Shrimp Salad

In my house, we love seafood. You’ll find it on our table for casual weeknight dinners and big holiday celebrations. One regular recipe on rotation is this delicious shrimp salad, an herbaceous and easy salad that’s ready in 30 minutes.

One thing that all juicy shrimp recipes have in common is that they’re easier than you’d think to prepare. In this recipe for shrimp salad, you cook the shrimp with the shell on for the most flavor. The shrimp are then peeled and tossed in a mayonnaise sauce that’s packed with herbs and spices. The result is a flavorful and easy-to-eat dish that can be served as the main course or a side dish.

Shrimp Salad Ingredients

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• Shrimp: The type of shrimp this recipe calls for is fresh, uncooked, shell-on shrimp. Look for the jumbo size, 26 to 30 shrimp per pound. If fresh shrimp are unavailable, you can substitute precooked shrimp and skip Step 1.
• Mayonnaise: This shrimp salad recipe is a great way to use up a jar of mayonnaise, which is the base of the sauce. The creamy mayo is mixed with tangy, pungent flavors for a flavorful sauce.
• Lemon juice: You can’t have seafood without lemon juice! Make sure to use fresh-squeezed lemon whenever possible.
• Dill: Dill is a classic combo with seafood dishes. Use fresh dill in this dish if you have it, but if you don’t have fresh, then use dried dill.
• Worcestershire sauce: This condiment is the epitome of umami. Salty, savory, sweet and tangy, a little goes a long way with this sauce.
• Seasonings: Add simple flavoring to this salad with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
• Red onion: Chopped red onion adds a bright little kick to the creamy mayo-based sauce. If you don’t have red onion, you can substitute other types of onions, from chives to scallions to yellow onion.
• Celery: Crunchy little bits of celery are the perfect addition to this shrimp salad recipe. They’re fresh and add contrast against the creamy dressing.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the shrimp

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In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add the cleaned shrimp, and simmer just until they turn pink, one to two minutes. Drain.

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Immediately drop the shrimp into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Let the shrimp stand until totally cool, then drain.

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Peel and, if desired, clean the shrimp.

Step 2: Mix with the sauce

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In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, dill, Worcestershire, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

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Stir in the shrimp, onion and celery, and mix very well.

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Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until serving.

Shrimp Salad Variations

• Add a kick: If you’re a fan of spicy food, you’ll be glad to know this salad can take some heat. Add finely minced jalapenos to the sauce, or drizzle chili oil over the finished dish.
• Add nuts: For added texture and flavor, add crushed nuts to this salad. I love walnuts, but almonds or pecans would also go well.

How to Store Shrimp Salad

Store any leftover shrimp salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Enjoy your leftovers straight from the fridge.

Shrimp Salad Tips

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Can you use precooked shrimp for shrimp salad?

You can definitely use precooked shrimp for this salad. You could also use thawed frozen shrimp. Either way, just make sure they’re deveined, then go straight to Step 2.

How do you serve shrimp salad?

This recipe for shrimp salad can be an entree or a side dish. It would go well with other seafood in a seafood dinner, or simply enjoyed with a side of greens like summer salads or zucchini fries.

Can you freeze this shrimp salad?

We don’t recommend freezing this shrimp salad. The mayonnaise doesn’t do well frozen (the texture gets wonky). It will be best when served fresh or within a day or two stored in the fridge.