Description
A refreshing and easy shrimp salad made with tender boiled shrimp, a creamy lemon-dill mayonnaise dressing, and crunchy celery and red onion. Perfect served in hot dog buns or lettuce wraps for a light lunch or casual dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Shrimp and Salad
- 2 lbs. medium shrimp, deveined, shells on
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 3/4 cup diced celery
- 1/3 cup heaping diced red onion
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 1/2 Tbsp minced fresh dill
- Cayenne pepper or paprika for a mild option
Optional for Serving
- 6 hot dog buns or smaller hoagie buns
- 6 lettuce leaves (romaine, butter lettuce, or iceberg)
Instructions
- Boil Water: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside to prepare for cooling the shrimp.
- Cook Shrimp: Add the shrimp to the boiling water and cook until pink and opaque through, about 3 minutes. Check that the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure proper doneness without overcooking.
- Cool Shrimp: Drain the shrimp and immediately transfer them to the ice water bowl. Submerge fully and let cool for about 10 minutes to stop the cooking process and keep shrimp firm.
- Prepare Dressing: In a medium mixing bowl, stir together mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, diced celery, diced red onion, chopped parsley, and minced dill until well combined.
- Peel Shrimp: Drain the cooled shrimp from the ice water. Remove the shells and tails, then gently pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.
- Combine Salad: Add the peeled shrimp to the mayonnaise mixture and toss gently to coat evenly. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper or paprika if using.
- Serve: Spoon the shrimp salad into hot dog buns with lettuce leaves if desired, or serve wrapped in doubled-up lettuce leaves for a lighter option.
Notes
- Large or extra-large shrimp can be used; simply chop them into smaller pieces after cooking and cooling.
- Store leftover shrimp salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Omitting the buns and serving the salad in lettuce wraps reduces the calorie count by about 130 calories per serving.
- Use fresh herbs for the best flavor, but dried dill and parsley can be substituted if fresh is unavailable.
- For a spicier salad, increase the amount of cayenne pepper or add a dash of hot sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 190 mg
