Shrimp Salad Recipe
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This shrimp salad recipe is very versatile and it's something you can put together pretty quickly any time.
There are no 'rules' as to what you put in and the choice of presentation is yours.
As you can see, from this photo, I've arranged my salad around the outside in a pattern but it in no way makes any difference to the taste :-) This actual salad was eaten by me and some friends on our patio one summer evening when it was so warm - doesn't happen too often in England, so we tend to get outdoors to eat when we can.
The salad vegetables here are pretty common ingredients - salad leaves, bell pepper, tomatoes, cucumber and onion - a pack of shrimp can be kept in the freezer and you'll always have the makings of the shrimp cocktail sauce to use as a dressing.
Shrimp is popular with young and old alike - it's nutritious and easy to digest for most people. There are a few who have a shellfish allergy - shrimp is a shellfish - and you'll need to check with your guests that they are okay eating shrimp.
Shrimp Salad Recipe
Ingredients: to serve two
- Lettuce or mixed leaves
- 1 bell pepper - cored and sliced - your choice of color
- 2 tomatoes - one per person, cut into wedges
- 4 inches cucumber - sliced
- small red onion - sliced and separated into rings
- half pound (250g) shrimp - peeled, cooked and defrosted
- shrimp cocktail sauce
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
- paprika to garnish - optional
1. Defrost your shrimp in good time, then pat them dry.
2. Make your shrimp cocktail sauce.
3. Arrange your salad leaves on a serving plate or dish and then add the other ingredients in any pattern you fancy.
4. Pile the shrimp on top and then add a generous amount of sauce.
Serve this with some crusty bread and butter or you might like to have some buttered new potatoes to make it a substantial meal.
Depending on your appetite and budget, I would recommend half to a full cup of shrimp per serving. I buy a pound pack of frozen shrimp and for two of us, I use half the bag which is a generous serving size.
You will need two tablespoons of cocktail sauce per portion.
The link in the recipe takes you to an 'easy' method of making sauce plus a short video on how to make real mayonnaise and the quantities you will need.
As a change add some drained canned corn, shredded carrot, diced beetroot, sliced radish, cooked kidney beans, chickpeas - anything you would normally add to a salad, you can have here.
You could dice all your salad veggies, making it more like a chopped salsa.
You could also mix the shrimp into the sauce prior to piling it on top.
I like to finish off with a sprinkle of paprika for a lovely smoky flavor and to add color to the dish.
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Cook's Notes This is a great recipe that you can put together quickly. Useful for surprise visitors or if the weather is lovely and you fancy eating 'al fresco'. You can defrost shrimp/prawns quite rapidly by immersing them in cold water, stirring them around a bit with your hands to separate them gradually, then pulling the ice off and letting them sit in the water for a few more minutes. I estimate a pound bag of shrimp will defrost in about 10 minutes. They will need to drain in a sieve or colander and then you'll have to pat them dry on kitchen absorbent paper, but it's perfectly doable if you've forgotten to get them out of the freezer or it's a last minute change of plan. You could serve this salad with a plain baked, broiled or grilled fish steak or some jumbo shrimp if you prefer. Or maybe barbecue some whole fish to add to the salad - it's so quick to cook fish, so make sure you've got your sides and accompaniments ready to go before you start your fish cooking. |
The recipes below are great for a simple al fresco meal or a dinner party for friends. The fish portions are very easy to prepare, a simple grilled salmon steak with salad, open a can of tuna and boil some eggs for the Nicoise or make a shrimp cocktail to have with avocado - the only difficulty there will be getting an avocado at the right stage of ripeness! What does happen to them - they go from bullet hard to woody overnight :-(
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Shrimp Salad Recipe
By Liz Alderson, Mar 30, 2016
This shrimp salad recipe is very versatile and it's something you can put together pretty quickly any time.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 0 minutes
Yield: 2
Main Ingredient: shrimp, lettuce or mixed leaves