Description
A refreshing shrimp salad featuring tender shrimp, crisp vegetables, and a creamy dressing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound large shrimp (31–35 count), peeled and deveined
- 1/2 cup finely diced celery (about 2–3 stalks)
- 1 cup diced cucumber, peeled and seeded (about 1 medium cucumber)
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives (plus more for garnish)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- Additional fresh herbs (for garnish)
- Lemon wedges (for serving)
- Paprika or Old Bay seasoning (for dusting)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add shrimp and cook until pink and opaque, about 2-3 minutes.
- Immediately transfer shrimp to an ice bath to stop cooking. Once cool, drain, pat dry, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Old Bay, garlic powder, pepper, and salt. Whisk until smooth.
- Add chopped shrimp, celery, cucumber, red onion, dill, parsley, and chives to the dressing.
- Gently fold everything together until evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (preferably 2-4 hours) to allow flavors to meld.
- Before serving, taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Transfer to a serving bowl or individual plates, garnish with additional herbs, and serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Use wild-caught shrimp when possible for best flavor
- Cook shrimp just until pink—overcooking makes them tough
- Thoroughly pat dry all ingredients to prevent watery salad
- Chill ingredients before mixing for better texture
- Make dressing first, allowing flavors to develop while preparing other ingredients
- Use regular, not light, mayonnaise for better consistency
- Increase or decrease Old Bay according to personal preference
- For more lemony flavor, add zest along with juice
- Let salad sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving for fullest flavor
- Cut vegetables to similar size as shrimp pieces for balanced bites
- Rinse diced onion under cold water to reduce sharpness
- Use fresh herbs whenever possible—they make a significant difference
- Save shrimp shells to make stock for future seafood recipes
- Consider blanching vegetables briefly for more vibrant color
- Taste and adjust seasoning just before serving, as chilling dulls flavors
- For special occasions, reserve a few whole shrimp for garnish
- Use leftover salad as a remarkable sandwich filling
- Add dressing gradually, as you may not need all of it
- Mix with a rubber spatula to avoid breaking up the shrimp
- Serve with hearty crackers or in lettuce cups for elegant presentation
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boiling and Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 150mg