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blue plate showing Shrimp Salad with Lime Herb Dressing; a serving spoon on the side
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5 from 1 vote

Spicy Shrimp Salad with Lime-Herb Dressing

This spicy shrimp salad is cool, creamy, and full of flavor, with tender shrimp, jalapeno, and sweet peppers tossed in a zesty lime-herb dressing and finished with a crunchy toasted panko topping. It's easy to make ahead, perfect for potlucks, and ready whenever you are.
Prep Time15 minutes
Dressing Chilling Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Main dish, Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cold shrimp salad, Spicy Cold Shrimp Salad, spicy shrimp salad
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Calories: 273kcal
Author: Lee Clayton Roper

Ingredients

Lime Herb Dressing

  • ⅓ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
  • 1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf (Italian) parsley
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 to 3 dashes hot sauce
  • Dash cayenne pepper to taste
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Fresh ground pepper to taste

Shrimp Salad

  • 1 pound cooked medium shrimp (41-50 count) shelled and placed on paper towel to dry
  • 1 ½ tablespoons seeded, deveined, and finely chopped Jalapeno (around 1 2-inch pepper)
  • ½ cup chopped red bell pepper (1 large)
  • ¼ cup finely chopped shallots
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Fresh ground pepper to taste

Panko-Thyme Garnish

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste

Instructions

Lime Herb Dressing

  • In a medium mixing bowl, stir together mayonnaise, mustard, lime juice, herbs, hot sauce and cayenne pepper. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Shrimp Salad

  • In a large mixing bowl, stir together the shrimp, peppers and shallots. Gently toss with dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Cover and refrigerate while you make the topping.

Panko-Thyme Garnish

  • Heat butter in a small skillet over medium heat. When hot, stir in breadcrumbs. Cook, stirring constantly, just until beginning to brown – watch carefully, as they can quickly burn!
  • Remove from heat and spoon toasted panko crumbs onto doubled paper towel to drain and cool.
  • Once cool, place crumbs in a small bowl and stir in thyme, paprika and salt.

Serving (see variations in notes below)

  • Line a large serving bowl with lettuce.
  • Mound shrimp on top, leaving a border of lettuce around the edge.
  • Sprinkle panko garnish over top.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

Tip to keep salad from getting watery: Make sure shrimp and chopped red pepper are very dry before tossing the salad.
Gluten-free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
Make ahead: Once fully prepared, this spicy shrimp salad recipe is best served the day it is prepared. If needed, the salad can be prepared and tossed up to 1 day ahead, covered, and stored in the refrigerator.
Spiciness: Adjust the hot sauce and cayenne to taste. Use less for milder flavor or more if you like it a bit spicier. For more of a kick, you can also leave the membrane inside the jalapeño.
Serving variations:
  1. On a platter, over torn Bibb or baby lettuce.
  2. Place a scoop of salad on top of peeled and pitted ripe avocado halves.
  3. As sandwiches - stuff shrimp salad into pita bread halves or croissants.
  4. As crostini - finely chop the shrimp, and spoon the finished salad on top of toasted slices of ciabatta bread that have been brushed with olive oil.

Nutrition

Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 158mg | Sodium: 1043mg | Potassium: 280mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1228IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 1mg