Shrimp Salad is a light, delicious recipe that feels like being on vacation by the seashore. It’s so easy, no matter where you are, you’ll want to make it all year long.
As warmer weather rolls around, light, flavor-packed recipes are always welcome.
Especially when they are super easy and versatile.
This classic recipe is a favorite all year long.
What is Shrimp Salad?
Much like chicken salad or tuna salad, shrimp salad is a combination of cooked shrimp tossed in a creamy mayonnaise-based dressing.
It can be served in many ways and is a perfect dish for summer in particular. Light, creamy and this version has fresh herbs too.
It is an easy shrimp recipe for lunch or dinner.
Recipe Ingredients
Simple, wholesome, easy to find ingredients are used in this recipe:
- ‘Salad shrimp’ (tiny) to medium cooked shrimp, tails removed
- Mayonnaise
- Sour cream
- Celery
- fresh dill
- Lemon juice
- Salt and Pepper to taste
For Shrimp Salad Sandwiches/Rolls
- 4 Tablespoons melted butter
- 6 top sliced Rolls or Hot Dog Buns
What Type of Shrimp to Use?
I use good quality frozen (cooked not raw) deveined, peeled shrimp when making shrimp salad.
It’s easy to thaw quickly. The flavor and texture are great too.
You can keep a bag in your freezer so when the mood strikes you can whip up this recipe.
There sometimes is a concern frozen shrimp will be mushy when thawed. I have not had that experience.
If you want to cook your own shrimp, here is a way to cook it.
What Size Shrimp to Use
This recipe is flexible regarding the size shrimp used.
The photos show a medium size shrimp. They are great in a sandwich on rolls or a bed of lettuce.
Depending on how you’ll use the shrimp salad recipe, I also like using ‘salad shrimp’.
They are very small so perfect when adding the shrimp salad to an avocado half for instance.
They are also nice in a sandwich.
Salad Shrimp are available in frozen form at most grocery stores too.
What is the ‘Shrimp Count’?
When buying shrimp, either fresh or frozen, you’ll note there is a count number associated with the shrimp.
This number indicates how many shrimps there are in a pound!
The larger the number the smaller the size of the shrimp and vice versa.
How to Make Shrimp Salad – Step by Step
This recipe is very easy and fast to make! The cooked chilled shrimp is tossed in a creamy dressing and is ready to serve.
- Thaw shrimp as directed on package (usually overnight in the refrigerator in a colander with a bowl underneath; or more quickly in a colander under running cold water).
- Dab the shrimp dry with a paper towel before assembling the shrimp salad.
- Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, celery, dill, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a large bowl; mix fully.
- Add the shrimp and toss to coat and serve.
Ways to Serve Shrimp Salad
On Salad Greens
The creamy shrimp salad is delicious on a bed of crispy fresh lettuce such as butter lettuce or romaine lettuce.
It can be served as is or drizzled with a simple oil and vinegar dressing.
In a Halved Avocado
Perfect for a cool appetizer or salad:
- halve an avocado
- remove the pit
- scoop a bit more of the avocado flesh out around the pit area (leave some of the avocado)
- fill with a mound of shrimp salad
If desired the scooped portion of the avocado can be diced and added back into the avocado shrimp salad too.
Shrimp Salad Sandwiches
Much like Lobster Rolls, shrimp salad is perfect in a toasty roll or on favorite sandwich bread.
It tastes like summer by the seashore dining al fresco! Instructions for toasting the rolls are in the recipe card below.
TIP: Taking a few minute to brush hot dog buns or sandwich rolls with melted butter and broil them, makes all the difference for sandwiches!
In a Pasta Salad
Toss with cooked, drained room temperature or chilled elbow macaroni pasta or bow tie pasta.
Complete this Meal….
