You’ll want to eat this shrimp salad all summer long! The combination of chilled shrimp, crisp celery, and a bright, herby dressing hits that perfect balance of creamy and refreshing.
Why This Shrimp Salad Is A True Classic
- The dressing is creamy but still light. I keep it slightly more lemon-forward so it doesn’t feel heavy, even after chilling.
- There’s texture in every bite. Crisp celery and finely diced onion balance the soft shrimp so every bite has a little crunch.
- It comes together in under 30 minutes. I love that shrimp are a fast-cooking protein.
- It’s perfect for gatherings. I’ve made this recipe durable enough to make ahead and serve cold. Just place the bowl over ice to keep it nice and chilled!
When the sun is shining bright, and you want a cooling salad, it’s hard to beat this classic shrimp salad. I’m a summer girl through and through, and between the 4th of July, Memorial Day, and the endless BBQ’s and picnics, it seems I’m always making potluck salads in the summer months for family and friends.
And while other shrimp salads may be a bit liquidy or overly-dressed or not crunchy enough (you know I’m all about textures), this shrimp salad hits that perfect balance. It’s ultra-refreshing, deliciously creamy, has a fresh crunch, and almost gives my tuna salad recipe a run for its money (don’t worry tuna salad, I still love you!).
To serve it up, it’s wonderful on butter leaf lettuce or even diced into small bits for a scoopable cracker appetizer. You could even just dig in with a fork, which is what I most often do. Either way, everyone will be going back for seconds!
Shrimp Salad Ingredients
- Shrimp: You’ll need about 2 pounds of jumbo shrimp, whether that’s fresh or frozen. I have more tips on that in the next section!
- Red onion and celery: My favorite ingredients to add a crisp, refreshing bite to creamy salads.
- Mayonnaise: Use your favorite mayonnaise or try making my homemade mayonnaise if you haven’t already! It’s super easy to make with a stick blender.
- Lemon: As always, freshly squeezed lemon juice is best.
- Dijon mustard: Just one tablespoon is needed for a tangy touch.
- Fresh herbs: I love dill in this recipe (it complements seafood so well), but you can also use parsley.
- Garlic, salt, and pepper: The essentials to tie all the flavors together.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below
How To Make The Best Creamy Shrimp Salad
First, make the dressing. Stir together the mayonnaise, lemon juice and zest, dill, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. Set that aside while you cook the shrimp.
Second, boil the shrimp. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Then, add the shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Keep a close eye here as shrimp cook really fast! They should be just opaque and slightly firm, not rubbery.
Third, prep the ice water bath. Use a skimmer to transfer the shrimp to an ice water bath and let them cool for 3 minutes or so, then drain them in a colander. Chill the shrimp before mixing them into the salad, so the dressing stays thick and creamy.
Lastly, mix up the salad. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cooled shrimp, red onion, celery, and dressing. And if you prefer the shrimp in smaller bits, like my shrimp cucumber salad, chop the shrimp before tossing everything together.
Storage tip: I do think this shrimp salad tastes best when it’s freshly made. But it will also keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Pro tip: Don’t leave this salad sitting on the countertop for too long at room temperature. The mayonnaise could spoil more quickly!
Fresh vs Frozen Shrimp
Both fresh and frozen jumbo shrimp work great for this recipe. But since this salad is heavy on shrimp, the quality will make a difference. Here are a few things to note between the two kinds:
- Fresh shrimp: If you’re buying fresh shrimp in a coastal area, make sure that they’re actually “fresh.” Meaning, they haven’t been sitting on the ice in the store for a long time, or they’re just thawed from being previously frozen. Always ask specific details from your fishmonger!
- Frozen shrimp: If you’re unsure about the fresh shrimp at the market, packaged frozen shrimp is always a great choice. They’re typically flash frozen once caught, which helps preserve freshness. Just make sure to buy deveined frozen shrimp, with tails removed. It’s a convenient time saver!
Ways I Love Serving Cold Shrimp Salad
- Lettuce wraps: I love topping shrimp salad onto butter leaf lettuce or romaine lettuce for a refreshing meal. This also works great if you cook with smaller shrimp, rather than jumbo.
- Tortilla wrap: Layer baby spinach on top of a tortilla. Then add spoonfuls of this shrimp salad before rolling it up into a wrap.
