Summer Shrimp and Avocado Salad
on Jul 01, 2024
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If you start with precooked shrimp, this beautiful and satisfying salad can be on the table in 15 minutes! (Add about 7 minutes if you're cooking the shrimp yourself!)
I have no idea why some people think that a salad can’t be a meal, much less dinner. I love real meal salads, sometimes involving lettuce, and sometimes (like this one), not a leaf in sight. Think about this: every forkful involves a variety of colors and tastes and textures, there is density to the situation, and you get to kind of keep hunting for that great bite, which evolves and ebbs and flows and…I know, I’m a little bit of a salad nerd, but I really am ok with that.
This is a very healthy main course salad and an easy summer meal. Protein from the beautiful shrimp, which would be great grilled or sautéed, or simply poached as I have them here. That good kind of fat from the avocados. Fresh everything else all over the place.
The shrimp salad is a great main course, and if you buy precooked shrimp, it’s a no-cook summer meal. It’s great all on its own with no sides, or if you want to make a little summer salad buffet, try pairing it with macaroni salad, potato salad, and chicken and avocado salad (all pictured in a pretty little grouping below!
Table of Contents
Summer Shrimp and Avocado Salad: If you start with precooked shrimp, this beautiful and satisfying salad can be on the table in 15 minutes!
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Shrimp and Avocado Salad Ingredients
- Shrimp – See below for my tips on buying the best shrimp for this salad or any shrimp dish.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – The olive oil flavor really comes through in this simple dressing.
- Lemon or lime juice – Both types of citrus work well to add acidity and brighten up this salad.
- Honey – A little sweetness to balance the acidity.
- Red onion – I love the crunch and color that red onions bring.
- Avocado – Try to dice the avocado to approximately the same size as the tomatoes.
- Cherry or grape tomatoes – Add a sweet burst of summery flavor.
- Corn kernels – Cook the corn before adding by boiling or steaming, or go with grilled corn.
- Jalapeño pepper – Remove the seeds if you want a medium spice level, or leave them in for a spicy salad.
- Scallions – Make sure to use both the white and green parts for maximum color and flavor.
- Cilantro leaves – These are optional, but they make a great garnish.
How to Make Shrimp and Avocado Salad
- Cook the shrimp: If using raw shrimp, boil them in salted water for 3 or 4 minutes until pink and opaque but not rubbery. Drain them from the boiling water and pop them into an ice bath to cool. Then peel and cut, ready to add to the salad.
- Make the dressing: Mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, onion, salt, and pepper.
- Assemble: Toss together the cooked shrimp, avocado, tomatoes, corn, jalapeños, and scallions. Coat with the dressing and you are ready to serve, just like that!
Tips and Variations
- You could make this more into a green salad with shrimp, avocado, and veggies by adding some slivered hearts of romaine or baby spinach to this salad.
- Or you could make it into a shrimp and avocado pasta salad. Just add some cooked and cooled pasta.
- For a vegan alternative to this salad, leave out the shrimp and swap the honey for agave. Between the tomatoes, corn, and avocado, vegans won’t even miss the shrimp!
- Oh, and if you are a bacon person, this would be a HELL of a salad to add cooked bacon to. I think that bacon has probably converted more people to becoming salad eaters than anything else on the planet. Other than maybe blue cheese dressing…or croutons. And then we are, in good conscience, not really in salad territory anymore. I mean we are. If something vegetal is involved. But let’s be real.
Make Ahead Shrimp Salad
You can make the shrimp one day ahead (you might also consider using the air fryer to make the cooked shrimp to use in this salad). And, you can also make the dressing ahead. You can assemble the salad a few hours ahead, with the exception of the avocado which should be added at the end. There’s no need to plan too far in advance, though, because the salad comes together in just a couple of minutes, and freshness is really key with this one.
Below is a nice collection of summer salads to keep in mind! From the top left, going clockwise: Chicken and Avocado Salad, Easy Classic Potato Salad, this shrimp and avocado salad, Traditional Macaroni Salad.
More Main Course Salad Recipes
- Chopped Salad with Chicken, Tomatoes, and Lemon Thyme Dressing
- Indonesian Chicken Salad
- Pasta Salad with Chicken, Green Olives, and Ramp Vinaigrette
- Salmon Salad with Jalapeno Scallion Dressing
- Grilled Shrimp Salad with Citrus Dressing
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Summer Shrimp and Avocado Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound extra-large shrimp (unpeeled)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- Kosher salt and freshly pepper (to taste)
- 1 avocado (diced)
- 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
- ½ cup cooked corn kernels
- 1 jalapeno pepper (seeded and finely chopped)
- 2 tablespoons minced scallions (white and green parts)
- Fresh cilantro leaves (to garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with several cups of ice, and then fill it almost to the top with cold water. Set aside.
- Add the shrimp to the pot of boiling water, stir, and allow the water to come back to a simmer. Cook the shrimp for 3 to 4 minutes, just until cooked through (opaque throughout). Immediately drain the shrimp and submerge them in the ice water bath for 10 minutes. Drain. Peel the shrimp and cut them in half cross-wise. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to use in the salad.
- In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, onion, salt, and pepper.
- Add the shrimp, avocado, tomatoes, corn, jalapeños, and scallions and toss to coat with the dressing. Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with the cilantro, if using.
Notes
- Turn this into a leafy green salad with shrimp, avocado and veggies by adding some chopped hearts of romaine or baby spinach to this salad.
- Make this into a shrimp and avocado pasta salad by adding some cooked and cooled pasta.
- For a vegan alternative to this salad, leave out the shrimp and swap the honey for agave. Between the tomatoes, corn, and avocado, vegans won’t even miss the shrimp!
- Add crumbled cooked bacon.
This is simply amazing, I made this recipe for a family picnic and it was a huge hit! This recipe is easy, light, refreshing and perfect for summer! I used lemon juice because I didn’t have limes on hand and it was good but I think the lime would add more depth of flavor. I also pared back on the jalapeño because I have some wimpy people in my family, making it today, I will use the full amount. Thank you Katie for such a delightful dish! Also, if you haven’t tried Katie’s Thai chicken thighs, do it today! Ahhhmazing!
We really enjoyed this recipe, so very cool and refreshing on these hot, humid days.
Just recently started buying frozen raw shrimp to keep on hand for dinners. This is so easy and adaptable. I may add parsley and chives from my garden, and swap out avocado for cucumber.