How to Make Shrimp Salad

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: December 15, 2020 References Tested

If you have fresh shrimp and really want to let its flavor shine, make creamy shrimp salad. Toss tender, cooked shrimp with mayonnaise, white wine, and mustard for a flavorful dish. The salad also has a delightful crunchy texture that it gets from red onion and celery. Enjoy the chilled shrimp salad on its own or eat it with bread, lettuce, or pasta.

Ingredients

For the salad:

3 tablespoons (51 g) of salt
1 lemon
4 pounds (1.8 kg) of large shrimp in the shell, divided
1 red onion or a shallot
6 stalks of celery
1 peeled cucumber, chopped, optional
1 tomato, chopped, optional

For the dressing:

2 cups (464 g) of mayonnaise
1 teaspoon (5 g) of Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons (30 ml) of white wine, white wine vinegar, or lemon juice
1 teaspoon (5.5 g) of salt
1 teaspoon (2 g) of freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons (3 g) of fresh dill, minced

Makes 12 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:
Classic Shrimp Salad

1
Peel and devein 4 pounds (1.8 kg) of large shrimp. Rinse the shrimp in a colander and pat them dry with a paper towel so they're easier to handle. Take a shrimp and pull off the legs with your fingers. Then, use your fingers to peel away the shell. To devein the shrimp, take a small knife and slice along the length of the shrimp. Look for a thin black line and pull it away. Repeat this for all of the shrimp.^{[1]
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- Save the shells to make a great seafood stock.
2
Bring 5 US quarts (4.7 L) of water to a boil with salt and lemon quarters. Pour the water into a large pot and add 3 tablespoons (51 g) of salt. Cut 1 lemon into quarters and add it to the pot. Then, put the lid on and turn the burner to high so the water comes to a boil faster.^{[2]
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- The lemon and salt flavor the shrimp as they boil.
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3
Add half of the shrimp and boil them for 3 minutes. Carefully lower about 2 pounds (0.91 kg) of the shrimp into the boiling water and turn the burner down to medium. Gently boil the shrimp with the lid off of the pot until the shrimp are just cooked through.^{[3]
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- The shrimp turn a pale pink color once they're cooked. Don't cook them for more than 3 minutes or the shrimp can turn tough and rubbery.
4
Transfer the cooked shrimp to cold water and boil the remaining shrimp. To stop the shrimp from overcooking, fill a bowl with cold water. Scoop the cooked shrimp with a slotted spoon and put them into the bowl. Then, bring the water back to a boil and cook the other batch of shrimp. Don't forget to chill the second batch in the cold water, too.^{[4]
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5
Mince 1 red onion and 6 stalks of celery. Peel a red onion and rinse 6 stalks of celery. Trim off the ends and carefully mince the vegetables until they're very fine pieces. You should get about 3 cups (300 g) of minced celery. Set the vegetables aside while you make the shrimp salad dressing.^{[5]
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- If you'd like a milder flavor, use a peeled shallot instead of a red onion.
- To save time, stick the vegetables into a food processor. Then, pulse them until they're finely chopped.
- For extra veggies, chop a peeled cucumber and add it to the bowl along with 1 chopped tomato.
6
Whisk all of the dressing ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Put 2 cups (464 g) of mayonnaise into the bowl along with 1 teaspoon (5 g) of Dijon mustard, and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of white wine or white wine vinegar. Whisk in 1 teaspoon (5.5 g) of salt, 1 teaspoon (2 g) of freshly ground black pepper, and 6 tablespoons (3 g) of freshly minced dill.^{[6]
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- If you like a bright citrus flavor instead of vinegar, substitute the same amount of lemon juice for the vinegar.
- Swap out the same amount of your favorite fresh herb for the dill. Use freshly chopped parsley or cilantro, for instance.
7
Mix the shrimp with the dressing, onion, and celery. Put the peeled shrimp into the bowl with the dressing and add the minced vegetables. Use a big spoon or spatula to stir the shrimp salad really well so all of the shrimp is coated with the dressing.^{[7]
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- If you don't want to toss the shrimp with all of the dressing, put the shrimp and vegetables into your serving bowl. Then, spoon half of the dressing onto the shrimp salad and taste it. Continue to add more dressing until it's as saucy as you like.
8
Taste the salad and adjust the seasonings before you serve it. Take a bite of the salad to see if it needs more salt, pepper, or dill, for instance. If you're happy with the flavor, serve the salad right away or cover the bowl and chill it for a few hours in the fridge.^{[8]
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- You can refrigerate the shrimp salad leftovers for up to 1 day in an airtight container.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:
Serving Ideas

1
Spoon the shrimp salad over lettuce for a fresh, green salad. One of the tastiest ways to serve shrimp salad is also the simplest. Spread a handful of greens like Romaine, red leaf lettuce, or butter lettuce on a serving dish. Then, top the greens with a large scoop of shrimp salad.^{[9]
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- To make the meal even more filling, add a few slices of ripe avocado.
2
Add cooked pasta noodles for a hearty shrimp salad. Boil a 16-ounce (453 g) box of short pasta noodles according to the package. Once the noodles are tender, drain them and rinse them with cold water. Then, mix the noodles with a batch of shrimp salad and refrigerate the dish for 2 hours before you serve it.^{[10]
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- Feel free to use less shrimp salad if you want the dish to be pasta-based. For more shrimp, go ahead and double the amount of shrimp salad.
3
Spread shrimp salad between toast and lettuce to make a sandwich. To make shrimp salad easier for eating on the go, toast a few slices of bread like pumpernickel or sourdough. Lay some butter lettuce on the bread and cover it with shrimp salad. Press another piece of toast on top and enjoy your sandwich!^{[11]
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- If you don't want a hearty sandwich, set out crackers and toasted baguette to eat with the shrimp salad.
- To make a wrap, substitute a tortilla or flatbread for the toast.
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