Quick Salad with Shrimp and Avocado
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A zesty, lemony marinade is the star in this Quick Salad with Shrimp and Avocado that’s a healthy choice for warm summer nights as well as lunches on the go!
If you’re looking for more simple salads to make, check out my recipes for Strawberry Spinach Salad, Creamy Balsamic Peach Salad, Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad, and my Olive Garden Salad Copycat.
Why This Recipe Works
Fresh ingredients — It doesn’t get any better than fresh lemon juice, mixed greens, avocado, onion, and cucumbers mixed with cooked shrimp. So bright and lively, you’ll feel like you’re eating a farmers market in a bowl.
Cooked shrimp — Why mess with peeling and deveining and cooking shrimp when you can just buy already cooked shrimp and make this meal that much easier?
So quick and easy — The trick to this quick-and-easy shrimp salad is to start with cooked shrimp. Then all you have to do is dice some veggies, make a quick dressing and toss it all together. So simple.
Healthy — The ingredients in this salad are heart healthy, low in bad fats, and high in protein! I love to make this salad when I meal prep for the week or as a quick on-the-go lunch.
Ingredients
Red Onion — You’ll only need one small red onion or half a large onion. Finely diced is the key here, it’s better to taste a little of the onion at a time versus munching on large pieces.
Lemons — I use the juice and zest of two lemons in the dressing for this salad with shrimp. Fresh lemon juice is just the best. It’s so bright and fresh and tangy. I highly recommend going with fresh lemon juice but if you only have bottled, it’ll work in a pinch.
Chives — I like to add chives to the dressing of this salad with shrimp and avocado but you can also substitute finely chopped cilantro or dill if you prefer.
Maple Syrup — Just a hint of maple syrup is all you need in the shrimp marinade/dressing.
Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper — Just like fresh lemon juice, I think you really can tell the difference when you add sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to the shrimp marinade.
Shrimp — Be sure the shrimp is cooked through before adding the dressing for this quick shrimp salad.
Ripe Avocado — Avocados can be tricky for sure. You want one that’s just at the peak of ripeness if you can get lucky enough. If you’re not sure, it’s better to have one that’s just a smidge underripe than overripe so it holds some of its shape and doesn’t become mush in this shrimp with avocado salad.
English Cucumber — I used to just buy whatever kind of cucumbers but now that English cucumbers are readily available I refuse to use anything else. The skin is softer and there is more flesh and less seeds than in its garden variety counterpart. If you can’t find an English cucumber, I would peel and de-seed a regular one before cutting up for the salad.
Mixed Salad Leaves — Go crazy here and use whatever kind of salad leaves you like. I do like to get a mix for some color and flavor variation but you can use whatever kind of leaves you like.
Here’s How You Make It
Making this shrimp salad with avocado is so very easy — all you need is 15 minutes!
- First, pour ice water into a small bowl and then dunk the diced red onion into it to remove the raw onion bite that red onions tend to have.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the lemon juice, zest olive oil, herbs, syrup, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the shrimp in and set them aside to marinade.
- Prepare the avocado and cucumber by dicing into bite-sized pieces.
- Pat the onion dry and add it to the shrimp. Next add the avocado, cucumber, and salad greens. Toss the salad together and add more salt and pepper if desired.
- Serve.
FAQs
I cut avocados in half lengthwise, remove the pit and then slice into desired size with a knife into the skin. Then I remove the pieces with a spoon.
You can also cut it in half lengthwise, remove the pit, then cut each in half again so you have four quarters. You peel the skin off the quarters and then slice and dice.
Finally, after slicing in half and removing the pit, you could also scoop out each avocado half with a spoon, then slice.
If you have time to ripen an avocado before using, it’s recommended to put them in a bag with bananas or setting them on top of bananas for quicker ripening.
Other methods, such as using the microwave or wrapping in aluminum foil and baking also work, but be warned: you’ll be sacrificing some taste and texture when using these methods.
If you’ve purchased frozen cooked shrimp, the best way to heat it up is to thaw in the refrigerator. Once completely thawed, heat it up in a pan over low heat with just a tiny bit of water.
You can also heat it up in the oven at 275 degrees in foil or steam in the microwave with a wet paper towel over the shrimp for short bursts, around 30 seconds at a time.
Be careful not to overheat the shrimp or it will become rubbery.
Expert Tips + Tricks
- If you don’t like shrimp, you can also substitute chicken, steak, or another protein of your choice.
- This quick salad with shrimp and avocado will keep in the fridge for up to two days. If the avocado browns too much for your liking, I recommend adding fresh.
- You can make this salad ahead of time and toss the shrimp in the dressing right before you’re ready to serve.
More Recipes to Try
- Easy {30 Minute} Shrimp Pad Thai – irresistibly bold, better than take-out food!
- Hawaiian Shrimp Bowls – addictively delicious with just the right tropical punch!
- Firecracker Shrimp Wonton Tacos – loaded with all the good stuff!
When you make this recipe, snap a photo and tag me on social – I love connecting with you and seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
Quick Salad with Shrimp and Avocado
Ingredients
- ½ small red onion, finely sliced
- zest and juice of 2 lemons
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp chives, finely chopped
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- sea salt , to taste
- cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 lb cooked peeled shrimp
- 4 small or 3 large ripe avocado, diced
- ½ english cucumber, peeled and chopped
- 4 cups mixed salad leaves
Instructions
- In a small bowl, pour ice water over the red onion to remove the raw onion bite, and set aside.
- In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and zest, olive oil, chives, maple syrup, a generous pinch of salt and a good amount of black pepper. Fold in the shrimp and set them aside to quickly marinate while you prepare the avocado and cucumber.
- Pat the onion dry on kitchen paper before stirring into the shrimp along with the avocado, cucumber and salad leaves. Check to see if you want to add any more salt before serving.
Notes
- Finely chopped cilantro or dill can be used in place of the chives.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe today. It was amazing!
This was delicious – I used canned tuna, as I don’t like sushi fish and substituted green peas for the edamame. Thank you for this salad.