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5.0 from 27 votes

Shrimp Salad Recipe

This tasty Shrimp Salad Recipe is coated in mayonnaise and mixed with fresh vegetables and herbs for an easy-to-prepare dish.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Servings: 6
Course: Side Dish , Lunch
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the Shrimp:
  • 2 pounds peeled and deveined fresh 26/30 shrimp
  • Juice of 2 lemons about 4 to 6 tablespoons
  • 3 tablespoons pickling spice
  • coarse salt to taste
For the Salad:
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ peeled and small diced large red onion about 1/3 cup
  • 2 small diced ribs of celery
  • 1 small diced garlic clove
  • 1 ½ tablespoons minced fresh dill
  • ½ seeded and small diced red bell pepper
  • 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh fennel
  • Juice of ½ lemon about 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons
  • coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Remove the shells and devein the shrimp.
  2. Add 2 quarts of water to a medium-sized pot and bring it to a boil along with the juice of 2 lemons, the squeezed lemons, and pickling spice.
  3. Generously season the liquid with coarse salt until it is as salty as the ocean. This will be about 2 to 3 tablespoons.
  4. Place the shrimp in the boiling seasoned water and cook for 90 seconds. Do not overcook the shrimp.
  5. Remove the shrimp and add them to a container of ice water to help stop the cooking process. This is known as shocking. The shrimp should be in a loose C shape, not a tight C shape.
  6. Strain the shrimp and chill them until you need them.
  7. In the meantime, prepare the onions, celery, garlic, dill, bell pepper, and fennel.
  8. In a large bowl mix together the shrimp, mayonnaise, lemon juice, onions, celery, garlic, bell pepper, fennel, salt, and pepper.
  9. Serve as is or on toasted bread with lettuce and optional sliced tomatoes and thinly sliced red onions.

Notes

  • Make-Ahead: You can make this salad up to 1 day ahead for freshness. You may need to drain slightly, add in more mayonnaise, and re-season before serving.
  • How to Store: Cover and keep the shrimp salad in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This will not freeze well.
  • Bound salad is assembled with a binding agent like mayonnaise, dressing, or thickened sauce.
  • You can make this salad customizable with different ingredients, so feel free to add, remove, or swap anything in this recipe.
  • For a low-carb meal, try serving this shrimp salad in a pitted, peeled fresh avocado instead of bread.
  • If you only have large shrimp, like 16/20 or 13/15, cut them into smaller 1” pieces after cooking to make them easier to eat.
  • The shrimp poaching liquid should be extremely flavorful. You’re not drinking it, but you're using it to season and flavor the shrimp.
  • Do not let the shrimp sit too long in the ice water, or they’ll become waterlogged.