CdSe/ZnSe core-shell quantum dots were synthesized using a new one-pot procedure where the core was prepared in octadecene. A ZnSe shell around a CdSe nanoparticle was formed by the reaction of selenium-richness on the surfaces of CdSe nanoparticles with Zn2+ from the injected zinc stearate precursor. The optical properties, luminescence kinetics, and the effect of shell thickness of as-prepared QDs were studied, which verifies the high quality of the resulting QDs. The new approach is effective not only for preparing core/shell QDs, but also for reducing the complexity of synthesis, toxicity, and reagent cost.