Avocado Shrimp Salad
I created this recipe almost 10 years ago and it has been amazingly popular ever since I shared it. My readers love how easy it is and how delicious it is. The secret is is the flavor added to the shrimp while cooking!
You can enjoy this shrimp salad as a sandwich, in stuffed avocados, over a simple salad or as a side dish. You can also try it in tacos or lettuce wraps for something a little different! It’s a perfect salad to serve at barbecues because it will add a beautiful fresh touch to hot, smoky grilled meats and veggies.
The very best part? Cold shrimp salad is so easy to make! It takes just about 20 minutes to prepare the salad itself. The only part that will require a little bit of patience on your end is waiting for it to chill in the refrigerator for an hour. The wait is well worth it, though!
Tips To Make The Best Shrimp Salad
- Cook the shrimp yourself! This may be an extra step but it’s fast and give the shrimp SO much more flavor! This is my “not so secret” secret to the best shrimp salad!
- Clean and de-vein shrimp before cooking! Shrimp has to be cleaned and deveined before cooking because that dark “vein” that you see running along the back of shrimp is actually the digestive tract. It’s important to clean that out because there might be traces of sand and dirt in it along with whatever the shrimp ate.
- Cool the Shrimp – cool the shrimp to room temperature and either make the shrimp salad right away or store the cooked shrimp in the refrigerator and make the salad the next day.
- PRO TIP: mix gently the salad and try not to mash the avocado! Use a folding technique rather than fast mixing.
Can I Use Precooked Shrimp?
I get this question pretty often. The answer is “yes, but I don’t want you to lose some of the flavor!” Cooking shrimp yourself in seasoned water will infuse shrimp with flavor. If you get the precooked plain shrimp that is meant for being served with cocktail sauce, the salad won’t have nearly as much flavor.
How To Tell If Avocado Is Ripe
- Give the avocado a gentle squeeze – if it’s super soft, it’s over-ripe. Too hard? It’s not quite ripe enough yet.
- Look at the color: if the color of the avocado is very light and bright green, it may not be quite ripe yet. If the color of almost black, it may be over-rips
- Try to get avocado with stem still attached. If the stem is not attached and the skin around that spot is wrinkled, it’s over-ripe.
- Avocados are infamous for being tricky, so consider buying one or two more than you need just in case.
How to Serve Shrimp Salad
- Lettuce Wraps – Use romaine lettuce leaves, iceberg lettuce leaves, or butter lettuce leaves to wrap the salad.
- Sandwich – You can serve this shrimp salad on soft brioche buns or crescent rolls.
- Salad – Top off a leafy green salad with some shrimp salad for a refreshing light dinner.
- Tortilla Wraps – Make a sandwich wrap by wrapping this salad with some lettuce, tomatoes, and feta cheese in a large flour tortilla.
- Tacos – You can also use hard or soft taco shells to make cold shrimp tacos.
Make Ahead and Storing Shrimp Salad
- Make ahead: You can definitely cook and refrigerate the shrimp ahead of time! However, don’t mix the whole salad before you’re ready to serve. If you cook the shrimp ahead, cool it completely and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I don’t recommend cooking shrimp more than 1 day ahead.
- Storing: This shrimp salad is packed with avocado and both shrimp and avocados don’t have long shelf life. At best, it’ll keep for 1-2 days in the refrigerator. Make sure to store it in an airtight food storage container.
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The BEST Avocado Shrimp Salad
Ingredients
Shrimp
- 1 1/2 lbs raw shrimp de-veined
- 1 lime
- 2 sprigs of dill weed
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tsp salt
- Fresh cracked black pepper
- About 2 quarts water
Shrimp Salad
- 1 ripe avocado
- 2 tsp lime juice
- 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
- 1/3 cup chopped green onion
- 3 Tbsp minced fresh dill weed
- Salt
- 1/4 cup mayo little more if you like it saucier
Instructions
- Clean and de-vein shrimp.
