Spicy Shrimp Salad
Spicy shrimp salad- The perfect combination of cool and creamy mixed with a little heat! BONUS: There salad is mayo free; making it perfect for summer BBQs and picnics!
I love a good “salad” recipe. Not necessarily the kind with lettuce and dressing; but give me a bowl of chicken, salmon or shrimp salad and I’m all in! Something about making a cool shrimp salad for summer lunch is so crave-able. Shrimp salad is also a great dish to bring to a picnic or any Summer get together. You can always count on a cold salad recipe to be at any southern gathering.
My grandmother would always make a seafood salad at Christmas time that everyone loved. She only made it at Christmas because of how many costly ingredients went into the recipe, but it was so worth the wait! This spicy shrimp salad recipe is a healthier and much lighter take on that childhood favorite.
So let’s get into it!
Ingredients
Shrimp: Of course you can’t make spicy shrimp salad without the shrimp! I almost ALWAYS use wild caught Argentinean shrimp anytime I cook with shrimp. I love the flavor of this one; it’s mild and sweeter, similar to lobster meat. This is just the shrimp we prefer- use any variety that you like!
Greek yogurt: Full fat plain Greek yogurt is best.
Cucumber: I like to use English cucumbers because of their low water content and there is no need to seed them!
Red onion
Garlic
Lemon
Dijon mustard
Herbs: Dill and parsley are my favorite herbs to mix in this salad.
Cayenne pepper
Tips for making spicy shrimp salad
Which pan is best for cooking the shrimp? In this recipe, we are using a non stick skillet to cook the shrimp. Make sure when you are cooking the shrimp that the pan is not overcrowded and that each piece is getting evenly cooked. If you don’t have a pan big enough for this, cook the shrimp in batches.
How do I know when the shrimp is cooked? Typically for large or jumbo shrimp the cooking time will be about 5 minutes. If you are using a smaller shrimp, reduce the time by about 1 minute. You will know when the shrimp is done cooking when it appears pink and no longer translucent. This process happens pretty quickly so I like to stand by the stove while they are cooking.
Can I swap out the cayenne pepper? Absolutely! Try adding in red pepper flakes or deseeded diced jalapeño if cayenne is too spicy.
Should I use fresh or dried herbs? I personally like to use fresh herbs in this recipe if they are available. However, if you don’t have access to fresh then substitute with just 1TB of dried dill.
How should I serve spicy shrimp salad? The most traditional way to serve shrimp salad is adding a generous scoop on top of butter or Romain lettuce. If you are using it as an appetizer, serve with crackers or even celery sticks alongside.
Looking for more?
Before you go, if you tried this spicy shrimp salad recipe, comment and/or rate it down below. I’d love to hear what you think!
Spicy Shrimp Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound large wild caught shrimp peeled
- 1 cup whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1 cup English cucumber diced
- 1/4 cup red onion diced
- 2-3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/3 cup mixed fresh herbs like parsley & dill chopped
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 1 TBSP dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp salt plus more to taste
- black pepper
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 TBSP olive oil
Instructions
- Lay the peeled shrimp onto a plate and pat them dry with a paper towel. You want to get as much water off of the shrimp as possible.
- Next, sprinkle the shrimp with 1/2 tsp of salt, the cayenne pepper and black pepper. Toss together to get all of the shrimp coated.
- Heat a skillet to medium heat and add in the olive oil. Once the pan is heated, add in the seasoned shrimp. Make sure the shrimp is evenly in the skillet and not piled on top of one another. Cook the shrimp in batches if your skillet isn’t large enough.
- Cook the shrimp for 3 minutes and flip them to the other side and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Once the shrimp are cooked, put them onto a large cutting board to cool.
- In a mixing bowl, add in the Greek yogurt, diced cucumber, diced onion, minced garlic, herbs, Dijon mustard and lemon juice and mix together.
- Chop the cooled shrimp into bite sized pieces. You don’t want the shrimp too finely chopped but not large either. Add the chopped shrimp into the bowl of yogurt and gently toss together. Taste for any additional salt and you are done!
- Cover and place the bowl into the refrigerator for at least an hour and up to overnight before serving.
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