa Casserole…RECIPE | Dieting 'n' Fitness
I am definately trying this! One question. do I buy shrimp raw or pre-cooked (like cocktail shrimp?)
Can’t wait to try this!
Hi Stacey! Thanks for stopping by.you use raw shrimp in this recipe. Hope you enjoy the recipe! :)
This Cajun Shrimp and Quinoa Casserole sounds absolutely delish. I can hardly wait to try it.
Hope you enjoy it, Cindy!
Pingback: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Quinoa + Pomegranate | This Gal Cooks
Pingback: 20 Casserole Recipes That Are Actually Delicious | Darnmeme
i made this tonight. I subtituded the fontina cheese with Gouda, but that was the only change I made. It taste amazing! Very flavorful and the taste blend so well. Great recipe! It’s going in my favorites list!
Hi Sarah!
So glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks so much for stopping by to let me know! LOVE the sound of gouda. Bet it was great! :)
I’m late to the party. I just this week discovered your blog and recipes. Tonight I made the Cajun Shrimp and Quinoa recipe …. DELISH!!!!! My husband actually told me, “you outdid yourself”!!!!! It was easy to make and it tasted wonderful! I’m so glad I found you. Thank you. Tomorrow I will try your crockpot Chicken Green Chili recipe.
Hi Yvonne!
So glad you enjoyed the Cajun Shrimp and Quinoa recipe! It’s really one of my favs. :)
Thanks for stopping by to let me know you enjoyed the recipe!
Pingback: Chicken Sausage, Potato and Red Onion Frittata | This Gal Cooks
Pingback: cajun shrimp quinoa | Juicy Juicing Recipes Online
Pingback: Shrimp Pasta with Spicy Tomato Cream Sauce | This Gal Cooks
Pingback: Shrimp Pasta with Spicy Tomato Cream Sauce | This Gal Cooks
Hi! I’m trying this recipe tonight for my family. It sounds so good! I can’t wait to try it!
By the way, I live in North Carolina and it’s AWESOME. It’s not to hot and not to cold in the spring, summer, and fall. We do get snow in the winter! Not around Christmas unfortunately but in mid January to the beginning of March we get snow a lot! Another plus is we have both the mountains and the beach!
Thanks for posting this recipe!
Ohh you are making me want to move there even more! We are planning a trip to Asheville sometime this year and I know I am going to fall in love all over again with NC. Thanks so much for stopping by. Hope you enjoy the recipe. :)
I made the Cajun shrimp and quinoa casserole and it was awesome! Great recipe!!! So fresh tasting and my husband was so impressed!
Hi Jen! So glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for stopping by to let me know. :)
This may be a silly question but do you add the quinoa already cooked in step 4?
Hi Jamie! You add it already cooked. Hope you enjoy the recipe! :)
Pingback: 12 Casserole Recipes from Breakfast to Dinner - FITaspire
hello I know it says used cooked quinoa but did you rinse it first then boil it? How exactly did you cook it?
Hi Chelsea!
When I cook quinoa, I first put the quinoa in a strainer and rinse well. I then cook it in my rice cooker using the same method used for rice. You can also cook on a pan on your stove, following the directions on the package of quiona. Hope this helps!
Pingback: 10 Easy, Crowd-Pleasing Casseroles–Under 400 Calories! ‹ Hello Healthy
Pingback: 10 Easy, Crowd Pleasing Casseroles Under 400 Calories ! | zunasports
Pingback: #TastyTuesdays | Justyne Royale
This looks Delish! I am always looking for different ways to cook shrimp. My husband loves it. But not being the best cook in the world I do have a question… Do you prepare the quinoa or the rice first or does it cook while in the oven?!
Thanks!
Hi Jen,
The quinoa or rice should be cooked before adding to the dish. I updated the recipe to include instructions, but here ya go! Hope this helps!
For cooking quinoa, I always use my rice cooker. I follow the instructions exactly as I would if I were cooking rice. About 1/2 C – 3/4 C of uncooked quinoa will yield 2 1/2 C cooked quinoa.
