Sesame Lime Shrimp Salad
Sesame Lime Shrimp Salad is a super flavorful spring and summertime salad! A good many years ago I created this recipe — kind of accidentally– out of sheer necessity! I had some leftover boiled shrimp and needed to come up with a quick lunch to serve a couple of friends that were visiting. Not a big fan of mayonnaise-y salads, I grabbed some soy sauce and sesame oil and a few other ingredients. The thought process was about trying to do a pseudo Asian version of the traditional shrimp salad. Turned out great!
Over time I have tweaked the recipe to what it is today. Light but filling, this Sesame Lime Shrimp Salad is just so perfect to serve when the weather is warm! You mix the dressing up in a large bowl and then put your other ingredients on top of it, so it is really easy to make ahead. You can use frozen cooked and peeled shrimp from Whole Foods, as I often do. Just thaw in the fridge overnight in a colander set in a plate or bowl. Or you can get your local seafood shop to steam up some peeled shrimp for you to use. Costco is an excellent choice as well for boiled shrimp. I often pick theirs up when entertaining.
The Sesame Lime Shrimp Salad recipe calls for a shallot, some chopped celery, cucumber and avocado. Chopped cherry tomatoes are also a delicious add in that I will occasionally use, as well as green onions. So the salad is pretty versatile for adding in your choice of veggies. The real star though is that dressing… so so yummy! Bright, salty, sweet and slightly spicy. Serve over lettuces of your choice with some extra cilantro on top. It is oh so delish!
Sesame Lime Shrimp Salad
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons sweet red chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- juice of one lime
- pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, black pepper, kosher salt
- 1/2 seedless cucumber, peeled and chopped can substitute a few mini cucumbers, chopped
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 1-2 stalks celery, plus leaves finely chopped
- 1 avocado chopped
- handful cilantro chopped
- 3/4 to 1 pound cooked medium sized shrimp, cut into bite sized pieces I use Whole Foods medium sized cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp
- iceberg, butter, or mixed lettuces for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the first 7 ingredients along with the red pepper flakes and a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Can do this ahead of time and place in refrigerator.Add cucumber, celery, shallot and the shrimp to the bowl and stir with spatula to coat. If you aren't serving immediately, place in refrigerator for up to an hour.
- Right before serving, add avocado, cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice and a pinch of salt and stir well. Serve on top of lettuce with additional cilantro on top. Enjoy!