- Bring water to boil and add juice from lime, 1/2 of the squeezed lime, bay leaf, dill weed springs, salt, and pepper. Mix well and simmer for a few minutes.
- Add shrimp to the pot and cook until just done. (About 2-3 minutes)
- Strain off water and let shrimp cool in the strainer until easy to handle.
- Add shrimp to a mixing bowl.
- Cut, pit, and peel avocado. Dice avocado meat and add it to the bowl.
- Add diced celery, green onion, and dill weed. Sprinkle in lime juice and salt, gently mix.
- Add mayo and gently mix until all evenly coated.
- Cool for 30 minutes to an hour and serve.
- Store in the refrigerator, in an air-tight container.
Video
Notes
- Using precooked shrimp – I get this question pretty often. The answer is “yes, but I don’t want you to lose some of the flavor!” Cooking shrimp yourself in seasoned water will infuse shrimp with flavor. If you get the precooked plain shrimp that is meant for being served with cocktail sauce, the salad won’t have nearly as much flavor.
- Make ahead: You can definitely cook and refrigerate the shrimp ahead of time! However, don’t mix the whole salad before you’re ready to serve. If you cook the shrimp ahead, cool it completely and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I don’t recommend cooking shrimp more than 1 day ahead.
- Storing: This shrimp salad is packed with avocado and both shrimp and avocados don’t have long shelf life. At best, it’ll keep for 1-2 days in the refrigerator. Make sure to store it in an airtight food storage container.
Nutrition
More of the Salad Recipes To Try
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in June 2017.
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Categories:
Appetizer Recipes, Backyard BBQ Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, Healthy Dinner Ideas, Most Popular Recipes, Salad Recipes, Seafood Dinner Recipes, Shrimp Dinner Recipes,All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
Can I sub Miracle Whip for the mayo?
Yes, you can substitute Miracle Whip for the mayo. Just keep in mind it will taste a little different since it’s not traditional mayonnaise. If you like Miracle Whip’s flavor, it will still work just fine. 😊
This recipe was so delicious, it’s now on our favorites list! We make it often and follow the directions exactly as is!!
Thanks, Chris! I am so glad you like the recipe! 🙂
Delicious! I used 3 tbs greek yogurt and 1 tbs of mayo to make it healthier and I didn’t have lime so I used lemon. Came out amazing! This will definitely be on rotation.
Glad you liked it, Jenn!
This is one of our favorites! It is easy to prepare, and we usually have the ingredients around.
I am so glad you liked it, Cynthia!
Just finished preparing this dish.
OMG. this is a great dish.
Thank you for sharing .
I used 2avacados is the only thing I changed we love it.
Will make it often.
I am so glad you liked it, Vicki!
This is amazing easy delicious recipe!! I added 2 tbsp of rice wine vinegar which gave it a little zing. YUMMY! Thank you!!
Yum! So glad you liked it!
Made this for a day out on the boat with my sister. Many raves! I served it with stone ground crackers. 😋🤤
Will definitely make it again! 🥰
I am glad you liked it, Linda!
ABSOLUTELY DEVINE!!
I don’t normally comment on a recipe.
So very delicious!! I made this last week. My Husband works outside in the heat. Not wanting anything hot for dinner this time of year.
We loved it! Made lettuce wraps, served it on hard crusty bread, too!
I’m on my way to the grocery store just to make this fabulous dish tonight!
We ate this for two days straight!!
I even got up at night and had a spoon full.😋😉
Wow! Thank you so much for such a kind comment! I am so happy you both like it! 🙂
Great recipe. Used zaterans seafood boil to cook shrimp. Dressing half Mayo and sour cream and then Cheyenne pepper. Will do this again’
Hands down THE BEST shrimp salad ever. It literally disappears when I make it. I use brioche sliders with a little butter lettuce. Wow. So good!!
This is a keeper! Made it for dinner with a plate of cheeses and smoked andouille.
Yum!
Just made this recipe for my family for lunch, and it is the bomb! Creamy, sweet, and delicious! It hits on all the notes I love in a salad!