- Sandwich: You could spoon this onto a flatbread and top it with microgreens. Easy and delicious!
Common Questions
Absolutely! If you’re short on time and happen to have cooked shrimp on hand, feel free to use them. It’s a great way to speed up the process.
It’s really personal preference. I’ll often use large shrimp if I’m serving it in a bowl with a fork. But if you’d like to place it into lettuce leaves or wrap it up, smaller shrimp are a bit easier. Though again, you can always chop the shrimp into smaller, more bite-sized pieces as well.
I’ve tried this with Greek yogurt, and it works fine! Just be mindful that it has a thicker consistency than mayo, with a tangier flavor. If that’s something you don’t mind, I say go for it!
More Easy Shrimp Recipes
- Shrimp Scampi: The easiest, fanciest shrimp dinner.
- Garlic Grilled Shrimp Skewers: Perfect for summer grilling.
- Shrimp Tacos: A wonderful seafood option.
- Shrimp Fried Rice: A true family favorite.
- Garlic Butter Shrimp: So easy and delicious.
- Or give these other shrimp recipes a try!
If you try this shrimp salad recipe, let me know how they turn out in the comments below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re looking for more healthy food inspiration, join my free newsletter here.
Description
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
- 1 rib celery, finely chopped
Shrimp Salad Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced (about 1 tablespoon zest and 3 tablespoons juice)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- pinch freshly ground black pepper
- Optional: butter lettuce leaves for serving
Instructions
- Make the dressing. To make the dressing, stir together the mayonnaise, lemon juice and zest, dill, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Boil the shrimp. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until cooked through and pink.
- Prep and ice water bath. While the shrimp are cooking, prepare an ice water bath. Use a skimmer to remove the shrimp to the ice water bath. Let them cool for 3 minutes, then drain them in a colander.
- Stir it all together. In a mixing bowl, stir together the cooled shrimp, red onion, celery, and dressing, until creamy. Serve plain or with butter lettuce leaves.
Lisa’s Tips
- Storage tip: This is best served fresh, but will stay good in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
- Use smaller shrimp or dice the jumbo shrimp if you plan to serve these in lettuce cups.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally posted May 2022, but updated to include new photos, tips, and information for your benefit!
This is by far one of the best shrimp salad recipes I’ve ever tried.
It is quick, simple, healthy, refreshing and SO tasty. Added it to my repertoire.
I’m so glad you’re loving this shrimp salad!
This recipe arrived in my email at a perfect time. Had all the ingredients on hand.
It is delicious! Easy to make, great flavors. Love that it will be easy to adjust recipe based on what veggies and herbs are available.
I get to run a ‘special’ at the restaurant I work at once or twice a week. I have been looking for something like his now that NC is warming up! I’ll let everyone know how it goes. If it’s a huge sell I may need to get ready!! Thanks!
Made this for my wife’s birthday. She loved it!!
Score 1 for you and me.
Yay, I’m happy she loved it, Steve!
This is fresh and delicious! Just made a batch and the flavor is so bright and savory. Perfect for lunch, dinner, ir any Spring/Summer gathering. Thanks! 😋
Yay, happy you loved it, Jessica!
I fixed this for a girls’ lunch today. It was a big hit! I ended up buying 2# frozen, medium sized shrimp, cooked, de-veined, with shell on. I just defrosted and peeled them. I put it together last night so the flavors had a chance to come together. We had several cold salads and this will be on my menu this summer. As an option I may chop the shrimp up a little to serve it on crusty bread. Thanks!
Glad this recipe worked out great for your girl’s lunch Kim!
I made this last night and the only change was that I added some toasted, sliced almonds and served on a bed of baby arugula. It was the most delicious dish I have had in recent memory. So fresh and flavorful. Your recipes are incredible and you make them easy to follow. I will be making the tuna salad tomorrow!
Thrilled to hear you loved this shrimp salad recipe Spring!
Delicious, I’m just going to omit the red onion next time.
