Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: Shrimp salad with mango and avocado is a light and refreshing entree. Even better, you can have this main dish salad on the table in less than 30 minutes. The vinaigrette can be made ahead and is great on any salad.

How long it takes: about 20 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: 1 skillet, large bowl, small bowl or jar for dressing
Servings: 2 (it’s easy to double)

Overhead view of a bright green salad with mango, avocado, red onions, and shrimp.
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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, and crisp red onions, all nestled in fresh green leaf lettuce. 

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?

A grey plate on a light grey background. Plate is filled with green leaf lettuce, shrimp, red onion, mango, and avocado.

About this Shrimp salad

Easy homemade vinaigrette: 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.

Convenient frozen shrimp: I like to use frozen raw shrimp because it’s so convenient and fairly inexpensive. Already peeled and deveined, frozen shrimp can be thawed in a matter of minutes right in your sink. If you’ve come home from work and are looking at a block of frozen meat, I’m sure you’ll see the advantages of frozen shrimp.

Ingredient Notes

  • 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 Shrimp Salad

Thaw the shrimp. If your shrimp is still frozen, get that started first. Place the shrimp in a colander in the sink and run cold water over it. It will thaw quickly.

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.

Honey being poured into salad dressing jar.

Season the thawed shrimp with chili powder.

Spices being sprinkled over raw shrimp.

Sauté the shrimp. 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.

Shrimp cooking in a white skillet.

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

Dressing being poured over greens.

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

Cooking Tip

If the taste of red onion is too strong for you, soak the slices briefly in ice water to remove the sharp flavor. That’s one of my favorite kitchen tricks.

Pickled red onion is a good substitute, too, if you prefer a milder tangy flavor.

How To Serve This Shrimp Salad

This is a composed salad: 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.

  • You’ll need 2 dinner-size plates or shallow salad bowls.
  • Toss the lettuce with a little of the vinaigrette and arrange it on each plate.
  • Evenly 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.

Serve the shrimp salads 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 or a pineapple margarita is a perfect go-along.

Overhead view of a bright green salad with mango, avocado, red onions, and shrimp.

Recipe Variations

  • Substitute green onions (scallions) or chives for the red onion.
  • Use any lettuce of your choice. Or use different veggies like red bell pepper, fresh (or blanched) pea pods, or another vegetable of your choice.
  • 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.
  • Hawaiian style: Substitute fresh pineapple for the mango. Sprinkle toasted coconut flakes on the salad. Another option would be to use shrimp and pineapple kabobs, with homemade teriyaki sauce.
  • Shrimp options: For crispy breaded shrimp, try air fryer coconut shrimp. It’s fantastic on this salad! Firecracker shrimp or spicy garlic shrimp are great options, too.
  • Whole 30/Keto options: For Whole30, omit the honey in the dressing. To make it keto, omit the honey and mango. Substitute sliced red bell pepper. 
Shrimp salad with mango, avocado, red onion on a grey plate with a black fork.

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.
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Free Meal Plans

Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at my Meal Plan #8, Meal Plan #24, or Meal Plan #87 (written for 2 people). You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. Let me do the planning for you this week! We add a new meal plan weekly.

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

More Shrimp Recipes

Recipe

Shrimp Salad with Mango and Avocado

4.82 from 11 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Total Time: 21 minutes
Servings: 2 main dish salads
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.
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Ingredients 

Dressing:

  • ½ teaspoon lime zest (from 1 lime)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about ½ lime)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped seeded jalapeno
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Shrimp

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 8 ounces peeled and deveined large shrimp (about 16, depending on size)
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder

Salad

  • 6 cups torn leaf lettuce
  • 1 medium mango, diced
  • 1 small avocado, diced
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion

Instructions 

  • Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar. Set aside.
    ½ teaspoon lime zest, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, 1 teaspoon honey, 2 teaspoons finely chopped seeded jalapeno, ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in skillet over medium high heat. Sprinkle shrimp with chili powder and toss to coat. Add shrimp to skillet and fry two to three minutes each side until shrimp turns pink, opaque, and curls. Remove from pan.
    1 tablespoon olive oil, 8 ounces peeled and deveined large shrimp, 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • Combine lettuce with half the dressing. Arrange on serving plates. Divide shrimp, mango, avocado, and onion between two plates. Drizzle with remaining dressing.
    6 cups torn leaf lettuce, 1 medium mango, diced, 1 small avocado, diced, ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Recipe adapted from Whole30 Fast & Easy.
  • Recipe can easily be doubled to make 4 servings.
Make ahead suggestions:
  • 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. 
  • Thaw the shrimp overnight in the fridge.
  • Cut up the mango and soak the red onion.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1salad, Calories: 452kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 30g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 21g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 143mg, Sodium: 986mg, Potassium: 839mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 9780IU, Vitamin C: 65mg, Calcium: 129mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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4.82 from 11 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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6 Comments

  1. Ruby Kee says:

    5 stars
    Great
    Recipe? Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe. I’m

    1. Rachel Gurk says:

      You’re so welcome!

  2. Kari says:

    Easy, delicious, and flavorful. We don’t do red onions so I added sliced cherry tomatoes for something extra. Will be making this again!

    1. Rachel Gurk says:

      That’s a yummy addition! I’m glad you liked the recipe, thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment!

  3. denise says:

    looks fresh and tasty

    1. Rachel Gurk says:

      Thanks Denise!