If you find yourself craving a hearty salad, this shrimp salad recipe is sure to get your taste buds dancing.
Offering you a variety of interesting tastes, textures, and colors, this beautiful plate delivers maximum flavor and delight. And a bonus: any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and become a quick lunch for the next day.
Is Shrimp Salad Healthy?
Far from being a common food, the ingredients chosen for this recipe might surprise you with how brilliant they are. They taste good and go miles when it comes to health benefits.
1. Shrimp
According to the USDA: a medium-sized shrimp provides a remarkable amount of vitamins A, D, E, fat-soluble vitamins, iron, and calcium.
The benefits of shrimp are countless, including its ability to help improve bones, the brain and the immune system. Protein and various vitamins, such as calcium and magnesium, found in shrimp can help in the fight against bone degeneration.
Shrimp also contains omega-3 fatty acids that can result in protective health effects like reducing the risk of stroke and diabetes. It’s hard to beat shrimp when it comes to healthy eating!
2. Avocado
Avocado is relatively rich in fiber- about 7% by weight. High-fiber foods can keep you full longer which contributes to weight loss. Fiber can also slow the absorption of sugar and has the ability to diminish blood sugar spikes.
The monounsaturated fatty acids in avocado actually have beneficial effects, too. It is said they help reduce inflammation and protect against age-related cognitive decline.
Avocados also contain potassium which helps maintain blood pressure at a healthy level.
Ingredients in Shrimp Salad Recipe
With the combination of fresh ingredients, dressed with olive oil, lemon and salt, this shrimp salad recipe needs nothing else. But that doesn’t mean you can’t tinker with the formula if you fancy a little bit of something else.
And sometimes, you might even end up with a new recipe that rivals the original. Here are some possible ingredients that won’t overpower the delicate flavor of the shrimp, but will work together in perfect harmony:
Bacon: adds a savory note and the crunchiness you would love to have in any salad.
Beans: any light beans like white navy beans or cannellini will work with this recipe.
Citrus Fruit: a little acidity can improve any seafood dish. For us, orange and grapefruit does that perfectly in this shrimp salad recipe.
Red onion: red onion adds great bright color and an interesting aromatic hint in the dish. If you only have white or yellow onion at home, either will do a great job as well.
Herb: fresh herbs like basil or parsley brighten up the dressing and add herby freshness, adding color and flavor to the dish.
How to Cook Shrimp
Most shrimp in the supermarket has been previously peeled and frozen. It can be convenient if you’re cooking them immediately, but shrimp still in the shell gives you better flavor.
You can either cook shrimp with the shell or not. If you want to peel off the shell and prep them at home, follow the quick instruction below.
1. Peel and Devein
We start peeling the shrimp by pulling off the legs, and then the shell can easily slip off. Depending on the recipe and personal preference, you can leave the shell on the tail or remove it.
Shrimp have a dark vein running along the back. You need to remove this before cooking, otherwise your dish could get an unpleasant sandy taste.
To devein shrimp, use a small knife and make a shallow cut down along the back of the shrimp. Then lift out the vein, or rinse it away under the running water.
2. Seasoning
Let the shrimp marinate for at least 15 minutes in the seasoning. It doesn’t take a long time for the magic to work, but those 15 minutes+ give the shrimp a chance to soak up all the flavor.
3. Cook
One of the easiest ways to cook shrimp is in the oven. Simply throw all your seasoned shrimp onto a baking sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes until the shrimp is cooked through.
Some people like to cook it a little bit longer to get a deep color on the shrimp, but you can choose what you’d like to do. This method is forgiving, customizable, and can be used for any salad that contains shrimp.
Check out our Thai mango salad if you fancy an Asian shrimp salad to eat!
How to Make Shrimp Salad
This refreshing shrimp salad recipe packs many nutritious, rainbow colored ingredients. Buttery avocado, sweet corn, ripe tomatoes, and herby parsley bring out that summer salad feeling.
To tell the truth, the dressing is there to tie and balance out these delicious flavors. And did we mention that we have a wide variety of dressing options on hand?
Easy Shrimp Salad Dressing
1. Mayonnaise Dressing
A creamy dressing like mayonnaise goes well with the warmth from the mustard and sweetness of the shrimp.
You need just enough mayonnaise to hold the salad together, so be careful not to use too much of it. We all want shrimp to be the star of the dish.
2. Avocado Dressing
Imagine smoky grilled shrimp served over greens, then drizzled with savoury avocado dressing. Serve this recipe to your friends, it will be a huge hit at any party.
3. Greek Yogurt Dressing
Greek yogurt can stand in for mayonnaise. We sometimes add a tablespoon of mayo for richness, but the majority of creaminess is from the Greek yogurt.
4. Buffalo Dressing
The spicy kicks from the buffalo sauce accentuate the natural sweetness of shrimp and vegetables. It gives this salad a perfect complement of flavor in every bite.
What to Serve With Shrimp Salad
1. Pasta
Pasta is an important part of Italian cuisine. For anyone who has an eye for a balanced meal, a salad with plenty of vegetables is the perfect companion to your pasta.
2. Sandwich
This shrimp salad recipe is custom-made to go well with sandwiches and croissants. In addition to complementing ingredients in the salad, there’s a whole other satisfying feeling from the crisp and buttery textures these breads provide.
3. Buns
We particularly recommend any type of soft buns for this shrimp salad recipe. Remember to toast the buns before serving to ensure a nice crunch, and help prevent the dressing from fully soaking into the bread.
Healthy Shrimp Salad Recipe
This healthy shrimp salad recipe is a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Savory seared shrimp marinated in spices, with creamy avocado and crunchy lettuce - a delicious yet easy side dish recipe.
- cook TIME 30 mins
- prep TIME 20 mins
- total TIME 50 mins
- COURSE Appetizer, Side Dish
- CUISINE American
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 236 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 10 ozraw shrimp
- 1 tspgarlic (chopped)
- 2.5 tbspolive oil
- 0.3 tspsalt
- 0.5 tsplemon zest
- 0.3 tspground pepper
- 1 tbspfresh parsley (chopped)
- 4 ozromaine (chopped)
- 4 ozEuropean cucumber (chopped)
- 6 ozbell pepper
- 4 ozcherry tomatoes (halved)
- 4 ozavocado (cubed)
- 2 ozroasted corn
- 2 tbsplemon juice
- 0.5 tsptraditional Dijon mustard
- 0.5 tbsphoney
INSTRUCTIONS
Peel and devein the shrimp.
Add parsley, garlic, lemon zest, ⅛ teaspoon of salt, and ⅛ teaspoon of pepper to a small bowl and stir. Add shrimp and let marinate for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Roast the bell peppers for 15-20 minutes. Once done, move the cooked peppers to a plate. Then put the shrimp on the same baking sheet used and roast for about 3 minutes on each side.
Cut the roasted bell peppers into 1-inch pieces and save for assembly.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining salt, pepper, olive oil, mustard, honey, and lemon juice.
In a large salad bowl, combine cucumber, tomatoes, romaine lettuce, bell peppers, avocado, corn, and shrimp. Toss well with the dressing. Serve immediately.
NUTRITION
Tuyet Pham
Chef, Culinary Consultant
Luna Regina
Writer, Author
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD
Nutrition Reviewer