Creamy Shrimp Salad

Name: Creamy Shrimp Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 pound raw shrimp (medium or large, peeled and deveined, tails off (40-50 per pound)); 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1/2 tablespoon white wine vinegar ((or fresh lemon juice)); 1/2 teaspoon fresh garlic (minced); 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or a pinch of any other salt); 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1/4 cup red onion (minced); 1/4 cup celery (minced); 2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped )

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This creamy shrimp salad is the perfect lunch and makes a wonderful dinner in the summer. Ready in just 25 minutes, this salad is truly easy to make, and the leftovers are excellent, too.

Main-dish salads are a lifesaver in the summer. They are quick, not too heavy, and fresh-tasting. Just as importantly, they save you from heating the oven. Much like octopus salad and lobster salad, this delicious shrimp salad is flavorful and easy to make. I dress it in a creamy dressing of mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, and garlic.

Ingredients

Here's an overview of the ingredients needed to make this salad. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

Shrimp: It's best to use medium shrimp (50 per pound) since they are bite-size and easier to eat in a salad.
Mayonnaise: I prefer avocado oil mayonnaise.
Dijon mustard: Dijon is creamier and less vinegary than yellow mustard. I love the flavor it adds to this salad.
White wine vinegar: Or use fresh lemon juice if you prefer.
Kosher salt and black pepper: I use kosher salt in most of my recipes. If using fine salt, you should use half the amount listed in the recipe card.
Vegetables and aromatics: Minced red onion, minced garlic, minced celery, and chopped cilantro.

Variations

If you like spicy food, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the dressing. You can also add seeded, thinly sliced jalapeno peppers. I like both options!
Sometimes, I add 2 tablespoons of bacon bits.
I often add a couple of chopped, hard-boiled eggs.
Scallions are a good substitute for red onions in this recipe.
Avocado is a nice addition to this salad. You can peel and cube one small avocado and add it last, mixing it in gently.

Instructions

Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this shrimp salad:

First, boil the shrimp briefly until pink and opaque. Transfer them to a bowl filled with cold water. This will stop the cooking process and help chill them.

In a salad bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients.

Add the cooked shrimp, red onion, celery, and cilantro to the dressing.

Adding the salad ingredients to the dressing.

Mix gently, then serve.

Expert Tip

I recommend using medium shrimp (50 pieces per pound) in this recipe. Since they are bite-size, they are easy to eat in a salad. Large shrimp (40 pieces per pound) work, too.

If using extra-large shrimp (20 per pound), you'll need to cook them for a bit longer - 3 minutes. Once cooked, you can chop them into bite-size pieces, but leaving them whole is OK.

A two-photo collage showing the difference between medium and extra-large shrimp.

Of course, you want them peeled and deveined, but unlike warm shrimp recipes such as baked shrimp or grilled shrimp, you also want the tails off in this recipe.

So, if your shrimp are tail-on, it's best to remove the tails. You can do this before or after boiling them.

A two-photo collage comparing tail-off raw shrimp to tail-on raw shrimp.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use frozen pre-cooked shrimp?

Yes, you can defrost them and use them in this recipe. But keep in mind that these shrimp are a compromise - they're not as good, in flavor and texture, as freshly cooked shrimp.

Can you make this salad without mayo?

Yes. You can replace the mayonnaise with ½ cup of sour cream or ⅓ cup of olive oil.

If using olive oil, place the dressing ingredients in a jar, seal it well, and shake vigorously until the dressing emulsifies.

Can I add eggs to this salad?

Yes! I often do. You can use 2-3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped. Add them last and mix them gently into the salad.

Serving Suggestions

I like this salad as is, on a plate, eaten with a fork. But if you want to serve it with something, here are a few ideas that I tried and liked:

Serve it on a bed of shredded lettuce or sauteed spinach.
Stuff it inside a lettuce sandwich wrap.
Serve it on thick slices of almond flour bread.
It's excellent on halved cheese muffins.
Instead of stuffing tomato with crab salad, stuff it with this salad.
Serve it on top of avocado halves.

Storing Leftovers

You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to two days. I don't recommend freezing the leftovers. The texture and flavor will be off after freezing and thawing the salad.