Description
This Mediterranean Shrimp Salad is a fresh and vibrant side dish featuring sautéed shrimp combined with ripe avocados, juicy Roma tomatoes, and red onion, all tossed in a zesty lemon juice and olive oil dressing. It's an easy-to-make, healthy salad perfect for warm-weather meals or as a light accompaniment to any Mediterranean-inspired menu.
Ingredients
Shrimp
- 1 cup cooked fresh shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 1/2 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for sautéing)
Vegetables & Garnish
- 3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
- 2 avocados, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 cup red onion, chopped or sliced
- Fresh cilantro to taste (about 1/3 cup chopped leaves, optional)
Dressing & Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Shrimp: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon butter in a pan. Add the peeled and deveined shrimp and sauté them over medium heat until opaque and fully cooked, about 6 minutes. Avoid overcooking to keep shrimp tender.
- Cool the Shrimp: Transfer the cooked shrimp to a bowl and refrigerate until cool.
- Chop Vegetables: Peel and chop the avocados and Roma tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Adjust the size of the chunks depending on whether serving as a side salad or main meal. Chop or slice the red onion as desired.
- Remove Shrimp Tails: Take the shrimp out of the refrigerator and carefully remove the tails by sliding them off to preserve the maximum amount of shrimp meat.
- Cut Shrimp into Pieces: Chop each shrimp into approximately three bite-sized pieces to match the vegetable sizes.
- Prepare Dressing: In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the chopped vegetables and shrimp pieces.
- Toss Salad: Pour the dressing over the shrimp and vegetable mixture and stir gently to coat everything evenly.
- Add Cilantro: If using, fold in fresh chopped cilantro leaves. Avoid using dried herbs to maintain freshness.
- Season to Taste: Adjust salt and black pepper as needed before serving.
Notes
- Use fresh shrimp for best flavor and texture; canned shrimp is not recommended.
- Removing shrimp tails carefully preserves more edible meat.
- Adjust vegetable chunk sizes based on whether serving as a side salad or main dish.
- Fresh cilantro adds brightness; avoid dried herbs.
- This salad is best served chilled or at room temperature.
