Shrimp Salad with Mango and Avocado

For a light and refreshing entree, enjoy shrimp salad with mango and avocado. Even better, you can have this main dish salad on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Lightly dressed with homemade cilantro lime vinaigrette, on a bed of fresh greens, shrimp salad has so much tropical flavor, you’ll feel like you’re being pampered at a seaside resort. Just take a look at the elements of this salad:

• lightly seasoned juicy shrimp
• sweet golden mango
• creamy avocado
• crunchy red onions

…. all nestled in fresh green leaf lettuce. 

I can almost feel the soft ocean breezes, palm trees lightly swaying, pleasantly warm sunshine, and the sound of ocean waves gently lapping the shore. Cue up the ukulele music, we are transporting to the topics as we revel in this summer salad. 

Don’t we need a little reminder of warm days and sunshine all year round? I know I do. Thankfully, you can enjoy this salad any time you need a low calorie, healthy entrée that can be made in less than half an hour. And isn’t that pretty much always?

About this shrimp salad Recipe

I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how quickly this salad comes together. The dressing is an easy vinaigrette that can be made ahead. I often make a double batch so I can enjoy it on another salad tomorrow.

I’ll get you started on making your salad and give you lots of extra tips. Look for the recipe card near the bottom of the post for complete instructions, measurements, and nutrition information.

What You’ll Need

• Homemade Vinaigrette: Fresh lime juice and zest, olive oil, fresh cilantro, minced jalapeño pepper, and a touch of honey make a really flavorful dressing for this salad.
• Shrimp: Fresh or frozen, shrimp cooks very quickly and adapts to many flavors. It’s an easy source of protein and has many health benefits.
• Chili Powder: The shrimp is seasoned with chili powder which is a blend of salt and spices. It gives the shrimp plenty of flavor.
• Olive Oil: A splash of mild-tasting oil is needed to sauté the shrimp.
• Green Leaf Lettuce: Really, any type of green will work but leaf lettuce holds up well for this salad.
• Mango: The texture and flavor of mango goes perfectly with the chili seasoning and the avocado.
• Red Onion: Soak the sliced onion in ice water for 10 minutes or so to remove some of the strong flavor.
• Avocado: Smooth and rich, avocado rounds out this salad, adding texture and nutrition.

How To Make This Salad

If your shrimp isn’t thawed yet, get that started first. Place the shrimp in a colander in the sink and run cold water over it. It will thaw quickly.

Next, prep the dressing ingredients. Mince the cilantro and jalapeño pepper finely. Save a few sprigs of cilantro for a garnish. Mix the vinaigrette in a small jar with a tight lid (shake it up) or whisk them together in a small bowl.

Season the thawed shrimp with chili powder.

Toss the shrimp into a skillet for a quick sauté in olive oil, only a few minutes on each side. The shrimp will curl up, turning pink and firm when they’re cooked. Try not to overcook shrimp. Shrimp is best when it’s just cooked through.

Wash, dry, and tear the lettuce into bite-size pieces. In a large bowl, mix the lettuce with half the dressing.

Peel and slice the mango, avocado, and red onion.

Composing the Salad

This is a composed salad, i.e., the components of the salad are arranged on individual plates. Shrimp salad is so much prettier when it’s composed. You could dump everything in a big bowl and mix it up but it wouldn’t be the same. Some salads are just fine that way (such as coleslaw or potato salad), but for this shrimp salad, use a little artistic flair and arrange it beautifully on each plate.

• This salad makes two servings so set out two plates.
• Toss the lettuce with a little of the vinaigrette.
• Arrange the dressed lettuce on each plate.
• Divide the shrimp, sliced mango, avocado and red onions between the salads.
• Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette.
• Garnish the salads with extra cilantro leaves for an additional pop of flavor and color.

I bet you can hardly wait to try this beautiful and delicious salad! Serve it with warm chive bread and a glass of chilled white wine, like Pinot Grigio, Reisling, or Sauvignon Blanc. For a special occasion, a lemony French 75 is a perfect go-along.

Make It Your Own

• Not crazy about red onions? Substitute green onions (scallions) or chives.
• You can substitute any lettuce of your choice. Or use different veggies like red bell pepper, fresh (or blanched) pea pods, or another vegetable of your choice.
• If you want a spicier salad, add sliced jalapeño peppers to the salad. Or amp up the dressing by adding a quarter teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes. This recipe for spicy Thai shrimp salad with spicy cashew dressing by SkinnyTaste sounds really good, too.
• For a Hawaiian flair, use fresh pineapple instead of mango. Sprinkle toasted coconut flakes on the salad. Or check out shrimp and pineapple kabobs, with homemade teriyaki sauce.
• Like crispy breaded shrimp? Try air fryer coconut shrimp. It’s fantastic on this salad!
• Looking for Whole30? Simply omit the honey in the dressing. To make it keto, omit the honey and mango. Substitute sliced red bell pepper. 

Make-Ahead Ideas

This salad is best eaten immediately once it’s prepared. However, there are a couple of ways to get a head start on it.

• Prepare the dressing the night before and refrigerate it in a small jar or covered container.
• Wash and dry the lettuce. Put it in a ziptop bag with a paper towel or two to absorb any moisture. 
• Slice and soak the red onions in ice water up to an hour in advance.
• Sauté the shrimp up to a day ahead. Cover the shrimp and refrigerate. Take them out while you’re preparing the salad so it has a chance to warm up a bit, or briefly warm it in a skillet. The shrimp doesn’t have to be smokin’ hot but it’s better if it’s not ice cold, too.

More shrimp recipes

“Shrimp boats is a-comin’… sails are in sight!” Maybe you aren’t familiar with that hit from the 1950’s, but shrimp is always a hit. Try:

• Lemon Pepper Shrimp — pan-fried, ready in minutes
• Spicy Garlic Shrimp – 20 minute recipe
• Grilled Shrimp Kabobs with Pineapple — with homemade teriyaki sauce
• Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas — I’ve made these so many times, they are just delicious!
• Shrimp Tacos with Avocado, Mango and Pineapple Salsa
• Greek Orzo Salad with Shrimp
• Instant Pot Shrimp Scampi Pasta
• Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry
• Sweet and Sour Shrimp Lettuce Wraps