Shrimp Salad with Avocados

This Shrimp Salad with Avocados is full of fresh flavors! It’s light and refreshing, and sure to be your new favorite summer salad!

This salad is seriously like nothing you’ve ever had before. I can say that with 100% full confidence. Maybe you’ve had a creamy shrimp salad before. Maybe you’ve had a yummy green salad topped with fresh shrimp before. But I know – I just know – you’ve never had anything like this!

Why This Is the Best Shrimp Salad Recipe

• Incredible flavor. This summer salad is absolutely packed with fresh flavor. Crisp green salad, tender shrimp, and an amazing pop of brightness thanks to bite-size pieces of citrusy grapefruit!
• Perfect summer fare. I’m a sucker for all things fresh in the summer. I love cold dishes, bright citrus, and bold flavor. This is the best shrimp salad recipe that has it all!
• Super easy. Summer salads aren’t meant to be complicated. This one comes together in just a few minutes!

Recipe Ingredients

I see you side-eying me about this long ingredient list. Don’t worry. I promise this shrimp salad recipe is easy and so worth it. Here’s everything you’ll need. Scroll down to the recipe card for exact amounts.

For the Shrimp

• Olive Oil
• Shrimp: Medium shrimp that are peeled and deveined are the best choice.
• Salt & Pepper

To Make the Salad

• Salad Greens: I like to use a fresh Spring mix.
• Avocado
• Grapefruit: Fresh is best, but you can also use canned or jarred grapefruit sections.

For the Dressing

• Garlic
• Lemon: Grab some fresh lemons for lemon juice and zest.
• Salt & Pepper
• Olive Oil
• Dijon Mustard: This is optional, but adds awesome flavor.

How to Make Shrimp Salad

There are three steps to getting this summer salad together. First, we’ll cook up the shrimp, then we’ll assemble the green salad, and last, we’ll top it all with our slightly sweet but tart salad dressing. Check out the recipe card at the end of this post for detailed instructions.

1. Cook the shrimp. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and then cook in a hot skillet about 2 minutes on each side. You’ll know the shrimp is done when it’s completely opaque and pink. Remove the shrimp from the pan and let them rest for about 5 minutes.
2. Make the salad. Toss together the salad greens in a large bowl and then add the avocado and grapefruit slices. Top with the cooked shrimp.
3. Mix the dressing. Combine all the salad dressing ingredients and whisk them together.
4. Combine. Drizzle the dressing over the entire salad or do so with individual bowls. Enjoy!

Tips for the Best Shrimp Salad

• Great for a crowd. If you are serving this at a party or for a large crowd, simply double or triple the recipe. 
• Shrimp. For this salad, I recommend using peeled and deveined shrimp and removing the tail. You want to be able to pop each shrimp into your mouth right along with a large bite of salad. 
• Citrus. If you don’t have or can’t enjoy grapefruit, you could use mandarin oranges in place of the grapefruit sections. 
• Prep. While I don’t recommend that you make the entire salad ahead of time, you can easily make the components. Cook the shrimp and make the dressing ahead of time and combine the salad at a later time. 

Serving Suggestions

• This dish is perfect to serve as an appetizer or for a light meal. If you’re serving it as an app, I really like to serve it alongside a fresh summery flatbread pizza, with pita chips and a dip, or just this simple homemade flatbread!
• You could add some sides to your meal like grilled fresh veggies or corn on the cob. 
• To make this shrimp avocado salad a bit more hearty, I love to serve it with tortilla chips or on top of a warm tortilla or tostada! 

Can I Store Leftovers?

Shrimp avocado salad is best served fresh. I wouldn’t recommend storing the leftovers for later or making it ahead of time. 

More Easy Salad Recipes

• Egg Salad With Pickles
• Salmon BLT Salad
• Chicken Salad With Grapes