Team Lisa Bryan here!! I am so happy to have come across your Shrimp Salad, after what seemed to be a hopeless pursuit of the Costco Shrimp Salad I had become addicted to, without being a member! I had no interest in paying an annual fee and a gas expense for the sole purpose of purchasing their salad, which I loved, a few times a year. Sooooo, enter Lisa’s recipe with a simple approach to making a salad with all the appeal and ingredients I loved in a store brand!! And, it was BETTER!! I followed your recipe (almost) to a T, adding green onions with the red onions and using 3 tbsp lemon concentrate. It did come out soupier than your perfect consistency but, even so, it was so good, served atop spinach leaves – YUM! I WOULD like your thoughts on what adjustment(s) I could make to get a creamier consistency next time. Thank you on so many levels, including your personable presentation in the video!!👏🤪
I’m so glad you found a winning shrimp salad recipe that you can always come back to now!
This was so good. I served over butter and radicchio lettuce with crusty bread. I followed the recipe to a T. The only thing I did different is boil the shrimp with some old bay and lemon peals left over from the dressing. I let it sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and let the flavors develop. Wow, I loved it.
Always tastes delicious served over butter lettuce and I’m sure the crusty bread was the cherry on top!
Gave this recipe 5 stars! It is delicious~ Used what I had on hand…spring onions, no garlic and dried dill. I will be serving this to guests.
I will most likely sound stupid asking this, but, I am not very experienced with seafood. I have purchased the frozen shrimp but I don’t know if they should be thawed before I cook them or do I put them in the boiling water frozen?
I would defrost them if possible!
Not sure if I am misreading this, but how can there only be 1 gram of protein?
Hi Lisa – I just fixed the nutrition info. Thanks for the catch! :)
I cut the recipe in half for my husband and I. This was absolutely delicious. Fantastic recipe! Thank you for sharing!
This salad is absolutely delicious. I personally do not like shrimps boiled like this since they taste super shrimpy, but after adding the mix and letting it sit for a few mins, I feel like the shrimp taste became less overpowering. The only thing I changed was I added paprika and some green onions and ate it with toasted potato bread and lettuce. But this is absolutely amazing. Ofc, I’d recomend not following the recipe to a T since I used a half the amount of Zest and lemon juice and enjoyed it. But thank you for an tasty meal!
Glad you enjoyed this recipe Cindy with the minor tweaks!
This looks great and pretty easy. I am thinking about modifying if for a dip, namely running everything through a food processor. Any hints on that? Also, I don’t have access to any fresh dill weed, so I’m going to substitute about 1 TSP instead. As for the lemon zest, I’m kind of stuck, as I just don’t have access to any kind of a zester (ugh … substitutions, substitutions …. LOL).
I haven’t made the Classic Shrimp Salad yet, but it sounds delicious and easy!!!
I just copied it down and plan to make it very soon. Thank You…. :)
Hope you love it Lorraine!
I made this shrimp salad exactly as the recipe suggested using dill instead of parsley and served it as a stuffing for a baked potato. Served 4 very happy people! Excellent! Will definitely make it again.
Sounds delicious served in a baked potato Karen!
This is singlehandedly the most disgusting shrimp salad recipe I’ve ever tried. If this is some suburban mom, blogging from the soccer practise, please stop. I thought I’d try something different and only ended up throwing out a lot of shrimp. The lemon makes it horrific and I didneven use as much as called for in fear it would be too much. I actually gagged upon trying this.
Hi Stephen – I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy this recipe. But it also appears you may have woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, given your visceral and melodramatic review of a classic shrimp recipe. While I take all reviews to heart, this recipe has received all 5 star reviews at this point, so I’ll consider yours the outlier. And given that you don’t seem to like lemon with shrimp, I’d recommend you steer clear of my lemon garlic shrimp recipe or ceviche. :)
My goodness Stephen… I wonder how you handle life’s actual challenges if lemon with shrimp produces this kind of reaction. You realize that Lisa is a real person, right? Would you say this to her face?
Aw, thanks so much Natasha! x
Well said… I feel I would have been a little less diplomatic and polite, but then again… I’m so tempted! I think Stephens sour disposition got to him. We should feel sorry from him missing out on one of my most favorite lunch salads ☺️
Loved it. Very fresh and great flavor. I served it over shredded romaine with grilled asparagus on the side for a light late summer dinner. Would also be good as a lettuce wrap or a sandwich. I did read some of the review and did cut back on the lemon juice, but not the lemon zest. I did use frozen shrimp and did cut them up into smaller pieces so I can use on a wrap sandwich during the week for lunch. This was not a difficult recipe to make. I made it a couple hours in advance so that all the flavors could meld. My “VPH” …Very Pickie Husband…agreed it was very good. Definitely a keeper.
