This shrimp salad recipe has a zesty creamy dressing and makes a great side dish or elevated lunch! Serve it over a bed of lettuce or with bread.
I wanted to kick up the flavor in this cold shrimp salad. I'm not someone who likes one-dimensional salads (my Caesar salad dressing has a bit of kick to it, for example), so I wanted to do the same with this one. I chose horseradish to add some sharpness and extra flavor so that this isn't just another boring mayo-based salad. Horseradish is a component of the sauce that often accompanies shrimp cocktails (you know that red seafood sauce/dip), so it pairs well with shrimp.
I also added lemon juice and zest, Worcestershire sauce, some garlic (of course), and fresh dill. The cucumber, celery, and onions in the salad add more crunch and freshness.
This shrimp salad is great for an appetizer/salad course for entertaining or if you feel like doing something a little bit different for yourself!
What kind of shrimp to use?
I recommend using raw 31-40/pound size shrimp. Larger or smaller shrimp will work too! Just adjust cooking time accordingly. You can use pre-cooked shrimp if you prefer, but, in my opinion, shrimp that are cooked from scratch taste better and are more tender. It's super easy to cook them and doesn't take long at all.
Recipe notes & tips:
- If you don't have any horseradish, try subbing it with Dijon mustard.
- I recommend fresh dill, but if you can't get any, try using 1 teaspoon or so of dried dill and adding more as needed.
- To zest the lemon, I use my Microplane zester/grater. It's an inexpensive tool that I use in tons of recipes. Lemon zest adds so much brightness to mayo-based dressings.
- If you want to add even more flavor to this salad, add a dash or two of hot sauce (try Tabasco) to the dressing, or sprinkle some Old Bay seasoning on top!
- If eating right away (like you don't plan on having leftovers), try including some chopped avocado.
- As with any salad, you can throw in extra veggies or add more of something if you like. This salad is pretty flexible. You could add even more cucumber if you want to lighten it up more.
- Shrimp are fairly salty and the dressing already includes salt in some of the components, so you may not need to add much (or any) extra salt to the salad.
- This shrimp salad will last up to 3 days in the fridge.
What to serve with shrimp salad:
- I like to plate it over butter leaf lettuce. It looks pretty, and the lettuce is nice to eat with it. I lined the bowl in the photos with several leaves and then spooned the shrimp over top. You could even add a few pieces of the lettuce to individual plates and serve it as lettuce cups/wraps for a side or appetizer.
- I sometimes just eat shrimp salad with a slice of good bread. It is quite rich, so I definitely recommend serving small portions, and bread really helps to make it a complete meal without it being too heavy (you can make shrimp salad sandwiches if you want!).
- Try stuffing an avocado half with it.
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Questions about this shrimp salad recipe? Ask me in the comments below. As always, tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram if you have any questions.
Easy Shrimp Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked shrimp (31-40/pound size) thawed & peeled
- 2 tablespoons red onion chopped finely
- 2 sticks celery chopped small
- 1/2 cup cucumber chopped small
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup mayo or Miracle Whip
- 1 tablespoon creamed horseradish
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice + zest from 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep the shrimp (run under cool water to thaw if they're frozen, peel them, and remove the tails). Boil a pot of water to cook them, and fill a medium-sized bowl with cold water and ice cubes. Once the water is boiling, add the shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain the shrimp and add them to the ice bath to stop them from cooking further. Let them cool in there for a few minutes prior to draining them and patting them dry with paper towel.
- Meanwhile, add all dressing ingredients to a small bowl and stir together thoroughly. Give it a taste and adjust seasonings as needed (this dressing is quite zippy so start with half the horseradish and taste if you're unsure!). Prep the other ingredients (onion, celery, cucumber), and add them to a salad bowl.
- Add the shrimp to the salad bowl and toss with the dressing (this makes a lot of dressing so feel free to not use it all if you prefer). I like to chill the salad for 30 minutes or so prior to serving (cover and refrigerate). Serve on a bed of butter leaf lettuce if desired.
Notes
- Serves 4-6 depending on how much people eat.
- If you don't have any/don't want to buy horseradish, try subbing with Dijon mustard (start with 1/2 tbsp and add more as needed).
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Bebecca says
We had leftover shrimp (whoever heard of such a thing?) and I was looking for something different to do with it. It needed to be not too complicated for after work and made from normal things I had at home. I found this recipe and it was perfect. I made it by the recipe except for white onion, I even used a dash of worcestershire-which I questioned. i wanted it light and summery and this was, the dressing wasn't too heavy and the shrimp was still the star. We had it with good bread and cantaloupe and thought it was a perfect summer dinner.
Natasha says
I'm so happy that you enjoyed it!! 🙂 Thank you for letting me know!
Sheila says
Could you use greek yogurt instead of mayo or miracle whip?
Natasha says
Hi Sheila! I think you could try, or even do a mayo-Greek yogurt mix (or add a bit of olive oil if using just Greek yogurt). With just yogurt, it will taste slightly more tangy, and it won't be quite as smooth, so you may need to adjust ingredients a bit to come to a flavor/texture you enjoy. Let me know if you do try!