Glad you liked it, Patrick! 🙂
Thanks for the recipe! A great idea for a delicious salad on the holiday table or a healthy snack. Salads are generally such a versatile dish that it can be, for example, an addition to a steak or a full-fledged hearty meal. And you can spread it on bread or a tartlet and it will be a snack. Thank you.
You are welcome, Mark!
This is absolutely wonderful. So easy, and the very reason to grow fresh dill. Definitely worth doing again. And again 😋
Aw, thank you, Pamela! I am so happy you liked it!
My husband has been craving shrimp salad, this looks like a tasty version.
Thanks, Angela! I hope you give the recipe a try. 🙂
I think my family might like this. I am going to add this to the must try list.
I hope they do, Keira! Let me know! 🙂
I don’t have fresh dill. I can’t ever find it. Will dried dill weed work as well?
Hi Abby,
Yes, you can use dried dill. I hope you like it!
It sounds great and I’m giving it a try tonight for supper. My husband and I love shrimp and avocado.
(By the way – lose (not loose) is the correct spelling for ” you will loose some of the flavor.”
Hi Susan,
Oops that was a typo that I fixed, thanks for pointing it out. I hope you like the recipe!
The recipe and ingredients are straight forward and easy to understand. The salad is delicious, love the addition of dill. Will make this many more times…..Marie
Thank you, Marie! I am so glad to hear you liked it! 🙂
This shrimp salad is so refreshing. I’m the only one in my house who eats avocado ( more for me)but it’s definitely worth treating yourself!
I CAN NOT WAIT TO MAKE THIS RECIPE, I AM DROOLING !!! THE PHOTOGRAPHY IS BEAUTIFUL,… IT MAKES ME WANT TO REACH INTO MY COMPUTER SCREEN AND TAKE A BITE LOL !!!
Haha! Thank you, Lisa!
What is causing the sodium count of 2589 mg?
Hi, Nancy! Thanks for pointing that out, my nutrition calculator must have messed up. I will look into fixing it!
I came across your recipe and can’t wait to try it. I had gone and gotten fresh shrimp and also some boiled shrimp. They season it very spicy so I hope it’s not too hot. Will let you know how it turns out.
I really hope you liked it!
With the spicy shrimp, cucumber, avocado, and feta cheese help cut the spice levels and make it more tolerable. I hope it turned out well 🙂
Could I use shrimp that already been cooked when I purchase it.
Hi Margaret! Do you mean shrimp that are generally make for shrimp cocktail? Yes, you definitely can. THere will be a little less flavor in the shrimp since they generally come plain but should definitely work.
Made this tonight and it was amazing! The only thing I would do differently next time is to chill the shrimp before adding it to the avocado and the rest of the ingredients … mine seemed a little ‘watery’ and I chose not to add more mayo as I thought there was enough. Will definitely make again!
Great suggestion, Kathy! I’m so happy that you liked it 🙂 Thank you for letting me know!
Would love to try this but my husband is allergic to celery. Any recommendations for a substitute?
Hi Michelle!
I’m so sorry for the late response. You can add some diced cucumber to provide a little crunch that celery would. Otherwise, you can just leave out the celery 🙂
I really hope you guys like it.
That looks good
Thank you, Stanley!
It all looks good except for the salt content. Do you really feal you need that much salt. Shrimp is already salty enough. Sure makes it difficult for those of us on low sodium diet. When I do it I’ll omit the salt and tell you what it’s like. I’m willing to bet it’s almost as good.
You are boiling it in the saltwater so all the salt isn’t going to stick to the shrimp, you can just omit the salt if you can’t have it for your diet. I hope you still try it without 🙂
I found this recipe at a perfect time! I have shrimp that I am looking to use up and I think this would be so delicious with lobster, as well. Yum
I am going to make this salad the next time I am craving something refreshing! this looks delicious! Thank you so much for sharing, I love avocado and shrimp together – but I love that you added dill to the recipe. Can’t wait to try!