Simple and delicious. I made 2 changes. First I swapped the celery for fresh fennel which is a pretty standard swap in our house when something needs crunch because I absolutely despise celery. The fennel added the crunch and an extra layer of flavour. I also added a bit of honey 1-2 tbsp. I may have needed this because I overdid the zest a bit and it helped balance it. We tend to add a bit of honey to most dressings anyway, especially citrusy ones.
I served it with lettuce leaves for wraps. I cut the shrimp in half to make it easier to eat in the wraps. While it was good we decided that crusty garlic butter lobster roll bread with some crisp butter lettuce is probably the way to go next time.
I will note that I only used about 1 lb of shrimp but made a full recipe of sauce. Typically I don’t reduce the dressing or sauce recipes when I scale dishes. Definitely scale the sauce on this one if you half the shrimp!
Excellent exactly as shared! Everyone loved it. I did cut the shrimp into smaller pieces considering their size. Great on lettuce but also great on soft buns … with a lettuce base. Like a lobster roll. Thanks!!!
So glad you’re loving this shrimp salad Leo!
she’s delightful and so basic. Not intimidating at all.
Made it using the Olive oil Mayonnaise delish, I also substituted the dill for fresh Rosemary, it said parsley I didn’t have fresh so I used what I had. Bib lettuce and with tomato and Avocado My husband who is picky loves it gave it a thumbs up 👍🏿
AVOCADO is a great and healthy substitute for mayonnaise!
This was delicious! Thanks again for another amazing, wonderful easy to prepare dish.
I liked the recipe and the video. Easy work
Love this recipe! It is so simple, nice and tangy with the lemon, and really tasty topped on top of salad, in wraps, or just on its own.
It really is such a versatile salad that can be used in a multitude of ways :)
Hi! Big fan of your FB page. How could I make this dish without mayo? I don’t eat mayo mainly for its fat content. What could I replace it with? Would love to try this salad.
You might be able to try this with a plain yogurt, but I’m not sure how it would taste. Give it a try and let me know how it turns out!
Thanks for your reply. Well, not knowing how it tastes with mayo, with Greek yogurt this salad has a nice tangy taste, I would add next time a wee bit of sugar to neutralize the tang perhaps, or add a bit more red wine vinegar or Dijon mustard. I like it… and am happy to not have all the fat calories from the mayo. I’d love to see you make a version that was much, much less fat grams per serving. 42 grams of fat per one serving of salad really seems excessive IMHO.
Hellmanns LIGHT mayo, much less fat than regular. Go for it !!!!
Mayo is KEY. Otherwise don’t make it. You’ll be disappointed.
This is a recipe for Four.
This was so refreshing! We loved it.
Fantastic addition to my shrimp recipes! Made it as written and couldnt believe how good it was. Where has this been all my life! Easy to make and easier to eat!
It really is such a delicious and fresh way to enjoy shrimp during the summer!
This was delicious! Love the lemon dill flavor. Your nutrition facts say only 1g protein per serving though
This salad was the big “hit” of this summer, absolutely delicious and healthy. Since it was my first effort I only used one pound of fresh Carolina shrimp, plus I added a handful of chilled cherry tomatoes (halved) to provide color and fresh taste. Served on a bed of fresh butter lettuce. Wow, awesome!
Happy to hear this salad was such a hit Tracy!
Absolute the best recipe for shrimp salad ever!!! Bright and fresh! I could eat this every single day…bonus it’s low carb!!
My sister shared this recipe and I’ve made it several times because it’s easy to make and so very delicious!!!
Yay! Glad you and your sister are both loving this shrimp salad Helen :)
Great recipe!
Thanks Lola! Glad you enjoyed the shrimp salad.
Such a super delicious recipe . . . looking forward to trying the salad in a wrap with lots of spinach. I made this recipe without dill and celery because I didn’t have any on hand . . . I imagine the salad would be much better with both.
This will definitely taste amazing in a wrap with lots of extra greens!
