Simple Cold Shrimp Salad

I’ve been making this cold shrimp salad for summer gatherings since my kids were little. It’s one of those recipes that looks fancy but takes less time than waiting for the grill to heat up. Plus, there’s no cooking involved if you buy pre-cooked shrimp from the store.

What I love most about this salad is how fresh it tastes. The lime juice and cilantro wake everything up, and the peppers add a nice crunch. I usually make it a few hours before people come over so the flavors have time to mix together in the fridge.

It works as a main dish on hot days or as a side at barbecues. I’ve brought it to potlucks, served it at birthday parties, and even packed it for beach picnics. Just remember to keep it cold until you’re ready to eat.

What Kind of Shrimp Should I Use?

For this cold shrimp salad, you can use fresh or frozen cooked shrimp – both work perfectly fine. If you’re buying frozen, just make sure to thaw them completely in the fridge overnight or under cold running water before using them. When it comes to size, medium shrimp are ideal because they’re easy to eat in a salad and have a nice bite to them, but you could also use large shrimp if that’s what you have on hand. Just make sure your shrimp are already peeled, deveined, and cooked with the tails removed so they’re ready to toss right into your salad.

Options for Substitutions

This fresh shrimp salad is easy to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Cooked shrimp: If you can’t find medium shrimp, large or small shrimp work just fine. You can also use frozen cooked shrimp – just thaw them completely and pat dry before mixing. For a different protein, try cooked crab meat or diced cooked chicken.
• Bell peppers: Feel free to use whatever color bell peppers you have on hand. All green, all red, or even orange and yellow peppers will work. The flavor stays pretty much the same, though red peppers are slightly sweeter.
• Sweet onion: Regular yellow onions or red onions are good alternatives. If using regular yellow onions, you might want to rinse the diced pieces under cold water to mellow out the sharpness a bit.
• Cilantro: Not a cilantro fan? Swap it out for fresh parsley or basil instead. The flavor profile will change, but it’ll still taste great.
• Avocado: While avocado adds nice creaminess, you can leave it out if you don’t have any. Just add a squeeze of lime juice to brighten up the salad.
• Olive oil: Any neutral oil like avocado oil or vegetable oil works here. You could also use half oil and half fresh lime or lemon juice for a tangier dressing.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making cold shrimp salad is adding the avocado too early, which causes it to turn brown and mushy – instead, dice and fold in the avocado right before serving to keep it fresh and green.

Overdressing the salad is another common error that can make your shrimp swim in oil, so start with about 1/4 cup of olive oil, toss everything together, and add more only if needed.

Don’t skip the chilling time, as at least an hour in the fridge allows the flavors to blend together and the garlic to mellow out, making a huge difference in taste.

Finally, make sure your cooked shrimp are completely cooled and patted dry before mixing, otherwise the excess moisture will water down your salad and dilute all those good flavors.

What to Serve With Cold Shrimp Salad?

This cold shrimp salad is perfect on its own as a light lunch, but I love serving it with buttery crackers or toasted baguette slices for scooping. You can also spoon it over a bed of mixed greens or butter lettuce for a more filling meal, or stuff it into flour tortillas for easy shrimp tacos. If you’re feeding a crowd, set out some tortilla chips on the side and let everyone dig in – the flavors work really well with the crunch. For a complete summer spread, pair it with some fresh watermelon or a simple cucumber salad to keep things cool and refreshing.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your shrimp salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Since this has fresh avocado, it’s best enjoyed within the first day or two before the avocado starts to brown. If you’re planning to make it ahead, you can prep everything except the avocado and add that right before serving.

Make Ahead: This salad is actually great for making a few hours ahead since the flavors get better as they sit together. Just toss everything except the avocado, cover it, and let it chill in the fridge. Add the diced avocado and give it a final toss about 30 minutes before you’re ready to eat.

Serve: Always serve this salad cold, straight from the fridge. If the avocado has darkened a bit on top, just give it a gentle stir to mix in the fresh pieces from underneath. You can also squeeze a little fresh lime juice over it to brighten everything up again.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1250-1350
• Protein: 170-185 g
• Fat: 70-80 g
• Carbohydrates: 30-40 g

Ingredients

• 2 lb cooked shrimp (peeled, deveined, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 large green bell pepper, diced
• 1 large red bell pepper (diced into 1/4-inch pieces for uniform texture)
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 avocado (firm but ripe, cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Step 1: Prepare the Vegetables and Aromatics

• 1 large green bell pepper, diced
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Dice the green and red bell peppers into uniform 1/4-inch pieces for even texture throughout the salad.