If you don’t have a rice cooker, you can cook the quinoa on the stove-top, according to package directions.
Hi
I just made a shrimp casserole, but there was a lot of discussion on reheating shrimp. What are your thoughts on leftovers with shrimp?
Hi Natalia,
I eat leftover shrimp whenever I have it. I’ve never had any issues with it. I would say that eating it within a day or two of cooking is probably best. Hope this helps!
I just found your blog thanks to a link from fitness magazine and I’m hooked! I made the shrimp quinoa dish last night and it was delicious. And easy to make too. Keep the recipes coming:-)
Hi Susan! Welcome and thank you so much for stopping by! So glad you enjoyed the recipe. I hope you try some more. Let me know if you need any suggestions. :)
Have a great week!
Hi Julie! I just gotta say this was absolutely delicious! So easy and so tasty! Definitely a new staple in my house :)
I have some Cajun seasoning from Louisiana that I got when I was working on the road. I’ve been looking for recipes to use it! The fact that quinoa is also involved is an added bonus! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Janette!
You’re welcome. Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! :)
I made this recipe tonight and it was DELICIOUS!!!! Thank you for the great and healthy recipe!
Aww thank you so much for stopping by to let me know you enjoyed the recipe, Jill! <3
Just wanted to let you know that while I did not have cajun spice, jalapenos or fontina on hand, and used parsley, oregano and mozz/parmesan to take it in a decidedly Italian direction instead, the base of this recipe was absolutely delicious and I thank you so much for the idea! It was the first success I had in getting my boyfriend to eat quinoa!
This recipe was absolutely delicious! I love shrimp, but never have any look cooking it at home, so I used chicken instead and it was so good! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Hi Taryn! Thank you so much for stopping by to let me know you enjoyed the recipe. I’m so happy you liked it. :)
Pingback: Friday Favorites - Iowa Girl Eats
Pingback: 10 Easy, Crowd-Pleasing Casseroles–Under 400 Calories! | Creating Healthy Families
Just found your site and so glad I did! This looks amazing!! Pinning!
Pingback: Delicious Homesteading Cast Iron Pan Recipes | The Homestead Survival
Hello there!
I just wanted to let you know that I tried this recipe and it is delicious! This was my first time using fontina cheese and it’s so good! Thanks!
Pingback: 10 Easy, Crowd-Pleasing Casseroles–Under 400 Calories! - Hello HealthyHello Healthy
3/4 pound of shrimp doesn’t sound like much for 4 people — when we eat shrimp, we tend to allow at least half a pound per person. Would this work with that much shrimp?
Hi Linda,
3/4 pound of shrimp is enough for four people with this recipe. The quinoa paired with the shrimp is quite filling. I think 2 pounds of shrimp would be too much shrimp for this recipe but if you give it a try with that amount, let me know!
Pingback: 10 Easy, Awesome Casseroles To Make You The Weeknight Hero
Pingback: Eating Right To Get That Perfect Summer Look – glamorously gabby
Pingback: Cast Iron Skillet Recipes - Satori Design for Living
This is one of the better recipes that I have made in a while. Thanks for the post!
