Greek Shrimp Mediterranean Bowl (Printable)
Juicy shrimp with lemony rice, fresh veggies, and tzatziki in a vibrant Mediterranean bowl.
# What You’ll 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 Make It:
01 - Rinse rice under cold water until it runs clear. In a saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add the rice, lemon zest, and salt. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine the 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 the 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 and refrigerate until ready to serve.
05 - Divide the lemon rice and fresh greens among four serving bowls. Arrange the cooked shrimp, cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, Kalamata olives, red onion, and crumbled feta over each portion. Drizzle generously with tzatziki sauce and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
06 - Serve immediately alongside lemon wedges if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The tzatziki pulls everything together so well you will want to double the batch and eat it with a spoon later.
- It looks like you spent an hour on it but the whole thing comes together in about thirty five minutes flat.
02 -
- Overcooking shrimp is the fastest way to ruin this bowl so pull them from the pan the second they are pink and curled.
- Grating the cucumber for tzatziki without squeezing out the excess water turns the sauce into a soupy mess I learned this the hard way.
03 -
- Dry the shrimp thoroughly with paper towels before marinating so the seasoning actually sticks and you get a good sear instead of a steam.
- Making the tzatziki a few hours ahead gives the garlic and dill time to bloom into something far more flavorful than when it is freshly mixed.