Finely dice the red onion and mince the garlic cloves.

Chop the fresh cilantro.

Set all prepped vegetables aside in separate small bowls or on a cutting board—this mise en place approach ensures everything is ready to combine smoothly without scrambling mid-assembly.

Step 2: Combine Shrimp and Vegetables

• 2 lb cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• prepared vegetables from Step 1

In a large bowl, combine the cooked shrimp pieces with all the prepped vegetables from Step 1 (peppers, onion, garlic, and cilantro).

Toss gently to distribute everything evenly.

I like to be gentle when mixing to avoid breaking down the shrimp or crushing the delicate cilantro leaves, which preserves the fresh, bright texture of the salad.

Step 3: Build the Dressing and Season

• shrimp and vegetable mixture from Step 2
• 1/2 cup Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

Pour the extra virgin olive oil and fresh lime juice over the shrimp mixture.

Sprinkle the salt, black pepper, and chili flakes evenly over the top.

Fold everything together gently but thoroughly, ensuring the dressing coats all the ingredients and the seasonings are well distributed.

The lime juice and oil will create a light, bright vinaigrette that brings acidity and richness to balance the shrimp and vegetables.

Step 4: Add Avocado and Chill

• seasoned shrimp mixture from Step 3
• 1 avocado, firm but ripe, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Cut the firm but ripe avocado into 1/2-inch cubes and gently fold them into the salad just before chilling.

I add the avocado at this stage rather than earlier to prevent it from breaking down or browning during the chill time.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour so the flavors meld and the salad becomes properly cold, which enhances the refreshing quality of this dish.

Step 5: Serve

• chilled shrimp salad from Step 4

Remove the chilled shrimp salad from the refrigerator and give it a gentle toss to redistribute any pooled dressing.

Serve cold in individual bowls or as a bed on crisp greens.

The salad is best enjoyed immediately after chilling while the avocado is still perfectly creamy and all components maintain their bright, fresh character.

Simple Cold Shrimp Salad

Delicious Simple Cold Shrimp Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 12 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 1300

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 2 lb cooked shrimp (peeled, deveined, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 large green bell pepper, diced
• 1 large red bell pepper (diced into 1/4-inch pieces for uniform texture)
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 avocado (firm but ripe, cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Method

 

1. Dice the green and red bell peppers into uniform 1/4-inch pieces for even texture throughout the salad. Finely dice the red onion and mince the garlic cloves. Chop the fresh cilantro. Set all prepped vegetables aside in separate small bowls or on a cutting board—this mise en place approach ensures everything is ready to combine smoothly without scrambling mid-assembly.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cooked shrimp pieces with all the prepped vegetables from Step 1 (peppers, onion, garlic, and cilantro). Toss gently to distribute everything evenly. I like to be gentle when mixing to avoid breaking down the shrimp or crushing the delicate cilantro leaves, which preserves the fresh, bright texture of the salad.
3. Pour the extra virgin olive oil and fresh lime juice over the shrimp mixture. Sprinkle the salt, black pepper, and chili flakes evenly over the top. Fold everything together gently but thoroughly, ensuring the dressing coats all the ingredients and the seasonings are well distributed. The lime juice and oil will create a light, bright vinaigrette that brings acidity and richness to balance the shrimp and vegetables.
4. Cut the firm but ripe avocado into 1/2-inch cubes and gently fold them into the salad just before chilling. I add the avocado at this stage rather than earlier to prevent it from breaking down or browning during the chill time. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour so the flavors meld and the salad becomes properly cold, which enhances the refreshing quality of this dish.
5. Remove the chilled shrimp salad from the refrigerator and give it a gentle toss to redistribute any pooled dressing. Serve cold in individual bowls or as a bed on crisp greens. The salad is best enjoyed immediately after chilling while the avocado is still perfectly creamy and all components maintain their bright, fresh character.