You’re welcome, Zack. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. :)
Pingback: 21 Cast Iron Skillet Recipes You Should Try – NewsBlog
Pingback: 21 Cast Iron Skillet Recipes You Should Try – Viraltor
Pingback: Spicy Shrimp Cucumber Noodle Bowl | This Gal Cooks
Pingback: Life Lately | Vegas, My New Niece & More
Pingback: Cajun Shrimp Quinoa Casserole | This Gal Cooks – Koiswap.com
Pingback: 20 Easy Low-Carb Recipes with Shrimp
Pingback: First Post!!! – The Life of Kathryn Grace
Pingback: 23 Easy Casserole Recipes That Are Actually Healthy | google healths
Pingback: Delicious Recipes for People Who Are Obsessed with Quinoa
Pingback: 12 Good For You Delicious Quinoa Recipes | BetterHealthKare
Pingback: October Menu & a Recipe | Chronicling Chaos
This was delicious! At first I was worried this method would overcook the shrimp, but I’m so glad I went ahead and tried your recipe because the entire dish was perfect! It will now be on heavy rotation in our home :)
Pingback: 12 Good For You Delicious Quinoa Recipes - BetterHealthKare
Pingback: 25 Casserole Recipes - The Cookie Rookie
Pingback: CAJUN SHRIMP AND QUINOA CASSEROLE – Delish
Pingback: 10 Easy, Crowd-Pleasing Casseroles–Under 400 Calories! – Hello HealthyHello Healthy – Site name
Pingback: 15 Casserole Recipes for December - Reviewdots
Pingback: CAJUN SHRIMP AND QUINOA CASSEROLE – Mom Recipes
Pingback: Seafood Casserole Recipes With Pictures | Fresh Sea Food Store
Julie,
Thanks for a great recipe. I had a dinner party for nine and need to double the recipe. I substituted risoto for the quinoa.
All the guest loved tthe variation.. I will call it International shrinp cassarole.
Just plain to make it tonight andI added chorizo and chicken to the mix, as well.
Thanks so much for sharing very nice recipe!
Have a good weekend!
I bet it was great with the addition of chorizo and chicken! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for stopping by to let me know!
Love me a good cajun shrimp recipe! This is a winner in my book, love the dark moody photos too Julie! You rock!
Thank you, Lisa!
This dish is amazing! I added a little red bell pepper, and prepared the quinoa with vegetable broth. I would expect to get this kind of culinary delight from a restaurant, but I made it myself! :)
Glad you enjoyed it, Jennifer!
This looks yummy. I’m definitely going to try this one. Thanks!
I hope you enjoy the recipe, Vickie!
Pingback: 23 (Tasty) Keto Dinner Ideas for Super-Moms!
Excellent ever
Sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
This rocked my world! Seriously yummy – thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome, Brooke! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for letting me know. :)
Pingback: 39 Savory Cast Iron Skillet Dinner Recipes | Homesteading [2nd Edition]
What are your thoughts on leftovers with shrimp?
I eat leftover shrimp. It tastes ok to me.
Can you make it with rice instead of quinoa?
Hello, yes you can use rice instead of quinoa.
Hi Julie
This was my first time cooking quinoa. .my daughter bought it and insisted we cook it . I came across this recipe and tried it everything looked so good but it did not taste as good….I was disappointed. Do you think Is it because I probably mixed the shrimp in and didn’t use fontaina cheese?
This was FANTASTIC! I used brown rice instead of quinoa and my husband and I loved it. We will definitely be making this again!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe, Andrea! Thank you for leaving a comment to let me know!
Do you have the nutrition facts? Just beginning the IIFYM plan and need to know my macros with EVERYTHING 😣
Hi Colleen,
I just updated the recipe to reflect all of the nutrition information. It was calculated using My Fitness Pal.
I made this for a friend potluck and the dish was gone within 12 mins. Everyone LOVED IT! It was very easy to make with the right amount of ingredients. It may become a staple in my dinner rotations! :)
This was amazing! Quick, simple and oh my so so so good! I am sure I will be making this often.
Pingback: 45 Savory Cast Iron Skillet Dinner Recipes [2nd Edition] • realestate.10ztalk.com
Pingback: 45 Savory Cast Iron Skillet Dinner Recipes [2nd Edition] – Homesteadrr
Pingback: 17 Mouth Watering Cast Iron Skillet Recipes To Try At Home - The steel electric skillet reviews
Just made this for dinner and OMGoodness! It is so easy and incredibly delicious. Can’t wait to make it again!
Pingback: 17 Mouth Watering Cast Iron Skillet Recipes To Try At Home
I made this tonight. The only thing I changed is I didn’t have fontina cheese, so I used shredded medium cheddar cheese. My husband and I loved it. Thank you so much for the recipe.
For the Cajun connoisseurs, I don’t care what it’s called, it was delicious.
