Description
Zesty shrimp avocado salad combines fresh Gulf Coast seafood with creamy California avocados for a refreshing lunch. Lime juice and cilantro enhance marine flavors, creating a light meal you can enjoy poolside or as a quick summer dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) large shrimp (peeled, deveined, and cooked)
- 2 medium avocados (diced)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1 cucumber (diced)
- ½ cup red onion (thinly sliced)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
- 1 jalapeno (optional, finely chopped for a kick)
- 3 tbsps olive oil
- 2 tbsps lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 tsp honey (or agave for vegan)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Dressing Creation: Whisk olive oil, lime juice, honey, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until smoothly blended, creating a vibrant and zesty vinaigrette.
- Shrimp Preparation: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, sear shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side until pink and opaque, then transfer to a plate to cool.
- Salad Assembly: In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked shrimp, diced avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, cilantro, and optional jalapeño for a colorful and textured medley.
- Final Tossing: Drizzle prepared dressing over the salad, gently folding to ensure even coating and harmonious flavor distribution.
- Serving Recommendation: Chill for 10-15 minutes to enhance flavor melding, or serve immediately for a fresh, light oceanic experience.
Notes
- Optimize Shrimp Texture: Pat shrimp completely dry before cooking to achieve perfect sear and prevent watery release that dilutes the salad’s flavor.
- Avoid Avocado Browning: Dice avocado last and toss immediately with lime juice to prevent oxidation and maintain vibrant green color.
- Balance Dressing Intensity: Adjust honey and lime ratio gradually to create harmonious sweet-tangy profile without overpowering delicate shrimp and fresh ingredients.
- Quick Prep Strategy: Chop vegetables and cook shrimp in advance, storing separately to assemble salad rapidly and maintain crisp vegetable texture when ready to serve.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg