Shrimp Salad is light, cool, and loaded with freshness. This classic recipe is updated with a creamy, lemony dressing to bring out the best flavors of tender juicy shrimp, celery, and red onion. Add in fresh herbs and you’ve got a salad masterpiece!
I’m a sucker for a good salad. I’m not sure whether it’s the mix of fresh ingredients or the added flavor of a good dressing. Whatever it is, I’m all in.
I love making Tomato Cucumber Salad to serve at dinner and my go-to salad for lunch is my All Time Best Tuna Salad. But, when I want a salad that takes things up a notch I make Shrimp Salad.
This super simple salad is easy to make with just a bit of chopping and mixing. It’s ideal for a light lunch served in lettuce cups or on its own with crackers. I love serving it as an appetizer with fresh veggies when entertaining. It is also great as a warm-weather main dish.
What Goes Into Shrimp Salad?
- Fresh Cooked Shrimp – I use 41/50
- Celery
- Red Onion
- Fresh Dill
- Fresh Parsley
- Mayonnaise
- Lemon Juice
- Dijon Mustard
- Salt and Pepper
One of the keys to making this recipe successful is the use of fresh herbs. These days most grocery stores sell small packages of fresh dill and parsley in the produce section. They give the salad a noticeable bright, fresh flavor.
I like to use extra-large shrimp in the 41 to 50 count size. I want to see and taste the delicate flavor of the shrimp and the small shrimp just seems to get lost.
How To Cook Shrimp
- Bring 6 to 8 cups of water to boil.
- Add in salt and a whole sliced lemon.
- Add in peeled and deveined shrimp. Cook for 2-3 minutes until shrimp are bright pink.
- Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking process.
- Pat shrimp dry with paper towels.
Shrimp Salad is best served cold. I like to make it a few hours before serving so that it can chill in the fridge.
How Long Will Shrimp Salad Last?
Once you make Shrimp Salad, store it in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 2 days. Before serving, give it a quick toss to mix in the dressing.
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 lemon, sliced
- ½ cup celery, chopped
- ¼ cup red onion, chopped
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt, lemon, and shrimp. Cook for 2-3 minutes until shrimp turn pink. Drain and rinse with cold water. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.
- To the bottom of a large bowl, add mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Whisk together. Add shrimp, celery, onion, dill, and parsley. Gently mix together. Taste, and adjust seasoning.
- Cover and chill for 1 hour before serving.
- *** I cut extra-large shrimp in half when making this salad. Some of the shrimp can be left whole but the larger ones can be cut in half to give a more unified size.
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Three step shrimp salad made our Easter Celebration table complete this yr. A cool salad to compliment the mid day celebration. The reciept is accurate with all fresh ingredients.
Thank you A Southern Soul!
Hey there Rivera!
Wow! I am absolutely thrilled to hear that you and your family enjoyed this recipe, I completely agree, it is the perfect addition to an Easter meal! Thank you so much for your kind words and this fantastic rating, I really appreciate your support!
~Donya
I like the sweetness that the pickles bring to the recipe.
I add a couple of tbs of chopped sweet puckers to it also. I put them in my potato salad also. Guess that I like the sweetnest of it all mixed together.
Hey there John!
Sign me up, I’m a big fan of sweet pickles as well and I bet they’d make a delicious addition to this recipe! Thank you so much for your interest in this dish, I really hope you enjoy. If you ever have any questions about a recipe please don’t hesitate to reach out, Happy Easter!
~Donya
This salad is over the top awesome! We do take a short cut and buy the shrimp already cooked. Making it is a breeze. everyone goes crazy for it!!!
Hey there Suzy!
Thanks so much for your support! I am absolutely thrilled y’all enjoyed this recipe, thank you for your kind words and your fantastic rating!
~Donya
YUM! Very similar to a recipe I found and lost a few years ago! Love the lemon and dill, and parsley! SIMPLE. TASTY! I get sick of fish on Fridays and can’t eat too much shrimp, but this was a nice change. I don’t have good luck with fresh shrimp at my store, so I bought the precooked. Still delicious.
Hey there!
Girl let me just say, I am so with you, I get sick of fish on Friday’s and this is such a great way to switch it up. Thrilled to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you so much for your steady support!
~Donya
I am a bit confused about the shrimp size/amount you recommend. You mention (and I agree) that larger shrimp are better for flavor in the salad. However the size you state 41/50 count sound like smalll shrimp whether it’s heads on or off!
Hey Jojo!
I completely understand the confusion. I do like to use larger shrimp, not quite jumbos but large ones. The recipe will absolutely work with any size shrimp you prefer. I hope you enjoy the recipe, let me know how it works out!
~Donya