Just tried this reipe and absolutely LOVED it! Packed with flavor, light and refreshing. The dressing is amazing and I’m sure can be used in many ways. Thanks for the great recipe.
Wonderful! I’m so happy you loved the shrimp salad, Colleen!
Delicious, light lemon flavor, can’t wait to make it again!
Glad you’re loving this shrimp salad James!
made this for dinner last night and really enjoyed it. Thank you.
Glad you loved this shrimp salad Tracy!
Just made this for lunch and it was very good! I wasn’t very carful as I did get some dressing on
shirt ;) you warned us but I couldn’t wait to put a bib on ! It was so delicious.
Best wished in your wonderful adventures !
Glad you enjoyed this shrimp salad Monica!
I love shrimp, I love all dishes with them, but unfortunately in my city they are very expensive, so we can not often afford them. Thank you for this recipe, as soon as I get the opportunity to immediately prepare this salad.
Love this recipe it is so fresh and clean! G thank you!
LISA!!
O…M…G…!!! Greetings from Northern BC Canada! Every month or so we host a dinner for my fella’s boss who comes in from out of town. The guest list is a combination of business contacts and close friends. . . it’s a big deal. This recipe showed up in my inbox and I had to try it! Now I’ve replicated a several of your recipes over the years so I had thee utmost confidence this was going to be a grand one! I made a double batch the night before which allowed for the flavours to party all night. Just before dinner ( 2 day marinated grilled flank steak) I plated the salad in a shallow bowl for each guest lined with butter lettuce. This was a huge hit and emailed the recipe to everyone before the night was over. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!! for being a part of making us have yet another memorable dinner! This one is going in my arsenal of go to favourites for certain!
L
Happy to hear this recipe was such a hit Lara!
This recipe is absolutely delicious. I made the dressing with homemade mayo and used parsley instead of dill. I would use it on just about anything! My husband who is not a huge shrimp eater LOVED it. This recipe will now be a staple in our home.
Yay! Glad everyone enjoyed this shrimp salad Cathy :)
Another recipe/method guidepost! I added I diced hard boiled egg and a bit of diced pickle to the list of ingredients along with celery salt to the dressing in place of Kosher salt. So good! Perfect alternative to crab salad. Also, I cut the shrimp in bite sized pieces to stretch the sharing and to eat easily with a fork.
I really love your methods! Pre Ordered the cookbook this week.
Loving the little adjustments you made to this salad Hillary! And can’t wait for you to get your cookbook :)
I want to make a general comment and request – not in relation to this recipe.
First, I haven’t made a single recipe on your site that I haven’t loved!! Not a single exception. I’m GF so your recipes are doubly appreciated. Of course, I look for things/ingredients I like (never brussel sprouts! LOL). Moving on, many of us live alone or as couples or as fixed-income seniors. Inflation is hitting some of us hard. Especially in terms of groceries. So my request – when you post a recipe using fresh ingredients (dill, thyme, etc.) – things that are a bit costly to purchase but don’t last too long – would it be possible to have a note of some sort listing other recipes to utilize some of the more unique ingredients so we don’t end up wasting? And please, feel free to take my comments under consideration and delete post from public view. Thank you so much!!
Thanks for the comment, as I’m always open to things this community is looking for when it comes to cooking and convenience! I will be sure to keep that in mind and try to incorporate more helpful tips like that.
Saw this recipe pop into my inbox today and immediately knew how my boyfriend and I would cook up our big bag of frozen shrimp! Soooo delicious and easy! We added a bit more garlic for personal preference. Ate it with sourdough toast like the Aussie’s do! (Perfect shrimp for shrimp toast)! Thanks for the recipe Lisa we will be making this dish all summer!
Yay! Glad both you and your boyfriend enjoyed this shrimp salad :)
Your recipes are great!!! Easy and easy to follow!
Thanks so much Donna! Hope you enjoy this shrimp salad :)
Oh my this looks wonderful!
I bet the dressing would be great on salmon also! Yum!!!!
I bet too! :)
I found this recipe on Google this morning. It’s going to be 105 in my hometown today. I just made the dressing and will mix in shrimp once dressing is chilled and flavors mingle. The dressing is delish already thinking of other ways I can use it. Thank you
Could I just use precooked shrimp for this, rather than boiling the shrimp?
Yes, you can.