Juicy poached shrimp are tossed in a lemony dill dressing, with chopped celery and red onion providing lots of crunch. This is a fast and easy potluck side dish, but it can also be eaten as a light main on its own, in a wrap, or in lettuce cups.
My Favorite Kind of Salad!
Any “salad” that ditches the leafy greens in favor of a creamy, mayo-based dressing is okay by me.
As much as I love all the fresh flavors going on in this Citrus Shrimp Salad and the peppery bite of arugula in this Pesto Shrimp Salad, this super simple shrimp salad (try saying that five times fast!) is my go-to for potlucks, picnics, and bbqs.
It’s a cousin to my favorite tuna salad, made with a homemade lemon dill dressing, juicy poached shrimp, and a little celery and onion for flavor. If you’re looking for a fast, easy, fuss-free salad to bring to an upcoming event, this old-fashioned favorite fits the bill!
Enjoy!
Heidi’s Tips for Making Shrimp Salad
- Large shrimp deliver the juiciest bite and won’t get lost in the mayo-based salad dressing. You can poach shrimp of any size, but in this recipe l like 21 / 25 shrimp, which means there are 21 to 25 shrimp per pound.
- Both fresh and frozen shrimp may be used. You can add frozen shrimp straight to the poaching liquid, no need to thaw first!
- This shrimp salad dressing tastes best when it’s made with real mayo. I grew up in a Miracle Whip household and always use it in my potato salad, but here, I like to use mayonnaise. It delivers maximum creaminess without any of the sweet tanginess of Miracle Whip.
What You’ll Need For the Shrimp and Dressing
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
The Shrimp
Peel, devein, and remove the tails of 21/25 large shrimp. I’ll often leave the tails on when making dishes like coconut shrimp for prettier presentation, but you don’t want people to be picking tails out of their shrimp salad at a potluck!
My secret to making extra flavorful shrimp is poaching them in hot water flavored with fresh lemon, bay leaves, kosher salt, and whole black peppercorns. (It’s like salting your pasta water when making spaghetti; you want to flavor the shrimp from the inside out.)
The Creamy Dressing
The main ingredients in the salad dressing are mayonnaise, lemon juice and zest, and fresh dill. From there, we’ll build up the flavor by adding garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Optional Add-Ins & Ingredient Substitutions
Make this salad your own by adding one or more of the following:
- Add 1-2 chopped hard-boiled eggs for more creaminess
- Get more crunch with chopped cucumber or red bell pepper
- Swap part of the mayo with plain Greek yogurt
- Use shallots or green onion in place of red onion
- Bring in some tang with dill pickle relish, minced cornichons, or capers
- Add a little heat with chopped jalapeño or a few sprinkles of crushed red pepper
The 3 Simple Steps to Making Shrimp Salad
- Poach the shrimp. I have a detailed tutorial on How to Poach Shrimp that will help you with any troubleshooting. The main thing to remember is to bring the poaching liquid to a boil, then TURN OFF the heat before adding in the shrimp. If you literally boil the shrimp, you’ll wind up with shrimp-shaped pieces of rubber.
- Make the dressing. Just a few stirs are all it takes to combine the dressing.
- Toss the shrimp with the dressing. Let the poached shrimp cool before tossing with the red onion, chives, celery, and creamy dressing.
Heidi’s Tip: Salads like this always taste better after they’ve had time to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. This gives the shrimp time for all the flavors to meld, and I swear it makes a big difference!
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Shrimp Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
- ½ lemon, about 2 tablespoons, juiced plus zested
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the salad:
- 1 pound poached large shrimp, recipe below or frozen cooked shrimp (21/25 per pound) peeled and tails removed, thawed
- ½ cup minced celery
- ½ cup minced red onion
- 2 tablespoons minced chives
How to make poached shrimp:
- 1 pound uncooked fresh or frozen large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed (21-25 per pound)
- 8 cups water
- 1 lemon, halved
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Poach the shrimp. In a large stockpot, add 8 cups water, the juice of 1 lemon and lemon halves, 1 bay leaf, 4 peppercorns, and 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil then turn off the heat. Add 1 pound shrimp to the hot water and poach for 3-4 minutes or until the shrimp turn opaque and are just firm to the touch. Immediately drain and transfer the shrimp to an ice-water bath until cool. Drain the shrimp and transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to cool.
- Make the salad dressing. In a small bowl, whisk ½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup chopped fresh dill, 2 tablespoons lemon juice plus zest of ½ lemon, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
- Mix the ingredients and dress. In a large bowl, add the 1 pound poached or cooked shrimp, ½ cup minced celery, ½ cup minced red onion, and 2 tablespoons minced chives. Add the dressing and gently toss to coat. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed and chill for at least 30 minutes up to overnight before serving. Add more dill and chives before serving on lettuce leaves, in croissants, on rolls, toasts, or crackers.
Notes
Nutrition
What to Serve With Shrimp Salad
You can serve this cold shrimp salad as a light main dish or as a side with your favorite potluck and bbq dishes.
Storage Tips
You’ll need to eat this dish within 2 to 3 days. Store it airtight in the fridge and serve cold.
More Creamy Potluck Salads Like This
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Kristine
Making this for the second time today-fresh, delicious and easy! Thank you!
Thank you Kristine! I’m so glad you enjoyed it enough to make it more than once!