Pingback: 40 Best Casserole Recipes
Pingback: Keto Dinner Ideas: 23 (Tasty) Recipes For Super-Moms! | Keto Stories
This was FANTASTIC!
Pingback: HOW TO MAKE CAJUN SHRIMP AND QUINOA CASSEROLE | FOOD RECIPES – Delish
Sooooooooooooo goooooood!!!!!!!!
Pingback: 100 Healthy Casserole Recipes - Prudent Penny Pincher
Pingback: Cajun Shrimp Quinoa Casserole Recipe - Best Recipes Collection | All Favourite Recipes
Just made this tonight! A-mazing!! I added chorizo and chicken to the mix, as well. Would absolutely make again! Thanks so much for the recipe.
Pingback: 34 Best Quick & Easy Clean Eating Healthy Shrimp Recipes for Dinner that you will Love - The Fabulous Mommies
AMAZING!!! Love this!!❤️
Pingback: 20 Best Shrimp and Quinoa - Best Recipes Ever
Looks cajun enough to me and i should know…my last name is kibodeaux. Sub some dirty rice and top with hot sauce and your all in lol. Good looking recipe no matter what you call it
This is one of my all-time FAVORITE recipes! It just doesn’t get much better than this folks. And I personally would never substitute anything for the quinoa, it helps make the dish! And yes I do think it has a Cajun flair! LOL.
Looks cajun enough to me and i should know…my last name is kibodeaux. Sub some dirty rice and top with hot sauce and your all in lol. Good looking recipe no matter what you call it
Pingback: These 35 Quinoa Recipes Make Healthy Meals Exciting
Looks cajun enough to me and i should know…my last name is kibodeaux. Sub some dirty rice and top with hot sauce and your all in lol. Good looking recipe no matter what you call it
Pingback: 100 Healthy Summer Dinner Recipes - Prudent Penny Pincher
Pingback: Food: These 35 Quinoa Recipes Make Healthy Meals Exciting – ByNotio.com
Pingback: 14 Easy to Make Healthy Casserole Dinner Recipes You'll Love | Health Grinder
Pingback: These 35 Quinoa Recipes Make Healthy Meals Exciting - Quick 5 minutes DIY Crafts Ideas
Pingback: CAJUN SHRIMP AND QUINOA CASSEROLE – Food
Pingback: CAJUN SHRIMP AND QUINOA CASSEROLE - All Food
Pingback: CAJUN SHRIMP AND QUINOA CASSEROLE - All Food
Looks cajun enough to me and i should know…my last name is kibodeaux. Sub some dirty rice and top with hot sauce and your all in lol. Good looking recipe no matter what you call it.
Yes, dark and moody shrimp. I don’t think they are too happy that they ended up on top of my casserole. Heh Heh. Thanks for the pin and for stopping by, Claire!
I love this receipe made it at least 20 times already in the past year. Thank you for sharing! It is awesome!!
You’re welcome, Liz. Thank you for leaving a comment to let me know you enjoyed the recipe. :)
I make this all the time now. After making it once before i was addicted. I have some friends who are vegan so I’ve made it without the shrimp and used vegan cheese and it still turned out great
This was great! The two of us almost finished it off. Though sorry for purists, I made a fair number of changes…
My husband hates quinoa, so I was going to use kasha. But after I cooked it, it seemed weird so I used some leftover rice I had in the fridge. Also, wanted to up the veggie content, so added 1.5 stalks of celery and a large carrot, chopped pretty small, when I sauteed the onions. At this season, the tomatoes were all terrible, so I used a pint of grape tomatoes, cut in half, and cooked them for two minutes at the end of the other veggies. I didn’t bother with the cilantro, and my last CSA jalapeno had spoiled :(, so I compensated with a few dashes of cayenne.
All that said, it was pretty close to the intent of the recipe, and was really delicious! I thought the amount of cajun spicing was perfect! Thanks much,
Ann
This recipe looks delicious Julie. I always cook healthy food for my family and no one wants to compromise on taste. I will surely gonna try this recipe. thanks for sharing.
Thanks a bunch, Jeana! This recipe certainly is delicious. :)