- Rainbow Quinoa Summer Salad
- Simple Food: Homemade Oven Fries
- Raspberry Pandowdy: A Lazy Summer Day Dessert
- Elderflower Gin Fizz with frozen Berry ‘ice cubes’
More Easy Shrimp Recipes
- Shrimp Creole: A Spicy Fast and Easy Dinner Recipe
- Dragon Shrimp & Spicy Noodles: Spicy, Sweet & on the table in 20 minutes!
- Grilled Spicy Salt and Pepper Shrimp Skewers
- Spicy Garlic Sriracha Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry
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Shrimp Salad
Light and fresh shrimp salad is easy to make and perfect in sandwiches, pasta, on salad greens and more.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pound medium cooked frozen shrimp tails removed
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons sour cream
- ¼ chopped celery
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 4 Tablespoons melted butter
- 6 - 8 sliced Hot Dog Buns
- 2 Tablespoon chives for garnish optional
Instructions
- Thaw shrimp in refrigerator overnight or fill shrimp bag with cold water and let sit for several minutes.
- Combine shrimp, mayonnaise, sour cream, celery, dill, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl.
- Butter each bun and toast under broiler for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Fill Buns with salad and garnish with chives if desired.
Celebrate Woman Today says
My favorite part of this salad is the DILL!
I love this green herb cut fresh and crisp in my herb garden.
It’s a simple and such aromatic solution to make any salad taste heavenly.
Kiwi says
Yay something for the pescatarians like me! I cant wait to make this and amazing this shrimp salad is good on a roll!
Heather says
Love this recipe. Sounds simple and delicious and easy. I’ll be adding this to me summer meal rotation for sure.
Sam says
Just made this and it was STELLAR. My husband, who is not much of a shrimp person, even asked for seconds.
Jocelyn says
Shrimp salad is a favorite in our house! Love it on lettuce wraps or rolls, depending on my mood!
Catalina says
I love shrimp! What a great idea to make a shrimp salad! It will be a winner in my house!
Rachel says
I have never had shrimp salad. My kids love shrimp. I think they would love this.
Claudia Krusch says
It sounds amazing! Such a great recipe when the weather gets warmer! Can’t wait to try it!
Kathy says
Sounds like a delicious and simple recipe to make. I’ll have to give this one a try soon. I would have never thought to use shrimp this way either.
Tanya says
I could eat these over and over and never get tired of them!
Amy Desrosiers says
Shrimp salad is my favorite. I love to use tarragon and sour cream in my version.
Toni Dash says
This version also has sour cream but uses fresh dill!
Brianne Tursi Manz says
I love a good shrimp salad. This looks so delicious. I can’t wait to make it soon!
Sommer says
I could eat this as my main dish!
Anna says
This salad is perfect for lunch on a summer day! So tasty!
Tara Pittman says
This shrimp salad looks so delicious. I know what I am making for lunch today.
Beth Pierce says
I’ve never tried shrimp in a sandwich until now! What a great recipe and so full of flavor!
Courtney O'Dell says
We loved how easy and delicious this shrimp salad was – so much flavor!
lauren kelly says
This is the perfect summer salad! What a huge crowd pleaser!
Stacie says
This shrimp salad looks so good! I love how versatile it is, as well. I can see it with pasta as well as on a sandwich.
Liz says
My sisters were in town and I made this shrimp salad for lunch. It was terrific!! I love that you cut the mayo with sour cream….I do that with my chicken salad, too. Thank you for the great recipe!!!
Claudia Lamascolo says
I love shrimp and will eat it everyday if I could! This looks simple to make and I would get addicted easily!
kim says
This recipe is so easy and tasty! A new go-to recipe!
Terri Gilson says
I’ve never made a shrimp salad, but love shrimp cocktail so could really see myself enjoying this!
Julia says
My favorite salad! So easy to make and so good! 🙂
Lisa | Garlic & Zest says
I love a good shrimp salad — and being from South Florida, we easy access to fresh shrimp. I like to get them head on, so I can make a stock with the shells later. This will be great for the holiday weekend.